‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Call Out Controversial Ruling

Even though Jeopardy! is a show based on getting your facts straight to win big money, controversial rulings come up frequently. Recently, fans called out a controversial ruling on the show, and they had plenty to say about it as well. So, what happened with this situation on the popular game show?

Jeopardy! Controversial Rulings Come Up Often On Game Show

Jeopardy! is one of the few game shows out there that is all about brain power and knowledge. Instead of lifting heavy things or running in a race, contestants put their thinking caps on and let their library of knowledge go to work. However, in a game that is all about getting your facts straight, there are often a lot of discrepancies.

Every once in a while, the way a contestant writes, spells, or says something can be the difference between thousands of dollars. So, for the sake of that, as well as for the sake of the integrity of the game, controversial rulings need to be made, and the way viewers see it, those making the decisions don’t always get things right, either.
Ken Jennings | YouTube

Recent Game Show Contestant Gave A Questionable Answer

In recent Jeopardy! scenes, a controversial situation came up in relation to one of the game show’s clues. Mehal Shah, who was the returning champion at the time, picked the category “French-Named Food & Drink Clue.”

Reading the clue, host Ken Jennings said: “It’s a pre-dinner alcoholic drink, perhaps champagne, that gets you ready for the main event.”

In response to the clue, the Jeopardy! player, Mehal Shah, said: “Ap-er-tif?” with three syllables. The correct way to say the answer is “Apéritif,” with four syllables. Even so, both the judges and Ken Jennings gave Shah credit for his answer.

Jeopardy! Fans Rage Over Controversial Ruling

Not surprisingly, Jeopardy! fans took to social media to express their disdain for this ruling. Shah eventually had his streak snapped. However, for a lot of people, it’s the principle of the thing. Mainly, how the show could give someone the points when they missed an entire syllable in the word.
Jeopardy: Ken Jennings

One commenter said: “Interesting that it’s acceptable even if a whole syllable off.”
Another Jeopardy! fan said: “Today I learned that what I always thought was ‘aperTIF’ is actually ‘aPERitif.’”
A third person chimed in, saying: “Mehal was given credit today for (what is an) “apertif?” (3 syllables) when the correct word is “apéritif” (4 syllables).”
Another person agreed, saying: “I thought he pronounced it incorrectly too.”

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