TODAY host Savannah Guthrie has shared her true feelings on Jeopardy champ Ben Chan’s recent heartbreaking loss, after previously hosting the game show herself.
The morning show star has decided to jump in on the conversation after learning fans have been fuming since Ben lost over a ruling that many deemed questionable.
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On Wednesday, the Today hosts shared their all their thoughts about Tuesday’s epic episode of JeopardyCredit: Today
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Champ Ben Chan lost during the episode after his Final Jeopardy question was deemed incorrect over one wrong letterCredit: ABC
The player lost during Tuesday’s episode after his Final Jeopardy response was deemed incorrect over just one wrong letter.
Viewers were in disbelief after Ben’s long run was ruined by such a small detail.
Savannah, though, said on Wednesday’s Today show that that’s what Jeopardy is all about.
The topic came up during the pop culture segment, which Sheinelle Jones hosted in Carson Daly’s absence.
Sheinelle told viewers, as well as her co-hosts, that a “spelling error ended Ben Chan’s nine-day winning streak and some fans are asking for a re-do.”
She then showed a clip of the wild moment.
In the category of “Shakespeare’s Characters,” the Final Jeopardy read: “Both of the names of these 2 lovers in a Shakespeare play come from Latin words for ‘blessed.’”
Mayim finally turned to Ben who revealed he wrote “Beatrice & Benedict Benedict,” striking out the first “Benedict” but then writing it the same the second time.
After a moment of pause, Mayim ruled it was incorrect: “Unfortunately that is not correct. The correct response [is] Beatrice and Benedick.”
“From Much Ado About Nothing,” Mayim concluded- but she didn’t go further in explaining the judgment call.
Sheinelle then asked her co-hosts for their opinion on the matter, and Savannah scrunched up her face and insisted: “It’s Jeopardy. You gotta be on your game.”
The Today star was deemed the “Jeopardy queen” by Sheinelle, before Craig Melvin and Hoda Kotb added that she knows all about it because she guest-hosted the game show.
Savannah went on to share some insider info, explaining: “What happens is, they tape it, and then you look over.
“You’re looking at the judge like, ‘Does it count? Does it not count?’ And they’ll be like, ’No, no.’”
She added that Ben’s answer “was different” from the correct response and technicalities are important on Jeopardy.
Viewers hotly debated how Ben lost on social media, and if Ben’s otherwise correct response did change the pronounciation enough to be wrong.
One person accused under a YouTube clip: “He was cheated. Completely unfair ruling on name Benedick.”
“SHOCKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OFF BY JUST 1 LETTER!” another simply wrote.
“Very rotten final ruling on Final @Jeopardy tonight. Google the answer and BOTH Benedick and Benedict come up. Both spellings are accepted,” tweeted a third.
On Reddit fans more closely discussed if the ruling was fair game, one writing: “Ouch.. quite a hard Final Jeopardy anyway, and then a harsh ruling… shame for Bens run to come to an end!”
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Fans were furious and called the ruling ‘harsh’Credit: ABC
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Savannah Guthrie, who has guest-hosted Jeopardy in the past, said the show is all about being ‘on your game’
