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Credit: NBCJeopardy! host Ken Jennings is under fire after fans believe he tricked a contestant into losing thousands of dollars.
Ken Jennings, one of the hosts of the main Jeopardy! game show, is currently standing in for fellow co-host Mayim Bialik. The divisive host refused to cross the picket line during the Writers Guild of America strikes sweeping the nation and thus will not host her final shows in Season 39. Jennings has replaced Bialik for her intended episodes.
After multiple hosts from the Jeopardy! family and a short (controversial) stint by Mike Richards, previous winner Ken Jennings, and The Big Bang Theory and Call Me Kat star Mayim Bialik jointly replaced late host Alex Trebek full-time at the end of Season 38. Trebek passed away aged 80 from pancreatic cancer in November 2020.
Related: ‘Jeopardy!’ Boss Weighs in on Divisive and Notable Change to Game Show
It hasn’t been smooth sailing for either of the hosts, but for Bialik especially, fans have often found issues with her hosting style. From taking long pauses before revealing answers to being asked to “tone it down” to even being flagged for inconsistent rules, the Amy Farrah Fowler actress has drawn more fire than her fellow counterpart.
Despite the backlash, though, both Jennings and Bialik host ABC’s primetime specials as well as the current syndicated version; Bialik leads Jeopardy! National College Championships and Celebrity Jeopardy!, while Jennings just recently hosted Jeopardy! Masters. The primetime event saw James Holzhauer take the crown over other notable contestants, including Mattea Roach, Matt Amodio, Andrew He, Amy Schneider, and Sam Buttrey.
However, with Bialik replaced by Jennings for what should have been her stint on the season, fans have pulled their attention to the co-host. And a recent episode saw him being called out for tricking a contestant into losing thousands of dollars.
Alex Gordon, a medical student from New York, bet most of his winnings on Daily Double clue with the category “Stitch Incoming.” What was thought to be a category of solely medical-inspired questions soon turned into something else. Prior to asking the question, Jennings teased Gordon, saying, “How confident are you in a medical category, Alex?”
Related: ‘Jeopardy!’ Officials Speak out on “Painful” Episode, Fans Say It’s “One of the Worst Ever”
The contestant leaned into the category, backed by his knowledge, and dropped $12,000 of his $15,000 winnings so far on the clue. The clue was “Joba Chamberlain used the scar from below the elbow surgery named for his fellow pitcher as part of a smiley face tattoo.”
Gordon answered, “Who is Joe DiMaggio?” The answer was incorrect, with the correct response being, “Who is Tommy John?”
The Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as the Tommy John procedure, was named after the first baseball player to undergo the surgery, Thomas Edward John Jr., or Tommy John, the “Bionic Man.”
Gordon lost his winnings in the dramatic turn, but fans were quick to point out that Jennings may have had a part in his downfall.
“WTH! You tricked this doctor into believing the question was a medical question,” one user wrote (via Fox News). “It wasn’t! It was about a tattoo and baseball players.”
Another comment from @Kebert_Xela600 said:
Then #Jeopardy pulled a d*** move by slipping in a baseball question when everything else in the category was medical related. I think if@KenJennings kept his mouth shut, #AlexGordon would only have bet $5000.
Then #Jeopardy pulled a dick move by slipping in a baseball question when everything else in the category was medical related 😂😂😂. I think if @KenJennings kept his mouth shut, #AlexGordon would only have bet $5000.
— Kebert Xela (@Kebert_Xela600) July 11, 2023
Strong feelings were shared by @Lonkei; they wrote:
#Jeopardy #Wow #JustWrong the way #KenJennings did #AlexGordon I may just be DONE watching the show. All time low.
#Jeopardy #Wow #JustWrong the way #KenJennings did #AlexGordon
I may just be DONE watching the show. All time low.— #NewBeginnings (@Lonkei) July 11, 2023
Related: ‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Call Category the “Worst Thing the Show Has Done”
However, despite the issues some think Jennings caused, other viewers thought the host was not to blame for the blunder.
“Anyone who knows ANYTHING about orthopedic surgery or sport-related injuries knows about Tommy John surgery,” a user responded (via Fox News). “@KenJennings on @Jeopardy is NOT to blame at all for #AlexGordon’s inability to come up with the right question!!”
At present, Jennings is set to host through the end of Season 39, with the pre-taped episodes being filmed back in May when Bialik stepped down in support of the WGA strikes. Now, with SAG-AFTRA and WAG both striking at the same time, it may be some time before Jeopardy! Season 40 gets announced. Both Jennings and Bialik have been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Game Show, alongside Pat Sajak (Wheel of Fortune), Keke Palmer (Password), and Steve Harvey (Family Feud).
What did you think of the comment made by Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!