Some 'Jeopardy' fans are just finding out Ken Jennings secretly quotes 'Die Hard' on the show
Every game show host has tropes and signature lines that stay with the fans and help them stand out. Ryan Seacrest has been criticised for his annoying habits on "Wheel of Fortune," while Drew Carey of "The Price is Right" revealed why he always says "I love you" to sign off after each episode. Now, fans are noticing a pattern in “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings's style. Ever since he took over the role of host, he has been frequently quoting lines from the iconic action flick "Die Hard."
This matter was brought up for discussion on a Reddit thread, according to a Parade report. The post in r/Jeopardy was titled, “Double Jeopardy, where the scores can really change!" The single line in the body of the post posed a question that many fans of the show have been trying to answer on the social media platform. “Ken's said this a couple of times. Is he quoting John McClane in 'Die Hard?'” the question read. "Die Hard" is considered one of the greatest Hollywood action movies of all time. The protagonist, John McClane, is a legend that some movie buffs talk about to this day. The character, portrayed by Bruce Willis, said in the movie, "Sorry Hans, wrong guess. Would you like to go for Double Jeopardy, where the scores can really change?" throwing in a reference to the show that was popular back then as well.
Fans of the show chipped in with their opinions in the comments section of the Reddit post. Some of them believe that Jennings is only following a tradition that his predecessors followed. It was the movie that took the line from the popular game show and not the other way around.
One user suggested that former hosts Art Fleming and Alex Trebek used to say the line back in the day. “Art Fleming used to say that all the time. Die Hard was quoting Art (or possibly Alex, not sure if he used to say that back in the day). It would go something like this: 'We'll be right back with Double Jeopardy!, where the values are doubled and the scores can really change,'" the user commented.
“But first, do you have trouble getting your floors as bright and clean as they can possibly be? Here's a product that could be the solution you've been looking for. Please watch, won't you? Thank you,” the fan added. Some believe that Jennings is fully aware of what he’s saying and that he uses the line to motivate contestants who might not have had a good game.
“There's no way we recognize that and he doesn't know it,” one user commented. Jennings is, after all, one of the greatest contestants to have ever played “Jeopardy!” in the show’s long history. “Sometimes Ken seems to be taking pity on a player with little money, and is trying to give them hope that they can rally in Double Jeopardy,” a third user chimed in.
