Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings makes subtle tribute to comedy legend- but all three contestants miss sweet show moment

JEOPARDY! contestants have missed host Ken Jennings’ subtle tribute to a comedy legend.

A question was asked about Carol Burnett, who just celebrated her 90th birthday, and Ken did her memorable ear tug.

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings made a subtle nod to comedian Carol Burnett, after he tugged on his ear on TVCredit: NBC

A question was asked about the 90-year-old, and Ken was left in shock when none of the contestant knew the answerCredit: NBC
On Wednesday’s show, Jeopardy! had a category called “comedians.”

One of the contestants picked the $800 question in the category, which just so happened to be about Carol.

“April 26, 2023, is the 90th birthday of this funny lady, whose Saturday night skits included ‘Rancid Harvest’ and ‘Went With The Wind’,” Ken read the clue.

None of the contestants knew the answer and the buzzer sounded, leaving Ken shocked.

“That would be Carol Burnett,” he said.

“And NBC is airing a special in tribute this evening.”

As the host said this he tugged on his ear, something Carol would do at the end of every show.

‘CAN’T BELIEVE IT!’

Jeopardy! fans were shocked that none of the contestants knew the answer to the obvious question.

“Love Ken’s little ear tug in tribute to Carol Burnett! But can’t believe nobody knew the answer!” wrote one fan on Instagram.

“Seriously – no one knew about Arthur Andersen?” asked another.

A third added: “Truly embarrassing that these people didn’t know the answer.”

“That was too easy. Can’t believe no one got it,” said one fan.

THE EAR TUG

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love aired on Wednesday, and included celebrity appearances by Julie Andrews, Charlize Theron, Bob Odenkirk, Katy Perry, and Billy Porter, among others.

She ended the show with her classic ear tug after Katy’s performance, which left some viewers wondering what that meant.

Carol tugged on her ear for the first time on TV during The Paul Winchell Show as a nod to her grandmother, Mabel.

While receiving the The Colleagues Champion of Children Award in 2017, the comedian explained what the tug meant.

It was a wave of saying hello to Mabel from a distance.

At the awards, she said: “My grandmother raised me out here in Hollywood.”

“When I got my first job in New York, I called her, and I said, ‘Nanny, I’m going to be on television Saturday morning.’ She said, ‘Well, you got to say hello to me.’

“We figured this out – to pull my ear – and that was my signal to her.”

“It always meant, ‘Hi, Nanny. I’m fine. I love you’,” she concluded.

Carol continued to do the ear tug, even after her grandmother had passed away.

Carol tugged on her ear while accepting the Carol Burnett Award at the Golden Globes in 2019Credit: AP

While accepting an award in 2017, the comedian explained that the ear tug was a way to say hi to her grandmother, Mabel, while she was on TVCredit: Getty