'Jeopardy!' quizzes contestants on 'neopronouns,' sparking social ...

CULVER CITY, Calif. (TND) — Game show "Jeopardy!" quizzed contestants on pronouns Monday during the 2024 Tournament of Champions quarterfinal, sparking debate on social media.

Host Ken Jennings read the $600 “Speech! Parts of Speech!” prompt, “xem, xyrs, xemself,” before contestant Cris Pannullo responded, “what are pronouns?”

“Those are pronouns – neopronouns,” Jennings corrected.

Those who identify as non-binary often use "neopronouns" in place of traditional “he/him” or “she/her” labels or the recently popularized “they/them” designation. The topic evoked criticism, with some accusing "Jeopardy!" of venturing into “woke” subjects.

Author David Benner mocked the prompt on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, writing, “what is a woke, anti-civilization fantasy?"

"I would have said 'what are indicators of mental illness,'" another X user added.

The show previously faced controversy in 2022 when one of its top contestants, Amy Schneider, a transgender woman, won a total of 40 consecutive games. The feat placed her second all-time behind Jennings, who achieved a 74-game streak ending in 2004. Schneider also amassed $1,382,800 total winnings in regular-season play, good for fourth place.

Schneider received criticism during her winning streak.

READ MORE | CNN mocked for publishing list of 'neopronouns' like 'ze/xyr' and 'fae/faer'

“I’d like to thank all the people who have taken the time during this busy holiday season to reach out and explain to me that, actually, I’m a man,” she wrote on X at the time. “Every single one of you is the first person ever to make that very clever point, which had never once before crossed my mind.”

After Schneider won the 2022 Tournament of Champions, she hailed her intellectual prowess.

“I don’t feel lucky to have won,” she said. “If there’s one area where my instinctive self-depreciation clearly shouldn’t apply, it’s my skill at 'Jeopardy!' I’m damn good at this game, and I’m proud of it!”

The show also sparked outrage in June after contestants were unable to recite the Lord’s Prayer. Then-host Mayim Bialik read the $200 “Dadjectives” prompt, “Matthew 6:9 says, ‘Our Father which art in heaven,’ This ‘be thy name.’” The three participants failed to produce a response, leading Bialik to state the correct answer, “Hallowed be thy name.”

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Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, claimed the contestants’ lack of knowledge represented a broader trend in biblical ignorance.

“Twitter erupted with @Jeopardy fans who were surprised that 3 smart contestants were unable to fill in the blank with a word from the Lord’s Prayer,” he posted on X. “We have lost so much Biblical literacy & basic awareness of the things of God’s Word. This moving away from Biblical values will equal double jeopardy for our nation.”

Follow Ray Lewis on X for trending national news @rayjlewis or send a tip to rjlewis@sbgtv.com.