ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

'Jeopardy' fans are calling out Ken Jennings after his harsh ruling nearly costs a contestant

Jennings did acknowledge that he was being too harsh, but also said it didn't affect the outcome.
PUBLISHED APR 27, 2025
Ken Jennings walking into the studio for Jeopardy! (Cover image source: YouTube | Jeopardy!)
Ken Jennings walking into the studio for Jeopardy! (Cover image source: YouTube | Jeopardy!)

Ken Jennings has been quite popular as the host of “Jeopardy!” and, apart from being friendly, he has also been seen apologizing to contestants for problematic clues or comments. But all that did not stop fans from calling out the contestant-turned-host when they found his ruling too harsh, especially since it cost a contestant a $2,000 prize.

Jennings refused to give the contestant the win even though she answered the question correctly. The reason why the answer was deemed incorrect is that it was pluralized by the contestant. Fans were not happy with Jennings's call and didn't mince their words. The contestant was a woman named Kelly Proulx, a one-day winner on the show, according to an MSN report. The clue that she got was, "A Yosemite fall with a wispy ribbon of water that flutters in the air like a diaphanous cloth bears the name of this marital wear." Proulx gave the answer, "What is Bridalveil Falls?" Although she named the correct waterfall, it was deemed incorrect as the contestant should have said ‘fall’ instead of ‘falls.’ This led to a $2,000 deduction from her purse.



 

After the round, Proulx found herself in last place with $3,600. She ended the game in second place with $7,000. Fans of the show criticized Jennings’s ruling in the comments section of a Reddit post in r/Jeopardy. “The ruling against Kelly for saying "Bridalveil Falls" with an "s" was especially unfortunate, since there are places called "Bridal Veil Falls" in several other states. However, the penalty did not wind up negatively impacting the outcome for Kelly,” a part of the post read.


Posts from the jeopardy
community on Reddit

 

“There is nothing pinning the clue to 'fall,' so she got the required information correct. That was positively disgusting,” one user commented. “I typically give long and wide deference to the judges, but f**k the judges for that ruling," quipped another. The host of the show addressed his ruling in an episode of Inside Jeopardy! Podcast, according to a TV Insider report. The host acknowledged that his ruling was tough, but believed that it did not affect the outcome of the game. “Well, all three of you played well. It was not a foregone conclusion until the very end,” he said.



 

“Sadly, ‘Bridalveil Falls’ with the ‘S,’” the host added. “I’m glad it didn’t hinge on my very harsh ruling on the ‘S’.” The contestant also laughed a little at his comment, making the situation a lot more light-hearted. It just goes to show that even the best can be called out for harsh decisions. Jennings took accountability and acknowledged that what he had ruled at the time was indeed quite harsh. However, this doesn’t mean that he is going to be loved any less by the fans of the show.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Rick Harrison doesn't mind paying for items significant to the history of his country, and this was the same.
17 hours ago
The pawn store owner was in awe of the item after learning that it was one of the first-ever.
20 hours ago
The pitch went exactly how one would expect, and the sharks took turns to explain what was wrong with the product.
22 hours ago
The contestant made some poor choices when it came to picking his letters for the puzzle.
1 day ago
Although Ken Jennings was reprimanded, fans believe that his answer was not incorrect.
1 day ago
The anchor also got his colleagues to solve a puzzle that he remembered among others from the episode.
1 day ago
The sharks believed that the entrepreneurs were selling the product at too little a price.
1 day ago
The guest's collection was highly impressive, and Rick Harrison knew they'd be worth a lot.
1 day ago
The player also posted on Instagram to express gratitude for the opportunity.
2 days ago
The guest did not know much about the item, including something about a pin behind it.
2 days ago
It could have been an uncomfortable moment but Harvey made sure to make it hilarious.
2 days ago
A 1999 behind-the-scenes YouTube video also explained that late host Trebek had a stand-in who "walked the contestants through a mock game."
2 days ago
Several winning contestants shared their experiences under a post on Reddit.
3 days ago
The expert revealed that the item dated as far as back as the 1650s.
3 days ago
The sharks did not expect the product to taste as good as it did, considering what it was made from.
4 days ago
The designer was also commissioned by top brands and worked for the royal family.
4 days ago
The host had a look of bewilderment on his face which was absolutely hilarious.
4 days ago
Things did not seem to be going well for the entrepreneur due to her high energy.
4 days ago
The guest might have had high expectations, but they were quickly brought down to earth.
4 days ago
The contestant was unable to contain her excitement and hugged the model.
5 days ago