“I blew it and I’m really sorry.”
You probably know Ken Jennings.
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Ken achieved fame after becoming America’s most profitable game show contender, following his 74-game winning streak Danger!.
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And because he is well known among Danger! fans and audience, Ken was chosen to replace the late Alex Trebek, this coming season as Danger!.
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After the tweets reappeared, and about a week before his debut as a presenter, Ken apologized on a five-part topic on Twitter.
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“I just wanted to admit the fact that, over the years on Twitter, I definitely tweeted some uninspiring and insensitive things. Sometimes they worked like jokes in my head and I was dismayed to see how they read on the screen,” he said.
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. 1 / x
Ken also added that he deleted the tweets to make it clear that he does not support them:
But I think this practice may have given the impression that I keep all the failed jokes that I posted here. Not at all! 3 / x
“Sometimes I said stupid things in a stupid way and I want to apologize to people who were (rightly!) Offended,” he continued. “It wasn’t my intention to hurt anyone, but it doesn’t matter: I blew it and I’m really sorry.”
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. 4 / x
He ended the discussion by saying, “If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we should be kinder to each other. I look forward to going into 2021 with that in mind.”
If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we should be kinder to each other. I look forward to entering 2021 with that in mind. 5 / x
Some people mentioned the convenient time for an apology:
@KenJennings Thanks for the totally insincere apology at the 11th hour because you want a job. You will understand if we boycott Jeopardy if you are the host. What is #BoycottJeopardy?
@KenJennings “Hey, I didn’t know I was going to end up hosting Jeopardy! So, I want to pretend I’m not the presumptuous asshole I really am. Thanks.”
@KenJennings The preemptive apology for old tweets before getting the Jeopardy show. Intelligent.
And others praised him for taking on responsibilities:
@luxfredom @KenJennings Self Accountability is the opposite of cancellation. @KenJennings owning your shit and learning from past mistakes is * good * in fact. This shows character and, hopefully, indicates a commitment to using your platform ethically and with integrity.
@KenJennings As someone with a disability, thank you for apologizing and saying what you have to say. I am against the culture of cancellation and prefer to give people a chance to make up for their mistakes rather than trying to cancel or make them go away. So, thank you and good luck. And happy New Year.
You can read the topic in full and the responses to your apology on here.
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