What is … going on? Jeopardy!’s Alex Trebek totally ripped on a contestant for her “nerdy” hobby on the Wednesday, October 12, episode. Watch what he said in the clip above!
The game-show host, 76, was introducing Susan Cole, a legislative librarian from Bowie, Maryland, when he said, “Her favorite type of music is something I’ve never heard of, but it doesn’t sound like fun.”
“I think it’s very fun,” Cole insisted. “It’s called nerdcore hip-hop. It’s people who identify as nerdy, rapping about the things they love — video games, science fiction, having a hard time meeting romantic partners. It’s really catchy and fun.”
“Losers, in other words,” Trebek jabbed. The burn caused Cole to stutter over her words before laughing and saying, “Sure.”
Trebek clarified that he was just joking. “I’m teasing you,” he said.
In the end, Cole was the complete opposite of a loser. She won first place and took home $20,600, while the second-place finisher took home only $2,000.
However, self-proclaimed nerds were not very happy about Trebek’s comments. “Alex Trebek on #Jeopardy calling nerds ‘losers’ is the STUPIDEST thing I’ve ever heard. Those ‘losers’ GIVE YOU A JOB,” one tweeter wrote, while another added, “What the hell were you thinking, Alex Trebek? You should have been nerdcore’s hero but now we have to destroy you.”
One popular nerdcore hip-hop artist, Mega Ran, even hit back at Trebek in a clever video. “Talking sideways on geeks, man, you a trip. Guess you haven’t heard, nerds make up half of your viewership,” he rapped. “This host gets roasted on SNL yearly. Hosts a show for nerds and doesn’t know it, clearly.”
