‘Jeopardy’ Fans React to Controversial Double Jeopardy Clue

Isaac Rouse
22 Comments
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Jeopardy! Inc.

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the May 2 episode of Jeopardy!]

Current Jeopardy! two-day champion Kevin Belle went head to head against costumer Amanda Hendrickson and attorney/Seinfeld expert Paul Guelpa to defend his title and his winnings of $24,398. However, the episode’s highlight didn’t come from the Final Jeopardy, but a blunder that cost a contestant the correct answer until the judges backstage reconsidered.

Going into Double Jeopardy after the commercial break, Kevin had $3,600, Paul with $4,600, and Amanda at negative $1,200. A little after the game resumed, Amanda went for the category “Mythology” for $400, with the clue reading: “This God of love hid psyche & visited in secret until she found out who he was.” Paul hit the buzzer first and responded with “Eros,” to which host Mayim Bialik replied, “No.” Amanda picked up the question and responded with “Cupid,” for which she was rewarded $400.

However, by the time Kevin received the second Daily Double, Bialik revealed there’s been a change in score for Paul. “The judges have reviewed your response of Eros and decided it’s also correct,” she said before revealing they were “going to add $800 to your score.” That brought Paul’s score of $4,200 to an even $5000 against Kevin’s $8,800 and Amanda’s $800.

This sent fans into an uproar about how judges word clues, how many precautions Greek or Roman mythological figure categories need clarity, and more.

“I feel like anytime an answer is a greek or roman mythological figure, they need to either carefully word it so that it only refers to one or the other, or know beforehand whether two names work as answers. It seems like a forseeable issue,” the top comment on the Jeopardy! Subreddit said before ending with, “Them not anticipating that Eros would work as an answer seems like a lack of foresight.”

“Exactly. And people are going to unfairly blame Mayim for a mistake that the writers should have foreseen and prevented,” a user said in response.

See Ken Jennings React After Mayim Bialik Flubs 'Wheel of Fortune' Answer
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Folks on Twitter echoed the same sentiment, noting: “The scoring change is all well and good re: “Eros,” but had that been given initially, Paul and not Amanda would’ve had control of the board right before the Daily Double in Mythology was chosen.”

In the end, though, Kevin retained his champion title for another day, increasing his total winning to $42,798.

What did you think of the flub? Let us know in the comments below.

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Conversation22 Comments

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  1. G

    GoldPopsicle

    Hate to be that guy, but this wouldn’t have happened if Ken was hosting. Ken inherently has the knowledge to accept the correct clue without prompt, as a product of his personal trivia mastery.

    14 4

    1. J

      Jena

      The host (whether it's Ken or not) has no authority to 'give' a clue to a contestant. They go with the answer that's on their card, until and unless the judges say otherwise.

      5 8

      1. P

        PurpleBattery

        I believe you are incorrect.

        The host CAN accept an answer if they know it is also correct. As a matter of fact, Ken accepted an answer that caused consternation before.

        That said, if either the question were written better or if the writers put both correct answers on the card, any host would have been comfortable.

        We really shouldn't put the onus on the host to know specific trivia in order for the show to avoid these issues.

        6

        1. G

          GoldSubmarine

          The judges should have accepted it on the spot. In fact, it's Cupid (Roman) that's the questionable response since the clue referenced a Greek. (OTOH, they do accept the Roman Hercules for the Greek Heracles.)

    2. B

      BlueDice

      Of course you’re blaming Mayim but not the judges. Why not fire the whole lot and have Kennrun everything. Give me a break.

      3 8

      1. P

        PurpleBattery

        I didn't see him blame Mayim. He merely said he believes (and I tend to think he's right) thay Ken would, by nature of his trivia knowledge, have been able to accept this answer without judge intervention.

        This doesn't give the writers a pass.

        I imagine if there were a question about neuroscience Mayim would be able to speak to it better than Ken.

        8 2

        1. G

          GoldHammer

          I don't know if the host has the full authority to accept a different answer, but I remember Alex talking about going over all the clues/answers before the taping of a show and I suspect that current hosts do the same and Ken would have caught the Eros/Cupid situation and prevented it w/ a simple "we're going to take Eros there, as well, right?" and the whole thing would have been avoided. That doesn't put the onus on Mayim, though, as the researchers who do the clues/answers should have known to list both as correct answers.

          6

          1. B

            BlueCactus

            Am pretty sure that the hosts have to go with the answer/answers that are listed as being correct from the show. It has happened before that the show corrected an answer that had been given as either correct or incorrect.

            1 1

  2. P

    PurplePuzzle

    Since the myth in question is of Eros and Psyche (Psyche being a Greek name), to use the Roman name of Cupid makes no sense. The Romans borrowed it, yes, but the original myth is of Greek origin.

    4 1

  3. O

    OliveBullhorn

    I knew they would correct the ruling because Cupid and Eros are the same character. The question should have been worded better to avoid confusion.

    2

  4. A

    Arben70

    I was flabbergasted that "Eros" was deemed incorrect.

    1

  5. R

    RedPlane

    That happened twice in the same show. First the Cupid/Eros in Double Jeopardy then pertussis/whooping cough in Final Jeopardy!!

    1

    1. P

      PurpleBattery

      Not sure what you mean. The same person wrote both pertussis and whooping cough. Mayim did confirm it's the same thing. That would not be the same situation as above where someone was told they were incorrect.

    2. G

      GoldSubmarine

      It didn't happen twice. The disease is commonly known by both names. In DJ they incorrectly wanted a Roman response to a Greek clue.

      2

  6. J

    Jena

    Why do these gratuitous Jeopardy articles include pointless tweets from random people?? If I wanted to see what "twits" think about Jeopardy, I'd join the platform and look for myself.

    4 3

    1. G

      GoldSubmarine

      Same reason you posted your random comment?

      3 1

  7. G

    GoldTeepee

    Told my wife when Paul was told he was wrong that the judges would have to revisit that one.

  8. C

    CyanDog

    It needs to be made clear in the category name or instructions whether it's Greek or Roman mythology, or if both are acceptable

  9. B

    BluePaw

    Who really gives a flying crap,,it's the dumbest game ever

  10. O

    OliveCone

    There should be an AI Chatbot present in the show behind the scene that would sound off with a red or orange light to immediately make judgemental corrections on errors like this.

    1

    1. P

      PurpleBattery

      And then it would sometimes give wrong answers. Brilliant.

    2. G

      GoldSubmarine

      Or the writers could be specific about wanting the Greek or the Roman name.