Jeopardy! and Ken Jennings have found themselves in hot water after viewers deemed one clue to be sexist.
The incident unfolded during the game’s “Complete the Rhyming Phrase” category, where Jennings read out the prompt: “Men seldom make passes at…”
Returning champion Will Wallace quickly responded with the correct answer, “Girls who wear glasses,” a line originally penned by famed poet Dorothy Parker.
However, an awkward moment arose as fellow contestant Heather Ryan, who was wearing glasses, became the unwitting focus of the clue’s “problematic” implications.
“A little problematic, sorry Heather,” Jennings remarked, acknowledging the phrase’s outdated tone. Wallace chimed in, adding: “Very.”
Ryan, a health program director from Binghamton, New York, remained silent on the issue but narrowly lost the game, finishing just $1 behind new champion Ian Taylor, a Cleveland-based food sales representative.
After the episode aired, viewers voiced their concerns on social media.
“‘Yeah, a little problematic’ — Ken. Um, then why didn’t you bring that up to the writers before the game?” wrote one fan, echoing frustration shared by many.
Others expressed disappointment over the phrase’s “sexist” undertone.
“More like extremely problematic! #girlswithglasses,” posted one user, while another added: “Still angry about this. She’s used her intelligence to get on here, only to be insulted by a sexist and rude comment.”
On Reddit, additional viewers questioned the decision to air the clue, with one user writing: "Rhyming phrases category was awful, especially the sexist clue."
A second said: "Frankly, I don't need to hear Ken read an obviously outdated and inappropriate clue and then call it 'problematic'.
"Maybe he can use his position to get it switched out before it goes out over the air."
Jennings, a former Jeopardy! champion famed for his record-breaking streak, stepped into the hosting role in 2021 following the death of legendary host Alex Trebek.
In September 2023, Jennings became the show’s sole host for Season 40 after co-host Mayim Bialik departed, although Jennings reportedly remains without a long-term contract.
Criticism of Jennings has intensified in recent months, per the New York Post.
Fans have scrutinized his decisions on the show, including rulings on slightly misspelled answers, a joke about elderly contestants that some deemed insensitive, and now, the “problematic” phrase incident.
Rumors circulated earlier this year that Jennings could be replaced by comedian Colin Jost, who is set to host the new spinoff series, Pop Culture Jeopardy!
However, Sony, which produces Jeopardy!, reportedly has no plans to remove Jennings.
An insider told the US Sun: “The only real reason to replace Ken is if the ratings took a nosedive, and that hasn’t happened yet. The show is holding steady.”
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