Throughout Jeopardy!’s decades-long run, there have been some pretty great moments. We’ve gotten some wild answers, Easter Eggs involving late host Alex Trebek, and even some sweet moments. Now, host Ken Jennings is reflecting on his run as one of the biggest winners in Jeopardy! history, and his failed “What is a hoe” answer that is still iconic years later.
Back in 2004, amid his 74-game streak, Jennings responded incorrectly to a clue by saying, “What is a hoe?” It’s been 21 years since it happened, and it still gets brought up, including in June when a contestant gave that same response to a clue, and got it wrong. The host hilariously recalled how that answer never seems to be right, but one person believes it should have been accepted in 2004.
While Jennings was doing an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit, a fan said they thought his response correctly answered the clue, which was “This term for a long-handled gardening tool can also mean an immoral pleasure seeker.” The actual answer was “Rake,” but I can see why Jennings thought it was “Hoe.” He’s still thinking about it after all these years, and admitted in his response that he’s previously brought it up with the head writers:
I’ve asked our current head writers about this, as both were on staff back in 2004. They stand by the call! To them, a ‘hoe’ is not ‘an immoral pleasure seeker.’ It’s a sex worker. To me, that ignores the slangier use of “ho” that’s been common for decades, but what are you gonna do.
It’s the fact that the moment still haunts Ken Jennings so many years later that he decided to talk to the head writers about it, since they were on the show while he was a contestant, that really makes the entire thing. He might have gotten it wrong, but at least it’s ingrained in people’s minds as one of the most iconic moments on Jeopardy! And he was able to get a little bit more of an insight as to what the writers deem incorrect or correct, if a clue can technically have multiple answers.
There have definitely been some questionable responses throughout Jeopardy!’s run, but that just makes it all the more entertaining, especially if a contestant is confident in an answer that is completely incorrect. Then there are also the ones who have no confidence whatsoever and get it right (I find it particularly entertaining when this happens during Final Jeopardy! and someone wagers next to nothing, or in one contestant’s case, a sweet message to Alex Trebek).
It’s very likely that another 20 years from now, “What is hoe?” will still be an iconic moment on Jeopardy!, but it will be interesting to see if anything can beat it. If anything, Jennings knows the story behind what happened with the clue and his answer, and it’s just another moment he can look back on and laugh, just like everyone else. But now I’m wondering if “hoe” will ever be the right answer. Perhaps someday.
