Ken Jennings is likely the most famous contestant on Jeopardy! of all time for good reason. He still holds the record for the longest win-streak on the show with a jaw-dropping 74 consecutive wins. Many fans thought he would be a shoo-in to take the job as host for the show after the passing of Alex Trebek, but it seems that some of his old tweets cost him the ultimate opportunity.
A report from The Wall Street Journal claims that when previous Tweets resurfaced that Jennings had made, focus groups, focus groups “didn’t react well to Mr. Jennings afterward.” While Jennings did apologize for the previous Tweets, it wasn’t enough to change the minds of most fans which resulted in Mike Richards being the new frontrunner for the role.
Jennings has deleted previous Tweets saying things like “Nothing sadder than a hot person in a wheelchair,” and, “It can’t be a good sign that every fan who has seen the new Star Wars movie died shortly thereafter.,” from his account. He was also under fire from fans due to him supporting a man colloquially named “Bean Dad” on the platform after users claimed he had been abusing his child.
As many now know, Mike Richards also stepped down from the show after previously offensive comments he made resurfaced online as well as previous allegations of discrimination and harassment. Fans are also currently calling for the firing of Richard’s replacement, Mayim Bialik, due to her Zionist beliefs, claims she victim shamed shaming sexual assault victims, and prior medical statements she has made.
Currently, Bialik is reportedly being considered as the permanent host of the show. She is set to guest host Jeopardy! for three weeks in September.
