Jeopardy! is a renowned quiz show that has long been praised for pushing even the most intelligent and experienced contenders. This is a program where the best brains fight to decipher hints that sometimes leave home viewers wondering. But a recent show generated an unexpected lot of conversation—not for its complexity but for the simplicity of a hint that managed to stun all three participants.
In the June 13 program, host Mayim Bialik revealed a $200 hint in the category “Dadjectives,” which many saw to be a gentle pitch for the contenders. Drawn from one of the most well-known Christian books, the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father Which Art In Heaven’s,” this “Be Thy Name” riddle Naturally, the predicted answer was “hallowed,” (or more specifically, “What is hallowed?” in Jeopardy! jargon). But to the surprise of many Christian viewers—and even some nonreligious ones—not one contender buzzed in with the right response.
The moment immediately went viral on the internet as spectators expressed incredulity at such a basic reference being greeted silence. “There is not one Jeopardy competitor! knew yesterday night the solution to this.One Twitter user said, obviously confused by the finalists’ failure to identify the Lord’s Prayer, “Are you waking yet?” Another said, ” Growing up, The Lord’s Prayer was like knowing The Pledge of Allegiance. You really did.
The response ranged as much as it was intense. For some, it was a remark on the seeming drop in religious literacy rates in America. One tweet declared, “While it may not be a sign of the end times, it DEFINitely speaks volumes about Americans and their faith…or lack of.” Others adopted a more lighter attitude, one person asking, “How can those Jeopardy! nerds not know this answer?” Have they never turned on Iron Maiden?—a homage to the venerable hymn “Hallowed Be Thy Name” by the band.
One person, an atheist, also weighed in, “I’m an atheist and even I knew the answer to that Lord’s Prayer question.” Another came up with a funny story: “My 4-year-old niece found the solution to this Jeopardy question. Just wondering whether the contenders have heard The Lord’s Prayer?
Still, within the noise there were more subdued voices, as is always the case. Some noted that the low scores of the contenders might have affected their hesitancy as buzzing in with the incorrect response could have cost them points. Others pointed out that many of the Biblical and Christian-related hints Jeopardy! routinely offers are significantly more difficult than this one. Actually, the show covers this quite often, so some viewers have even objected about the profusion of Christian themes in the quiz.
Remember too that Jeopardy! draws participants from a broad range of ethnic, religious, and educational backgrounds. Not everyone grows up in a Christian setting where the Lord’s Prayer is routinely performed; it is quite likely that these specific contenders were just not familiar with it.
Fascinatingly, the Final Jeopardy clue for the evening took the competitors into the realm of 1970s popular culture, with a rather different attitude. The hint is “He starred in the two films whose soundtracks ranked second most sold albums of 1978.” Although the players had struggled with the Lord’s Prayer in the past, with this question they performed somewhat well. Of course, the right response was John Travolta, whose movies Grease and Saturday Night Fever swept the music charts and box office that year. One of the competitors, Suresh Krishnan, finally won his sixth straight.
The event has spurred a fascinating conversation on faith, cultural awareness, and the standards set on candidates under duress. While some believe the missing hint indicates a deteriorating religious consciousness, others consider it as a basic error under observation.
How do you see the candidates’ incapacity to identify the Lord’s Prayer? Given the different backgrounds of Jeopardy! players, do you find it surprising or reasonable? In the comments, let others know what you think of this unforgettable occasion! Though even the most basic responses might occasionally leave candidates perplexed, this one, which addresses one of the most famous prayers in Christianity, has obviously connected with viewers.
Watch the video below:
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