Ken Jennings Hit With Backlash For Allowing ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant To Correct Answer

etcanada.com:

Ken Jennings is feeling the wrath of “Jeopardy!” viewers after the champion-turned-host appeared to play favourites with his rulings during his first week of the show’s 39th season.

According to People, controversy was sparked when contestant Luigi de Guzman answered a question in which a painting was shown on the screen, with the clue reading, “Here’s a typical 19th-century landscape by this British painter.” “Who is Constant?” de Guzman said. READ MORE: ‘Jeopardy!’ Confirms Mayim Bialik & Ken Jennings Will Return As Hosts “Say it again,” Jennings replied. “Sorry, who is Constable?” de Guzman replied, with Jennings accepting his answer as correct.

Later in that same episode, contestant Harriet Wagner experienced a similar misstep when answering a question about the name of a science fiction author by responding, “Who is Angela LeGuin — sorry, Ursula LeGuin.” This time, however, Jennings interrupted and told her she was incorrect. “Yes, Harriet, you remembered that her name was Ursula, but I had already begun ruling against you when you began correcting yourself,” Jennings told her. (People notes that the “Jeopardy!” website states, “Contestants may change their responses as long as neither the host nor the judges have made a ruling.”) READ MORE: Fans Love Ken Jennings’ Hilarious Circumcision Joke On ‘Jeopardy!’ When de Guzman ultimately won, Jennings was hit with backlash when fans lambasted his different responses to seemingly identical flubs.