2022 was quite the year for Jeopardy! fans. This year saw a whole slew of new Jeopardy! champions. Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik also officially took their places as Alex Trebek’s successors. However, amid all of the excitement, there were plenty of hiccups as well. Here are some of the biggest controversies that the Jeopardy! fandom faced over the last year.
Fans Were Convinced This Contestant Was Drunk On Air
Back in March, contestant Maureen O’Neil impressed with a four-game win streak. However, fans were quick to point out something odd about O’Neil’s gameplay. O’Neil was noticeably bubbly and excited, and she was also prone to simple errors like guessing answers correctly after initially getting them wrong. After her first few games, fans on the internet became convinced that O’Neil was actually intoxicated on the air rather than excited. Click here to read more about Maureen O’Neil’s unconventional run and judge for yourself.
Fans Called For Mayim Bialik To Be Fired
Earlier this year, actress Mayim Bialik and Jeopardy! legend Ken Jennings were sharing hosting duties on the show’s normal broadcasts. While both hosts had their supporters, the split decision created a rift among fans. In fact, on the internet, there was a growing faction of fans who wanted Bialik off of the show. During Bialik’s stint, some fans vowed not to tune in until Jennings was back on the show. Click here to find out why Bialik’s hosting stint was so controversial.
A Controversial Champion Weighed In
While Mattea Roach became Jeopardy! legend by achieving the fifth-longest win streak in the show’s history, not everyone was a fan of her gameplay. Some fans accused her of using her chatty nature to distract her competitors. However, Roach later dismissed these rumors, insisting she never wanted to be “unsportsmanlike.” Before signing off on her Jeopardy! run, Roach actually weighed in on who she thought should be the permanent host of the show. Click here to read Roach’s comments.
Fans Flamed Mayim Bialik Over Ruling
During the Big Bang Theory actress’ stint hosting Jeopardy!‘s regular programming, Bialik was no stranger to making controversial calls. In June, Bialik caught flack for dismissing a contestant’s answer on the basis of unintelligible handwriting. Champion Megan Wachspress took home a tenuous victory by answering Final Jeopardy! with the name “Harriet Tubman.” However, her competitor Sadie Goldberger lost her wager all because the “n” at the end of her own answer was unclear. Click here to read what fans had to say about the divisive ruling.
Controversial Winner Returned For Champs’ Tournament
As it turns out, that wasn’t the only time Megan Wachspress incited controversy among the Jeopardy! fandom. Fans were a bit surprised to hear that Wachspress would return to the Jeopardy! stage for the Tournament of Champions. Despite claiming victory for six games in a row, Wachspress only won a total of $60,000. Her average game total was $10,000, and she often beat out her competitors by single-digit margins. Click here to read more about Wachspress’ unexpected return.
