'Jeopardy!': Ken Jennings Apologizes After Controversial Clue
The television quiz show Jeopardy! faced backlash following a clue in the October 24 episode that confused both contestants and viewers. Host Ken Jennings later issued an apology video on TikTok addressing the misunderstanding.
The Controversial Clue
The category was titled “Daddy is there really a…” and included the clue:
No: A.I. Generated The TikTok Image of this pig/human eventually killed by Tim Cheese.
None of the contestants responded, and the correct answer was “Who is John Pork?” After reading it aloud, Jennings admitted his confusion, saying:
I didn’t understand any of that.
This remark prompted laughter from the audience but stirred criticism online.
Who Is John Pork?
John Pork is a digital persona resembling a man with a pig’s head. He became an internet meme and viral TikTok figure. Although users once joked that he had “died,” the creator continues to post videos. Rumors of his death by shooting in 2023 were unfounded.
Apology and Clarification
After fans pointed out that John Pork existed before extensive AI use and thus the clue was misleading, Jeopardy! responded with an apology. In his video, Jennings said:
When we played a clue recently on Jeopardy! about John Pork, I remarked that ‘I didn’t understand a word of it.’ Well, I’ve had the chance to learn quite a bit since that clue aired about the late Mr. Pork, including the fact that some viewers took exception with our description of him as AI-generated.
He added that while AI tools are often used in some of John Pork’s TikToks, the original creation may not have been AI-generated, acknowledging that the phrasing could have been more accurate.
Author’s Summary
Ken Jennings apologized after a misworded Jeopardy! clue about John Pork caused fan backlash, clarifying that the viral figure was not originally AI-generated.