JEOPARDY! fans have slammed Mayim Bialik for “ASSISTING” a contestant Friday.
The actress shockingly allowed a “technically incorrect” response, many claimed, as others fumed she’s “unfit” to host.
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Mayim, 46, is hosting Jeopardy! this week, returning after Ken Jennings’ three weeks at the helm and shocking announcement he’d be out for “MONTHS.”
As Ken earlier wrote on Twitter: “I’m handing the keys back to the talented actor-producer-writer-director (!) Mayim Bialik for a few months.”
“We are lucky to have her! Thanks for watching, and I’ll be back before the end of the season.”
The permanent hosting slot will be decided in July at the end of Season 38 – but May 13th’s game had shocked fans missing Ken already.
During the regular Jeopardy round, the category was, interestingly enough “Red (Taylor’s Version).
The clue did not have to do with singer Taylor Swift, but it did have many seeing red.
It regarded actor Taylor Momsen – the category on different “Taylors” – he voiced 2000’s “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Center podium’s Marie Shaprio calmly buzzed in with “What is: The Grinch?” – which was allowed.
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‘HOW CAN SHE ACCEPT THAT?’
Fans felt Mayim “gave” the contestant the points, and the “vague” answer seemed to refer to a different film if not just the fictional character.
“Um it’s definitely Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. #jeopardy y’all wrong,” one Twitter user wrote.
“They so gave Marie ‘The Grinch’ #bemorespecific,” wrote another.
“@Jeopardy The answer of ‘The Grinch’ under ‘Taylor’s Version’ was technically incorrect,” began a third.
“That 2000 film was ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas.’ What she gave was the title for the animated 2018 film voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.”
A floored fifth user wrote: “Excuse me judges, but ‘The Grinch’ was made in 2018,” wrote another, before noting like others – it seemed incomplete: “How can we accept partial answers?!”
Earlier this week, Mayim seemed to “help” Daniel Nguyen – who won two times – with a numerical clue at one point:
“So, again Mayim provides the rest of the answer instead of asking ‘be more specific!’ He says 409 and she adds ‘formal.’ Seriously???”
More fans felt the actress was subtly assisting the players as another wrote earlier: “That was painful. Mayim answered most of the questions.”
ANOTHER UNFINISHED BOARD
Tonight, Ryan Long, who did an Arnold Schwarzennegger impression during the Q&A round, strongarmed his way to a win with $18,000.
He’ll return Monday, as will Mayim – but other viewers, unfortunately, noted the overall gameplay under her is “slow.”
Statistically, at least three times this week Double Jeopardy clues were left on the board and time had run out.
One fan wrote: “Let’s get @KenJennings to be the Full Time host of @Jeopardy! Mayim just doesn’t create a good flow from question to question. Nothing against her, Ken is just soo much better!”
During 23-year-old Canadian tutor and fan-favorite Mattea’s recent 23-game tear, which was hosted nearly all by Ken, games rarely – if ever – had clues left.
Another wrote tonight speculating on why the game ended unfinished: “The pause between the contestant’s answer & Bialik’s ‘That is correct’ slows the pace & knocks off the cadence.”
And a final user fumed: “Why does Mayim Bialik always hesitate before giving the correct answer on Jeopardy. It’s annoying as hell.”
‘KEN HE COME BACK?’
Ken and the Big Bang Theory alum started filling in for the legendary Alex Trebek after his tragic passing and a fleet of Season 37 celebrity guest hosts.
Even most recent streak-holder Mattea – now the show’s fifth longest-consecutive winner ever -stated after her run she wanted Ken to take over.
“As a contestant, there is something really special about being onstage with the greatest player of all time,” the 23-year-old told Vulture about the generally respected figure.
Mayim has also had a few unfortunate banter blunders with contestants this week, fans felt.
On Tuesday, a contestant explained in the Q&A round that they helped implement a new way for kids to be tested for autism with saliva instead of a prick of blood.
Mayim, who is a neuroscientist, replied to the contestant’s earnest research story with a joke: “Glad to hear spitting in a tube went better than taking blood,” the host bluntly said.
Last night, during the Q&A round – where contestants sweetly share a tidbit about themselves – a contestant said he was in a “fancy sports league” and Mayim curtly responded: That’s so thrilling,” and moved on.
Mayim had another joke that flatlined before Ken returned for his recent stretch – she told a doctor he was “just an anesthesiologist, not a surgeon.”
The show’s ratings nearly doubled to 9.7M viewers when Ken, 47, made his first appearance and also hosted through contestant Amy Schneider‘s two-month winning streak.
Amy and Mattea, the latest Jeopardy! household name – will both be in the Tournament of Champions in November.
When Mayim took over her hosting duties the headcount dropped to 5.5 million viewers.
Unlike Ken, however, Mayim hasn’t had the advantage of hosting when a recent contestant went on a Tournament of Champions-resulting tear – but with multiple “slow” games that certainly didn’t happen this week.
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