Ken Jennings Getting Torn Apart By Fans After Bizarre Jeopardy! Moment
Ken Jennings is in trouble with Jeopardy! fans after he allowed a contestant to correct their answer.
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New Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings was on the receiving end of backlash this week, after allowing a contestant to correct his wrong answer. Viewers immediately took to social media where they accused the 48-year-old of unfairly adjudicating two contestants during the game. “Wow, is @jeopardy fixed? Why is Luigi allowed to correct himself, but Harriet isn’t?” one viewer wrote. Luigi de Guzman is currently on a four-game winning streak after a runaway game on the latest episode of the show.
The controversy began during the “Cons” category when contestants were shown a painting and asked to identify its British artist. After being shown a 19th-century landscape, the Virginia resident buzzed in and responded with, “What is Constant?” But Ken Jennings asked for clarification, allowing Guzman to change his answer to, “Who is Constable?” This was accepted, and the attorney was awarded accordingly.
The move was perfectly acceptable since Jeopardy! rules say, “contestants may change their responses as long as neither the host nor the judges have made a ruling.” However, when contestant Harriet Wagner misspoke in the same game, Ken Jennings ruled her answer incorrect. Even though she corrected herself before the time expired. This led to accusations of favoritism, which the host was accused of during Mattea Roach’s run last season.
Most folks commenting on the incident were upset that Ken Jennings prompted Luigi de Guzman to correct himself, only to cut off Harriet Wagner when she gave the correct response on her own. Pointing out the inconsistency, angry fans said the champion should never have been given a second chance at the answer. Interestingly, the contestant took to Twitter to explain what happened from his perspective and to publicly apologize to Wagner.
Addressing her own mistake, Harriet Wagner called the eventual winner generous for offering an apology. There are plenty of instances when fans have been upset by aspects of the game or even its hosts, Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik. But it’s always nice when the contestants approach each other with grace and humility – especially when such large cash prizes are at stake each week.
Former quiz show champion Ken Jennings and actress Mayim Bialik were named as permanent Jeopardy! co-hosts earlier this year. The pair takes over from Alex Trebek who, after hosting the show for more than 37 years, lost his battle with cancer in 2020. As the former kicks off the 39th season, the Call Me Kat star is set to lead the debut of Celebrity Jeopardy! when it premieres on September 25th. The Tournament of Champions is also coming up on October 31st and will feature some big changes to the annual format.
Meanwhile, Ken Jennings will also host the Second Chance Tournament. For anyone who still wants more Jeopardy!, the series recently launched a topical weekly podcast called Inside Jeopardy! The show promises to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the popular quiz show. It will cover topics like gameplay analysis, backstage stories, official announcements, and special interviews. The show will be available on Spotify, Apple, and wherever else podcasts are found.
