'Jeopardy' host Ken Jennings forced to apologize to female contestant over a 'sexist clue'
Ken Jennings, well-known for hosting the syndicated quiz show 'Jeopardy!', is offering a heartfelt apology to a contestant! Over the last couple of years, viewers have seen many hosts of game shows and late-night talk programs make a couple of big blunders with their problematic comments. Every time, the fans take a stand and express their disappointment about the controversial things said on the live shows.
Recently, a weird clue on the beloved game show 'Jeopardy!' caused outrage among the fans online. During an episode of the show, a contestant named Heather Ryan found one of the clues to be sexist and she shared her views on the clue which made her and the studio audience uncomfortable. At that point, the veteran host apologized to the contestant regarding the misogynistic clue which revolved around "girls wearing glasses."
According to Market Realist, the episode showcased Ryan, a health program director from Binghamton, New York, going head-to-head against four-day champion Ian Taylor and Will Wallace. Then, the terrific trio was given one question from the "Complete the Rhyming Phrase” category. The clue for the question read, "Men seldom make passes at…” The first part of the clue appeared a bit sexist and the answer to the question confirmed the same. The right answer to all the clues was "girls who wear glasses." By chance, Ryan was the only girl on the stage at that time who was wearing glasses. After acknowledging the mistake, Ken Jennings, the popular host of the quiz show, and Will who was the winner of the game, apologized to everyone. Then, the fans of the show accused the makers of their insensitivity as they didn't remove the clue before it was seen on the show. The phrase shed light on the outdated stereotype and in the blink of an eye, the incident went viral across all social media platforms.
While having a conversation with Pipe Dream, a Binghamton University student publication, Ryan shared her thoughts on the entire matter and stated that the incident caused her immense discomfort. “Unfortunately, there are still girls who are [in] middle school and they don’t want to wear their glasses and they’re losing out on their education," she said. Ryan also mentioned that never thought such a sexist clue would make it to a family show like 'Jeopardy!' She even urged the makers and the producers to pay attention to the rhyming phrases selected for the show in the future.
Apart from the sexist clue, Ryan reflected on her fun experience on the quiz show. “I had a great time. Everybody there was very welcoming. It’s just a very special thing to play a small role in this big part, it’s been running for 40 years, and so I got to play my part in it," she told the media outlet. As per J! Archive, Ryan may have failed to win the episode but she secured a respectable second position with just a $1 difference.