'Jeopardy!': Ken Jennings Issues Apology After Clue Sparks Backlash

Jeopardy! apologized after a clue caused a negative reaction from fans. Host Ken Jennings posted a video on TikTok expressing confusion over the clue.

The Controversial Clue

On Friday, October 24, the show featured a category titled “Daddy is there really a…” with the clue:

No: A.I. Generated The TikTok Image of this pig/human eventually killed by Tim Cheese.

No contestants buzzed in. The correct response was “Who is John Pork?”

About John Pork

John Pork is a viral internet character portrayed as a pig-human hybrid digitally created with a man’s body and a pig’s head. TikTok users humorously claimed he “died,” igniting the “RIP John Pork” meme online.

Despite rumors in 2023 about his death by shooting, John Pork continues to post videos on TikTok.

Apology and Clarification

After fans pointed out that John Pork existed before AI, the show released an apology. Ken 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.”

The apology acknowledged the mischaracterization and emphasized sensitivity to the fan community’s concerns.

Author's summary: Jeopardy! apologized for a controversial clue about John Pork, clarifying the character’s origin and addressing fan criticism over AI-related inaccuracies.

TV Insider — 2025-11-04