‘Jeopardy’s’ Ken Jennings Apologizes to Female Contestant Over Questionable Clue
This Jeopardy! contestant will take Reactions for $200.
In the category of “Rhyming Phrases,” the clue was: “Men seldom make passes at…” with the answer being “at girls who wear glasses.” Noticeably, Heather was the only female on stage and wearing glasses.
“It is definitely an odd choice,” Heather told Binghamton University’s student newspaper Pipe Dream on Nov. 6, per People. “I think it made everybody in the audience and on stage, and Ken Jennings too, a little uncomfortable. It was like, ‘Oh, that was unexpected.’”
In fact, host Ken apologized to Heather in the moment, calling the clue, “a little problematic,” and adding, “Sorry Heather.” Fellow contestant Will Wallace, who provided the correct answer, agreed with Ken at the time, saying, “Very.”
The comment was believed to have come from late poet Dorothy Parker.
As for Heather’s ideas for the game show moving forward: “Maybe we choose better rhyming phrases in 2024.”
