Jeopardy! is stirring up controversy again.
The show had a hell of a time finding permanent hosts to replace legendary host Alex Trebek.
Now Jeopardy! stunned viewers with one truly insane clue.
Jeopardy! came under considerable fire when trying to replace long-time host Alex Trebek after he lost his long bout with cancer.
Many guest hosts were brought in on a revolving basis, including NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers, but the show settled on Jeopardy! producer Mike Richards, who got strong reviews from fans of the show.
However, the backlash to Richards was also immediate; “woke” fans were furious that the show picked another straight white male to host.
Then there were allegations that Richards harassed women in his capacity as producer of The Price Is Right.
Richards withdrew his position as permanent host, then he was later fired from his job as producer.
The show instead opted to hire Ken Jennings—the show’s longest-running champion—for the regular episodes, and actress Mayim Bialik for the special event episodes.
And during an episode of Celebrity Jeopardy!, Bialik read one clue that had everyone’s jaw on the floor.
The clue read, “In 2021 fugitive Brian Laundrie ended his days in Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek area, home to these long and toothy critters.”
Actor and comedian Joel Kim Booster correctly responded, “What are alligators?”
The show breezed past the moment, but viewers were immediately stunned that Jeopardy! would refer to Brian Laundrie, the man who murdered his girlfriend Gabby Petito before taking his own life.
The wounds are still fresh on the tragic saga.
One fan wrote on social media, “This is the most tasteless and insensitive answer I’ve ever seen on any Jeopardy! What the hell were they thinking? Making light of that tragic situation is repugnant. Damn.”
Another fan chimed in and said, “THIS, this is beyond offensive. It’s appalling & completely insensitive, not to mention totally unnecessary. Shame on, [Jeopardy].”
One other fan wrote on Twitter, “What in the hell is wrong with you? Have you no soul? I can’t believe this question got past your lawyers.”
Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said in a statement, “The entire Laundrie family is appalled and concurs with all of the comments on social media on how distasteful this was. I believe an apology is due.”
Jeopardy! is known for skirting controversy, so it’s stunning that the clue made it through so many filters.
From CBS News:
“Petito, 22, and Brian Laundrie were traveling across the U.S. together in the summer of 2021 when Petito went missing. Her body was found on Sept. 19, 2021, near a remote campground outside of Grand Teton National Park, just over a week after her family reported her missing. About a week before Petito’s remains were found, Brian Laundrie told his parents he was going hiking and then went missing as well. He was eventually named a person of interest in Petito’s death and was also charged with unauthorized use of a debit card soon. A little less than three weeks after he had returned home alone from his trip with Petito, Laundrie was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a Florida nature reserve. The FBI concluded that Laundrie was responsible for Petito’s death after locating a notebook near his remains in which he confessed to the killing.”
Jeopardy! has yet to respond to the backlash about the insensitive clue.