NOT FAIR!
JEOPARDY! viewers have called out the double standard between the treatment of fan-favorite host Ken Jennings and his rival for the permanent gig, Mayim Bialik.
Fans have discovered an old clip of Ken, 47, using the phrase “Single Jeopardy,” which was the same wording Mayim used that some wanted her to be fired over.
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A clip from the 2019 All-Star Games featured late host Alex Trebek referring to the first round of the game as simply the Jeopardy Round, while Ken called it Single Jeopardy a few moments later.
Alex said to the camera: “What will happen today? Who gets to come out in just a few moments to play the Jeopardy round?
“Let’s go backstage and listen in on the discussions.”
When it cut over to the contestants in the back, Ken was busy leading the discussion over who would play what round, when he used the same phrase that his now-hosting rival was recently blasted over.
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He said to his teammates: “Monica [Thieu]’s gonna play Single Jeopardy, that puts me in Double Jeopardy, probably against Brad [Rutter], again.
“Why do I keep meeting that guy? And Matt [Jackson], Final Jeopardy.”
In February, fans had gone into a frenzy after Mayim referred to the opening Jeopardy! round as "Single Jeopardy," going so far as demanding she be fired for trying to change the show.
The TV star, 46, responded to the backlash by apologizing for the unpopular name in an interview with , promising to never utter the words again.
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She said: "I know it may not be the norm, but… it was not not out of the norm.
"I will never do it again! Even if it’s in this script, I will not say it."
Mayim then fired back, explaining that the show has a crew of team members perfecting the script - which she rarely strays away from.
"If it wasn’t right, they would’ve had me redo it. I barely act alone … there are so many things that we re-tape," she insisted.
"If it was literally not kosher, there are a million producers, writers, and researchers and they’re all listening to me."
She continued: "I say things all the time where they’ll be like, 'What? Do it again.'
"So it’s not like, 'Mayim’s going rogue!' Everything is very carefully monitored. There’s a thing in my ear, I promise."
Some fans are now blasting the double standard between how Ken and Mayim are being treated in their public battle for the role of permanent host.
One user wrote: “I've noticed the rule is when ken does anything it's fine because he's ken, it's correct. When Mayim does the same thing, it's not fine. It is the end of the world.”
Another said: “Yeah, there's a lot of legitimate criticism to make about Mayim's hosting, but also a whole lot of just getting mad at something she does just because she's the one doing it.
“And pretending like no real fan of the show would ever say "single jeopardy" is definitely the latter.”
Viewers have had mixed reviews ever since Mayim took over hosting the beloved game show along with former contestant Ken.
The debate over who should become the singular, permanent host ignited almost immediately, with a majority of fans flocking to the former record-setting contestant.
But as Ken now begins a months-long sabbatical from the syndicated show, outraged fans are demanding he return full-time, calling the former Blossom star a "terrible" host.
One wrote: “Why is Mayim Bialik hosting Jeopardy again?"
A second said: “Please, Jeopardy, I beg of you: Name Ken Jennings as host immediately and stop this Mayim Bialik farce."
The pair were both announced as hosts last year after Mike Richards, 46, stepped down from the job following a scandal surrounding sexist comments he'd made in the past.
On August 11, 2021, Mike was introduced as the new permanent host of the daily version of the show, with Mayim only expected to host a few primetime specials and spinoffs.
But Mike's run behind the podium lasted a total of one week, before he was forced to step down after controversial comments he made in the past about his co-host Beth Triffon during his The Randumb Show podcast resurfaced.
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He tried to return to his producing roots for both Jeopardy! and sister show Wheel of Fortune, but less than two weeks after being replaced as host, he was fired from both shows completely.
Since then, carefree Mike has led an apparently quiet professional life.
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