When news got out that Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings would be hosting the game show in the wake of Alex Trebek’s death, a lot of people who’d been burned by Jennings on Twitter began pulling up some of his classics, like, “Nothing sadder than a hot person in a wheelchair.” We’ve done quite a few posts on Jennings’ more outrageous tweets, which he now claims were all supposed to be funny.
After Kathy Griffin held up President Trump’s bloody severed head, Jennings mocked his son Barron’s reaction: “Barron Trump saw a very long necktie on a heap of expired deli meat in a dumpster. He thought it was his dad & his little heart is breaking.” He made fun of “an awful MAGA grandma” whose son died at 24. He resorted to Islamophobia to slam Brett Kavanaugh: “when you know you have a 1982 calendar page labeled ‘Rape-adan: The Month When I Don’t Rape Anyone.'”
Those are just a few. But now, with a hosting gig on the line, Jennings has cleaned up his Twitter feed and apologized in a tedious thread:
Hey, I just wanted to own up to the fact that over the years on Twitter, I've definitely tweeted some unartful and insensitive things. Sometimes they worked as jokes in my head and I was dismayed to see how they read on screen. 1/x
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) December 30, 2020
In the past, I'd usually leave bad tweets up just so they could be dunked on. At least that way they could lead to smart replies and even advocacy. Deleting them felt like whitewashing a mistake. 2/x
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) December 30, 2020
But I think that practice may have given the impression I stand by every failed joke I've ever posted here. Not at all! 3/x
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) December 30, 2020
Sometimes I said dumb things in a dumb way and I want to apologize to people who were (rightfully!) offended. It wasn't my intention to hurt anyone, but that doesn't matter: I screwed up, and I'm truly sorry. 4/x
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) December 30, 2020
If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that we should be kinder to one another. I look forward to heading into 2021 with that in mind. 5/x
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) December 30, 2020
Hard pass.
Just sign John O’Hurley already and end this bake-off… https://t.co/oj6knp46Z5
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) December 30, 2020
Amen.
Anyone BUT K.J.
— MorrisOcean1 (@morris_ocean1) December 30, 2020
Ken can't carry that show. John O'Hurley was made for this moment.
— Lucky Me (@BeenLucky7) December 30, 2020
you misspelled @levarburton
— The Bob (@_tehBob) December 30, 2020
I would be okay with a robot voice over the hateful Ken Jennings
— Joemama's Free Press (@Joemama75) December 30, 2020
ABC realized conservatives watch jeopardy too. This was 6 months ago. https://t.co/uaRDdCciQb pic.twitter.com/wk9TSqYjaf
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) December 30, 2020
Ken Jennings, who desperately wants Alex Trebek’s job even though he clearly hates the majority of people who watch Jeopardy, is a Michael Avenatti-esque Kavanaugh rape truther because of course he is. https://t.co/Pb4lsFxtBF
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 30, 2020
No thanks on replacing a fairly unbiased gentleman with this thing.
— SPORTSBETTINGMAN (@SPORTBETTINGMAN) December 30, 2020
Dude’s a schmuck and isn’t worthy of Alex Trebek in any way, shape, or form.
— AFiscal Hawk (@AFiscalHawk) December 30, 2020
Jennings is a leftist piece of crap.
— ??President-elect Russ (@weadba) December 30, 2020
This.
Don't let the bow tie, nerd look fool you: he's a nasty SOB.— If the Word Picnic Offends You, Unfollow Me (@SomewhatHopeful) December 30, 2020
KEN JENNINGS IS THE WORST. This guy is the most annoying and arrogant jerk — and so hostile to the half of the country that doesn't enjoy his deeply held, anti-conservative screeds. Excuse me for not buying the too-convenient and desperate timing of his "please hire me" apology. https://t.co/v37nUOCbgb
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 30, 2020
I will take insincerity for $500 Ken
— DLW_FLTRXS (@DLW_FLHTC) December 30, 2020
I was so disheartened to hear he was replacing Alex. Hopefully it really is temporary. Ugh.
— Betty (@Betty2319) December 30, 2020
I’m with you. One of the most wonderful things about Alex was that he never never ever showed his politics and he was never ever unkind. Ken Jennings has done both and I can’t forget that and won’t watch @Jeopardy if he is ‘it.’ Can say same about other contenders.
— Dr. 2020:Ph.D. Computational & Applied Math? (@CatLvr5303) December 30, 2020
I’d have more respect for him if he said, “I stand by what I have said.”
— Matt Wilson (@lawyermatt) December 30, 2020
If they choose him as host of @Jeopardy I will no longer watch it. He is despicable. I laugh at his attempted resume building this past year and now trying to apologize for hatred toward half the country. A user and insincere to try now to get what he wants. @KenJennings
— Kimono ???? (@kimonogirl214) December 30, 2020
Too many people use "intelligence" and "knowledge" interchangeably. Jennings definitely has knowledge, but gauging his tweets, he struggles with intelligence (certainly bad judgment). He's just another liberal.
— Brian W. Peterson (@cybrpete) December 30, 2020
Just because you were a successful contestant doesn’t mean you have the chops or disposition to host. Alex was affable, never sneering or condescending. Jennings would be a mistake, regardless of his mea culpas.
— Julia G. (@JuliaGulia809) December 30, 2020
He's an ass and I will never watch Jeopardy if that dork is hosting.
— Dr. Carl Cruise MD PhD EdD DDS (@cruise_carl) December 30, 2020
He's not gonna be able to pull it off on live T V. Arrogance and jerkiness are more than skin deep. It comes from deep within.
— VIKING ☦ (@Tinqsam) December 30, 2020
@KenJennings should be cancelled radical dem style
— President- Elect Clay Jones (@ClayJon71105147) December 30, 2020
Isn't he still in the running to replace Alex? If so, that would explain his retreat to sucking up/begging for foregiveness.
— Al_Gore_Rhythm (@honornc) December 30, 2020
He can go work at Walmart. There’s an opening in their social media dept.
— Ghost17?? (@GhostRI1776) December 30, 2020
Apology not accepted.
* * *
Update:
Seriously, this is the guy Jeopardy wants representing their brand to the nation?
https://t.co/6Z8iQ3tXw9 pic.twitter.com/KBcVuFm51W
— Jessica Chasmar (@JessicaChasmar) December 30, 2020
Related:
‘Douchey Takes’ for $500, Alex! Ken Jennings makes Islamophobic joke about rape to slam Kavanaugh, PISSES Lefties off https://t.co/fOd13FmfxT
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) September 24, 2018
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