‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Call Out Show Over Inconsistent Rules

Martin Holmes
27 Comments
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Viewers are voicing their displeasure with Jeopardy! after a recent ruling during the show’s Final Jeopardy! round seemed inconsistent with previous decisions.

The latest incident occurred during the Monday, July 18, episode when contestant Erica Weiner-Amachi wrote an answer that some fans found to be illegible. The fourth-grade teacher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, scribbled her answer, “Waiting for Godot,” and host Ken Jennings accepted it as a correct answer.

This led to some backlash online as viewers recalled a similar situation on the June 22 episode when contestant Sadie Goldberger had her answer disqualified after producers deemed her writing to be illegible. One fan on Twitter shared a side-by-side shot of the two responses, writing, “#Jeopardy this didn’t count, but then this one did??”

Others felt the same, with one fan also sharing the two images, writing, “Apparently according to #Jeopardy producers, one of theses [sic] says ‘Waiting for Godot’ while the other does NOT say ‘Harriet Tubman.’ #MakeItMakeSense.”

According to the official Jeopardy! website, written responses to the Final Jeopardy! clue do not have to be spelled correctly, “But they must be phonetically correct and not add or subtract any extraneous sounds or syllables.”

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Given the recent controversy regarding the handwriting in the Final Jeopardy! round, one viewer wondered why the show hadn’t moved with the times and given the contestants a keyboard to type their answers. “I don’t quite get why contestants don’t have keypads for Final Jeopardy,” the fan wrote. “It’s 2022.”

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  1. O

    Olive8Ball

    Mayim made the initial Harriet Tubman ruling though it was clear as day. Blame the producers all you want, but Ken's prudential judgment saved this contestant from being snubbed. Hire him as the sole permanent host NOW.

    68 12

    1. C

      CyanRaindrop

      Mayim made no ruling. The judges did. Why can't the Mayim haters understand that?

      7 31

  2. R

    RedGoggles

    Anybody of sound and reasonable experience would know that both responses are clearly what the judges had in mind as correct. Mayim is a domineering personality who wants to use her own influence to maintain her own convoluted sense of authority. The show simply becomes a worse product by her presence.

    61 23

    1. C

      CyanRaindrop

      How close is close enough? It's not enough to MEAN the right answer - you have to GIVE the right answer.

      4 31

      1. C

        CyanGuitar

        Since when did Mayim fans care about accuracy since she's let responses that required more specific information slide several times over the last month.

        31 2

    2. C

      CyanAirBalloon

      You do know that the host has almost ZERO involvement with determining if an answer is correct or not right?

      There are a panel of judges who determine if an answer is correct or not. They provide the host with acceptable answers at their podium, and if an answer given could go either way they also have a pair of lights to immediately signal to the host if it acceptable or not.

      30 45

      1. P

        PurplePuzzle

        So why didn't these all-powerful judges overrule Ken this time? Are you suggesting they are not good at their jobs?

        And do you Mayim trolls get paid by the character, the word or the hour?

        40 3

        1. P

          PurpleRing

          Near as I can figure the MB shills get paid per post, since most are brief and sound like they're written by middle schoolers.

          20 1

      2. O

        OliveBox

        Correct!!

        4

  3. C

    CyanCandy

    I'm in the Ken camp. As a retired doctor, I can read both clearly, especially the Harriet Tubman.

    13 1

  4. G

    GoldSubmarine

    Ken Jennings please as permanent host

    18 6

    1. G

      GoldPuzzle

      Ken or Buzzy.

      3

    2. G

      GreenBulb

      Yes!

      3

  5. G

    GoldLeaf

    Maybe they should change the rules so contestants must print their response rather than use cursive?

    8

    1. P

      PurpleBug

      The show shouldn't have to change the rules just because Mayim Bialik is bad at the job.

      52 22

      1. C

        CyanRaindrop

        The host doesn't make the rulings - the judges do. The host merely relays their rulings.

        8 14

      2. O

        OliveBox

        Not her fault! Judges rule.

        4 2

    2. P

      PurpleButterfly

      In a few years all answers will be printed They are noIt teaching cursive anymore.🤣

      1. R

        RedCarrot

        It should not be hand written/printed at all. The contestants should have virtual keyboards large enough to see easily. This show is a popular money maker they could afford to move with the times.

  6. G

    GoldPopsicle

    You might be able to see the intention of Harriet Tubman looks to me more like Harrieh Tubnay

    1

    1. G

      GoldPopsicle

      People fail to realize, especially in final Jeopardy the host had no control over correct answers.

      The answers and winners are decided during the break.

      Silly ignorant/haters

      3

  7. R

    RedSeahorse

    Wow there seems to be a lot of bullies on here when it comes to Mayim, I think both her and Ken do an amazing job, Alex Trebeks shoes can never be filled, so I think we ended up with 2 hosts he would have been proud of. He didn’t get to make the rules either, that is why the panel is called Judges, they decide, no one else

    12 14

  8. O

    OrangeTree

    My husband and I don't agree on Ken vs. Mayim. I like her warmth and think Ken is stiff and humorless more often than not.

    I'm surprised that many comments here indicate that viewers are not aware of who makes the final call if there's a doubt about a contestant's answer. All in all, the show is still our favorite even though one has to miss Alex. One comment earlier about typing the answer is laudable. Why not? Surely the show can afford it.😁Ann S.

    6 10

  9. C

    CyanStrawberry

    The host does NOT determine if a response is correct. The judges are able to see the answers as they are being written and they tell the host if an answer is correct or not. Why they accepted one but not the other still has me scratching my head. SOOOOOO it doesn't matter who the host was. Blame the inconsistent judge(s)!!

    20 31

    1. P

      PurpleCorn

      Humans distinguish themselves from other animals for intelligence by pattern recognition. It seems that most of these inconsistencies tend to happen either during Mayim's episodes or due to rules that are applied differently from hers. Regardless of who is to blame, it's not difficult to see why people would assign fault to her.

      36 13

      1. O

        OliveBox

        Again...nothing to fo with host! Producers rule...and tell host what's what!

        3 3

    2. O

      OliveBox

      Right!

      1 3