Danger! Guest host Ken Jennings apologized for the ‘insensitive’ tweets he posted in the past after being criticized for making insensitive comments.
The 46-year-old quiz champion – who is replacing television icon Alex Trebek at the game show after his death last month – went on Twitter on Thursday to talk about previous “failed” jokes he made on the microblogging platform.
He wrote, ‘Hey, I just wanted to acknowledge the fact that, over the years on Twitter, I definitely tweeted some uninspiring and insensitive things. Sometimes they acted like jokes in my head and I was dismayed to see how they read on the screen.
Excuses: Jeopardy! guest host Ken Jennings apologized for the “insensitive” tweets he posted in the past after being criticized for making insightful comments
‘In the past, I usually left bad tweets in the air just so they could be ignored. At least that way, they could lead to smart responses and even advocacy. Deleting them seemed like a bleaching error.
– But I think this practice may have given the impression that I keep all the failed jokes I posted here. Not at all!’
Although Jennings did not specifically refer to any particular post, he acknowledged that he “blew it” and promised to “be kinder” to others in 2021.
He continued: ‘Sometimes I said stupid things in a stupid way and I want to apologize to people who were (rightly) offended. It wasn’t my intention to hurt anyone, but it doesn’t matter: I blew it and I’m really sorry.
Failure: Jennings – who is replacing television icon Alex Trebek (pictured right) on the game show after his death – went on Twitter on Thursday to talk about his previous ‘failure’ jokes
Kind approach: although Jennings did not specifically refer to any particular post, he acknowledged that he “blew it” and promised to “be kinder” to others in 2021
‘If 2020 taught us anything, it is that we should be kinder to each other. I look forward to entering 2021 with that in mind. (sic) ‘
A month before his apology, Jennings was the focus of much outrage over a tweet that surfaced that he posted in 2014 about ‘hot guys’ in wheelchairs.
“Nothing is sadder than a hot person in a wheelchair,” wrote Jennings at the time.
Jennings, who has since deleted the tweet, addressed the insensitive post in 2018, but the message has regained momentum due to her next role as host.
Danger! record holder: Quiz champion Jennings won 74 consecutive games on the game show
Resurfaced: Your 2014 tweet resurfaced for the first time in 2018, and Jennings approached it at the time
Jennings said in 2018 that he apologized “personally” to those who contacted him about the tweet, which he called an “inept” joke.
‘I was never publicly flogged for this, but I personally apologized to the angry / hurt people who came looking in person,’ he tweeted at the time.
‘It was a joke so inept that it meant something very different in my head and I regret the simple and easy reading!’
With the resurgence of the tweet, Jennings faced the ire of angry Twitter users, hurt and irritated by her original post.
Renewed outrage: Jennings faced renewed outrage at the tweet when he was announced as one of Jeopardy’s new guest hosts
Objections: Twitter users flooded the microblogging platform with their objections last month
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown even talked about the controversy by posting a link announcing her role as a guest presenter. ‘No,’ she tweeted along with the story.
When asked why Yvette didn’t like the selection, she replied: ‘Take a look at his old tweets and give me change’.
Jennings was announced as the first in a series of guest hosts to replace Trebek just a few days ago.
An official tweet revealed: ‘We will resume production on 11/30 with a series of provisional guest speakers from Jeopardy! family – starting with Ken Jennings. Additional guest hosts will be announced. ‘
Questionnaire: Jennings was widely celebrated for her memorable role in the long-running program
Unimpressed: actress Yvette Nicole Brown even weighed in the controversy by posting a link announcing her role as a guest presenter. ‘No’, she tweeted along with the story
Jennings won 74 games from Jeopardy! in a row and won the program’s ‘Greatest of All Time’ title in a competition last year.
A longtime host of Trebek, who died at the age of 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer last month, will be named later.
Last month, Jennings paid tribute to Trebek when he was announced as the show’s new guest host.
He said at the time: ‘There will be only one Alex Trebek, but I am honored to help Jeopardy! with that in January. ‘
Icon: Alex Trebek passed away at the age of 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer last month