Jeopardy! Issues Apology for Controversial Clue
Jeopardy! apologized after a clue caused backlash among fans. The game show's host, Ken Jennings, shared a video on TikTok where he admitted he didn’t understand the clue.
The Clue and Reaction
On Friday, October 24, the show featured the category “Daddy is there really a…” with a clue stating:
No: A.I. Generated The TikTok Image of this pig/human eventually killed by Tim Cheese.
The correct response was “Who is John Pork?” but none of the contestants buzzed in. After reading the clue, Jennings said, “I didn’t understand any of that,” causing laughter among contestants.
About John Pork
John Pork is a viral internet figure, depicted as a pig-like human hybrid. The digitally created image combines a man’s body with a pig’s head. TikTok users started the “RIP John Pork” trend joking that he had “died.”
In 2023, rumors circulated that John Pork was shot and killed, though he continues to post videos on TikTok.
Apology and Clarification
Fans pointed out the clue was inaccurate because John Pork existed before AI-generated content. In response, Jeopardy! released an apology video featuring Jennings:
“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. Now, even though AI is used heavily in many of his TikToks, it’s possible that wasn’t the best wording to refer to his original appearances.”
Summary
Jeopardy! acknowledged the mistake and clarified the use of AI in describing John Pork's TikTok persona to avoid further confusion.
Author’s Note
This incident highlights the challenges of accurately referencing internet culture and AI-related content in mainstream media.