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From clues gone wrong to gut wrenching news, Jeopardy! has had several memorable moments over its decades-long run.
The series gained wide recognition during Alex Trebek’s hosting tenure. The icon started hosting the popular game show in 1984 and did so until he passed away in 2020. Ken Jennings, previously a contestant on the show, began hosting in 2021 and has brought the show into a new era. Between his time as a contestant and host, Jennings has been there for some epic episodes.
Keep reading for the most memorable moments on Jeopardy!
Awkward Answer
Back in 2004, when Jennings was a contestant, he gave a hilariously inappropriate response to a clue.
The clue read by then-host Trebek read, “This term for a long-handled gardening tool can also mean an immoral pleasure seeker,” to which Jennings responded, “What’s a hoe.”
While Jennings answer was incorrect, it provided for a funny moment to look back on for years.
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Alex Trebek’s Cancer Announcement
In March 2019, an unforgettable moment happened on Jeopardy! when Trebek revealed he was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.
“Now normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working,” Trebek – who was 78-years-old at the time – told viewers. “And with the love and support of my family and friends and with the help of your prayers also, I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease.”
Obvious Answer
NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers hosted a few episodes in April 2021 as the show tested out new hosts before landing on Jennings.
In one episode, Rodgers read a clue related to his career: “In the 1960s, these midwesterners earned 5 NFL Championship trophies.”
None of the contestants got the answer correct. After time ran out, Rodgers seemed disappointed, as he revealed it was his team, the Green Bay Packers. Contestants laughed as the answer was right in front of them.
Scary Ham Story
In May 2024, contestant Ellen Klages shared a wild story on the show about giving a ham a funeral. She explained that her father had kept a ham he received as a gift in his basement for 20 years, and she and her sister eventually inherited it.
“Before we had the ham funeral, I actually tried to cut into it, and I broke three knives. It was a scary ham,” she recalled. When Jennings asked what they did for the funeral, Klages said they lit birthday candles on fire, put stuffed monkeys around it, and then “threw it into a creek.”
Clue Thrown Away
In September 2024, Jennings created another memorable moment when he accidentally answered a clue himself in the song title category.
The clue onscreen read, “PAINT IT ____ & BACK TO ____.” Jennings accidentally said “black” instead of “blank,” giving the answer away.
“Paint it black and back to… paint it,” Jennings stuttered. After realizing his mistake, he exclaimed, “We gotta toss it.” Jennings didn’t take his flub too seriously, laughing it off and saying, “I think I was supposed to say blank there.”
