Jeopardy! Apologizes Over Controversial Clue Involving John Pork
Jeopardy! faced backlash after airing a clue referencing a viral internet figure. Host Ken Jennings posted a TikTok video apologizing for the confusion caused by the clue.
Details of the Controversial Clue
On October 24, the category was “Daddy is there really a…” The clue read:
No: A.I. Generated The TikTok Image of this pig/human eventually killed by Tim Cheese.
The correct response was “Who is John Pork?” but none of the contestants buzzed in. After reading the clue, Jennings admitted:
“I didn’t understand any of that.”
This remark prompted laughter from the contestants.
Who Is John Pork?
John Pork is a digitally created viral figure depicted as a pig-human hybrid, made by combining a man’s body with a pig’s head. Fans on TikTok humorously claimed he “died,” fueling the “RIP John Pork” trend. There was even a false rumor in 2023 about him being shot, but John Pork continues to post TikTok videos.
Apology Issued by Jeopardy!
After viewers pointed out that John Pork’s origins predate the use of AI, Jeopardy! issued an apology. In a video statement, Jennings said:
“When we played a clue recently on Jeopardy! about John Pork, I remarked that ‘I didn’t understand a word of it.’ Well, I’ve had the chance to learn quite a bit since that clue aired about the late Mr. Pork, including the fact that some viewers took exception with our description of him as AI-generated. Now, even though AI is used heavily in many of his TikToks, it’s possible that wasn’t the best wording to refer to his original appearances.”
Summary
Jeopardy! apologized for misleading wording in a clue about John Pork, clarifying that the viral figure’s origins are not solely AI-generated despite heavy AI use in related content.