‘Jeopardy!’ Fans React to Player’s Baffling Juneteenth Flub

Kelli Boyle May 10, 2023, 8:14 pm

'Jeopardy!' May 10, 2023 episode — Jeopardy, Inc.

When is Juneteenth? The answer is June 19. If you’re ever confused, the answer is in the name… One Jeopardy! player baffled viewers when guessing Juneteenth as the answer to a question about Mardi Gras in the Wednesday, May 10 episode.

It was the final clue in the second round of the game. The category: New New Orleans Music. The clue: “To respect native people who aided runaway slaves, artists like Flagboy Giz wear beaded suits for this event — February 21 in 2023.”

Hope Silberstein, an attorney from Penn Valley, Pennsylvania, answered, “What is Juneteenth?,” thinking the clue was referencing the holiday commemorating the effective end of slavery in the United States. The answer host Mayim Bialik was looking for was, “What is Mardi Gras?,” as heavily hinted by the category’s title and the date in the clue.

Returning champ Hannah Wilson ended up answering correctly. The flub took Hope’s score down from -$400 to -$800, eliminating her from the game ahead of Final Jeopardy. Fans of the show couldn’t believe Hope’s response.

“Someone explain to me why tf Juneteenth would be in February,” one user tweeted.

“Now why that Hope lady on Jeopardy said ‘Juneteenth’ when the date given for the answer was FEBRUARY 21, 2023 (Answer was Mardi Gras)?!?!?! Anyways, congratulations Giz on being in a Jeopardy question!” tweeted another. See more fan reactions below:

Now why that Hope lady on Jeopardy said ‘Juneteenth’ when the date given for the answer was FEBRUARY 21, 2023 (Answer was Mardi Gras)?!?!?! 😒😒😒

Anyways, congratulations Giz on being in a Jeopardy question! https://t.co/mn0dYhffwO

— I’m In That 5, That 0, To The 4, ya heard me? (@IfIWereMagneto) May 10, 2023

Someone explain to me why tf Juneteenth would be in February. #Jeopardy

— Kenjiro Lee (@kilimenjiro) May 10, 2023

Black or white, ya gotta know JUNEteenth is not in February. #jeopardy

— LSP🌻🌊💇🏽‍♀️ (@lsposner) May 10, 2023

This lady on Jeopardy just guessed “Juneteenth” for a clue that was basically “This day is on February 23”

— Paddy Munley is querying, cowards (@mrpatrickmcakes) May 10, 2023

The Black Jeopardy Question strikes again!

Fyi white people: Juneteenth happens in…JUNE.

— Scott Woods (@scottwoodssays) May 10, 2023

Someone thought ‘Juneteenth’….I repeat, Juneteenth….was in February #jeopardy

— maddie 🌈 Eras Gillette (@MadK089) May 10, 2023

Juneteenth in February. 😂 Sorry, I chuckled. #Jeopardy

— Summer (@NoAlmonds) May 10, 2023

It’s rather common for Jeopardy! players to miss questions about Black history and culture. In fact, it’s such a common occurrence, there’s an entire YouTube channel dedicated to compiling these flubs called “Black Jeopardy.” This moment will undoubtedly be added to that channel.

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With Hope out of the running, Final Jeopardy was between Hannah, a data scientist from Chicago, Illinois, and Brad Davis, a talent acquisition writer from Kansas City, Missouri. Hannah was in the lead going into the round with $23,000, and Brad’s total earnings were $6,400.

The category: International Geographic. The clue: “In 1901, six colonies joined together to form this nation, today the sixth largest in area.” Both got the Final Jeopardy wrong (the correct response was Australia).

Brad dropped down to $1, and with her wager of $7,000, Hannah dropped to $16,000, making her the winner for the sixth game in a row. Hannah’s six-day total winnings comes out to $163,801.

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