“Jeopardy!” fans expressed their displeasure with the longtime quiz show in spite of everything three contestants lost after providing an accurate answer.
Through the category called “The Quotable Alex” on Monday’s episode, host Mayim Bialik read the next clue: “An writer and former prisoner: ‘Socialism of any type and shade results in a complete destruction of the human spirit.’ “
Contestant Juveria Zaheer buzzed in first with the right answer: Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, but her pronunciation of his last name missed the mark.
A second player, Sami Casanova, then buzzed in, also providing the right answer along with her attempt also given a giant, “No.”
Returning champion Hannah Wilson chimed in along with her own enunciation of “Solzhenitsyn,” however the judges rejected her attempt, too.
“It is a tricky one to pronounce — searching for ‘Solzhenitsyn,’” Bialik, 47, said before pronouncing the name accurately.
The flub caused a commotion on Twitter from fans who slammed the show for ruling against each player’s answer.
“Should you’re not going to just accept anyone’s try and pronounce Solzhenitsyn, don’t write a clue about him,” one said.
“Solzhenitsyn. I get it’s hard to say but one in every of them was fairly close. Of all of the names to be strict on….,” one other added.
One wrote: “That was ridiculous, all of them clearly knew the reply but didn’t know the right pronunciation of Solzhenitsyn.”
“Yeah that was a bit absurd,” another person agreed.
Nevertheless, one supposed brainiac fan thought the ruling was fair.
“I’m on Jeopardy’s side. The indisputable fact that that they had this Solzhenitsyn quote on. Say this man’s name right,” they argued.
After all, it was not the primary time the show has faced pronunciation problems, as contestants have faced similar diction issues through the long-running game show’s history.
On Thursday, it was reported that Bialik, 47, has exited the show in its final week of filming for Season 39 in support of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.
Co-host Ken Jennings, 48, is about to maintain the show running as they finish out filming for the season between May 16 and 19.
Fellow former “Jeopardy!” champion James Holzhauer, 38, trolled Jennings during a round of “Jeopardy! Masters” on Monday, hilariously telling the now-host to “stop ducking a rematch.”
