Does ‘Jeopardy’ Know What Women Want? Sexist Category Creates Firestorm Of Angry Tweets
Jeopardy‘s decision to add a “What Women Want” category to the lineup on the long-running game show is creating a negative buzz among women who are outraged at not only the category, but the associated answers. The addition of the category immediately set off a firestorm of angry tweets on Monday night. Viewers became even more upset when answers like “vacuum” and “crossword puzzles” were revealed in the rather sexist category.
I’m not going to lie, @jeopardy‘s “What Women Want category tonight was incredibly sexist.
— Amy Willard (@awphotographs) September 30, 2014
Fans watched as Jeopardy host Alex Trebek stood near the famous blue monitors and revealed the categories that the three contestants would have to pick from. Boston.com reports that when the “What Women Want” category flashed up on the screen, it left “viewers and women’s rights activists flabbergasted and disappointed.”
Disappointed is an understatement, considering the thousands of tweets that went out about a category that seemed to be pulled from a 1950’s Good Housekeeping magazine.
Contestants were prompted by answers that included, “Some help around the house; Would it kill you to get out the Bissell bagless canister one of these every once in a while?” (Answer: vacuum cleaner) and “A few minutes of quiet to do this, especially the one edited by Will Shortz in the New York Times” (Answer: crossword puzzle).
.@Jeopardy? For a “smart” show, you just got srsly stupid RT @DJRumspringa: ARE YOU SERIOUS @Jeopardy?? pic.twitter.com/LEZcSw8K5A #SexismIsUgly
— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) September 29, 2014
Women watching the show fired back with comments and some of their own answers to the category — answers that would have been a lot less antiquated and frankly, a whole lot less insulting. The category made many viewers question why Jeopardy producers thought the category was appropriate to begin with.
#whatwomenwant What is equal pay? What is the right to make my own health decisions? What is treated like a human? @Jeopardy @SophiaBush — Andrea Davis (@MissAndreaDavis) September 30, 2014
@annetdonahue the vacuum cleaner question was “husbands, would it kill you to run one of these once in a while” or something. — Pixie Casey (@pixie_casey) September 29, 2014
#whatwomenwant – to not be reduced to a sexist jeopardy category. @SophiaBush — Lindsay (@agentLwalker) September 29, 2014
Despite the outcry over Jeopardy’s “What Women Want” category, there was a positive ending to the show. Mashable reports that a woman, Elisa Korn, was named the Monday night’s Jeopardy winner, raking in $26,400 because she is smart and played the game well. All without having to take a break for some tea and a crossword puzzle.
Do you think the Jeopardy category was out of line? What would be your answers in the category if you were allowed to create them?
