Ken Jennings Slammed Over 'Jeopardy!' Video—'Classless'

Ken Jennings' interaction with a Jeopardy! contestant is receiving criticism online.

During a recent episode, the game-show co-host—who shares the gig with actress and author Mayim Bialik—dared Andrew Knowles to lick his elbow.

Bialik and Jennings were announced as permanent dual hosts in July 2022 ahead of Jeopardy!'s 39th season. After Alex Trebek died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020, producers lined up various celebrity guest hosts to finish out the season of the long-running, much-loved game show.

In a video posted to Jeopardy!'s official Twitter and Instagram accounts, Jennings said he was told the contestant has "a really long tongue."

"Yeah," Knowles said. "So I figured out at a young age that I have a long tongue, and the whole nose-to-tongue thing was easy. And then one day I heard that, you know, touching or, you know, licking your elbow basically is impossible." Knowles added that he "tried it" and "was able to do it." In response, Jennings told the contestant to prove it.

The audience cheered as Knowles licked his elbow before the clip cut to Jennings admitting that he, too, has a special talent. "I can do the nose thing," Jennings said, as he and Knowles proceeded to lick their noses while standing side-by-side.

As the episode aired, fans were quick to share their thoughts on Twitter.

"@Jeopardy has just jumped the shark into classless mediocrity when a contestant just licked his elbow with his tongue," one person wrote. "Sad that the only intelligent game show on TV has stooped to this level. Thanks @kenjennings for lowering the standard of a once great show."

Another Twitter user added: "#Jeopardy has fallen to freak show status with dude talking about tongue and then showing him sticking it out to touch his bent elbow. Ken Jennings asked him to prove it. Gross."

"Ken Jennings brought Jeopardy to a new low by asking this contestant to touch his elbow with his tongue," a third commented, before referring to the late Jeopardy! host. "Alex Trebek must be rolling over in his grave."

Others, however, praised the silly moment. "Awesome!" replied a fan underneath the clip, while a second wrote, "Better show with Ken."

At the time of publication, the clip had been viewed more than 46,000 times on Twitter and more than 37,000 times on Instagram.

Bialik was at the center of backlash earlier this month when Jennings returned to the podium after a brief hiatus. The Big Bang Theory alum hosted Jeopardy! while Jennings stepped away to host Jeopardy! Masters.

"I can't tell you how happy I am that I can finally watch Jeopardy again. So happy to see Ken Jennings back. He should be the ONLY host. Please lose the flipflop back & forth. Have ONE host. Give @missmayim the forever boot," one user tweeted. "So many DO NOT watch when she is on. Ken ONLY."

"SO happy that @KenJennings is back on @Jeopardy!!" a second wrote. "The show was so much more enjoyable!"

In an interview with USA Today in May 2021, Bialik said she would be thrilled to host the show permanently.

"For me personally, and academically speaking, this is a really, really, really lovely place that I felt so comfortable, and was really honored to be part of it in any way," she told the outlet at the time. "But obviously feel very strongly that if people find me tolerable, this is a dream job."

As for Jennings, he said that it would be difficult for fans to associate someone new with the show but added that people rely on it.

"I don't want to have it because it means we don't get Alex," Jennings told USA Today in December 2020. "It's just sad for me to go out there, in a way, because I know that, like the audience, I wish it was Alex walking out at the top of the show."

Do you have a tip on an entertainment story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about Jeopardy!? Let us know via entertainment@newsweek.com.