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'Jeopardy!' contestant Holly Hassel defends Mayim Bialik from 'misogynistic' trolls: 'She's an excellent host'

Holly Hassel explained why criticism of Mayim Bialik's hosting skills is 'mean-spirited'

CULVER CITY, LOS ANGELES: ‘Jeopardy!’ contestant Holly Hassel has come forward to defend Mayim Bialik against trolling on social media. The host has been under fire ever since she took over the game show. 

Hassel revealed in an interview that she thinks Bialik is a good host despite her different style of moderation. She also unpacked the infamous incidents from the game show that viewers were very unhappy about and blamed Bialik for it.

'I like that she’s enjoying herself'

Hassel, who recently won over the six-day winner Suresh Krishnan, is an English Professor from Fargo, North Dakota. She brought up the consistent hate against Bialik that the ‘Jeopardy!’ fans have been indulging in in the interview.

“I think Mayim is an excellent host,” Hassel shared, "I read Reddit and Twitter. I think so much of it is mean-spirited and misogynistic.” The contestant seems to also be referring to how fans have often compared Bialik to the previous full-time host Jennings and asked for him to take over the show again. 

"I think she’s very poised and self-assured and confident, and I love that she brings lightheartedness to it," Hassel added, "She seems like she’s having a blast every time she’s hosting. People hate that she pauses slightly longer than Ken or she laughs. But she's having fun, and that is what the game is. The game should be fun! I like that she’s enjoying herself."

The English professor also said that Bialik brings something new to the game given that she is the first woman to host the game show. "People have expectations that are not actually aligned with what the skills are to do the job well," Hassel continued, "The way you have to do it is historically ‘be serious and authoritative'.”

She further added, “I think she’s serious in her own way. She takes joy where she can and I really like that, I respect it."

Holly Hassel says Ben Chan ruling was 'the right call'

The viewers of ‘Jeopardy!’ were especially unhappy with what happened back in May with contestant Ben Chan. A case of misspelling in which he wrote 'Beatrice & Benedick' instead of Benedict ended Chan’s nine-day streak which many were rooting for. 

“I thought it was the right call," Hassel shared in the interview, "Benedict is not Benedick. Everyone had something to say about it. It was a hard call but I'd rather they follow the rules more closely than not."

“I think that (an explanation of rules by Bialik) could have helped a bit,” Hassel suggested, "It was such a minor procedural that I think when he's back in the Tournament of Champions he’s really going to do really well."