“Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings is attempting to backtrack on years of insults hurled at conservatives and others on his Twitter feed in what some have speculated is a bid for the popular game show’s open host position.
Jennings, who is a Brett Kavanaugh rape truther and currently an interim host of “Jeopardy!” following the death of longtime host Alex Trebek in November, issued a statement on Twitter on Wednesday addressing any “insensitive” and “unartful” content he has shared in the past.
“Hey, I just wanted to own up to the fact that over the years on Twitter, I’ve definitely tweeted some unartful and insensitive things. Sometimes they worked as jokes in my head and I was dismayed to see how they read on-screen,” Jennings wrote, claiming he did not delete his tweets “just so they could be dunked on” and so he wouldn’t be “whitewashing.” He continued the thread by claiming it “wasn’t my intention to hurt anyone.”
“Sometimes I said dumb things in a dumb way and I want to apologize to people who were (rightfully!) offended,” the tweet read. “It wasn’t my intention to hurt anyone, but that doesn’t matter: I screwed up, and I’m truly sorry.”
In the past, I'd usually leave bad tweets up just so they could be dunked on. At least that way they could lead to smart replies and even advocacy. Deleting them felt like whitewashing a mistake. 2/x
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) December 30, 2020
Despite Jennings’ opportunistic apology attempts, people are questioning the sincerity of his words following years of disparaging tweets.
ABC realized conservatives watch jeopardy too. This was 6 months ago. https://t.co/uaRDdCciQb pic.twitter.com/wk9TSqYjaf
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) December 30, 2020
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1344405865634394113?s=20
This is a fine apology thread, but how is a tweet like this not meant to hurt anyone? I don’t understand that claim. https://t.co/ykN4DWH1de pic.twitter.com/NEGnzVI5Zz
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) December 30, 2020
KEN JENNINGS IS THE WORST. This guy is the most annoying and arrogant jerk — and so hostile to the half of the country that doesn't enjoy his deeply held, anti-conservative screeds. Excuse me for not buying the too-convenient and desperate timing of his "please hire me" apology. https://t.co/v37nUOCbgb
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 30, 2020
I stopped following Ken Jennings awhile ago because he started seeming more hateful than funny and I’m so tired of that.
— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) December 30, 2020
While his range of offensive content is wide, Jennings has made plenty of political jabs in the past, pushing false claims about now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, advocating for the murder of babies in the womb, and insulting people who aren’t left-wing Democrats like he is.
[sees a former frat boy accused by three pretty credible women of sexual assault] WHOA, THIS GUY IS JUST LIKE JESUS CHRIST
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) September 28, 2018
Certainly unspoken in the joke is my belief that abortion is not the moral equivalent of murder or slavery.
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) January 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/KenJennings/status/671081552554541056?s=20
You're edging toward mine: the people of that opinion are free to not have abortions. https://t.co/Wuz7vOVWfn
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) January 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/KenJennings/status/694378949619519488?s=20
The VP’s job is to distract the refs and maybe throw a chair at Jesus while Biden is hurting God.
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) August 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/KenJennings/status/234466287986831360?s=20
Quick reminder that one year ago today, Congressional Republicans voted to take away 23 million Americans’ health care. #RememberInNovember https://t.co/e76U5kDrWr
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) May 4, 2018
I don't have a Trump t-shirt, but I guess I do have this one about his marriage. pic.twitter.com/iKuLxqyrqr
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) March 23, 2017
In Trump's defense, he is an incredibly stupid man.
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) May 16, 2017
I’m all in favor of shaming Trump people in bookstores, but let’s be honest: how often is that going to come up? https://t.co/g6pAqxTYK5
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) July 8, 2018
Other notable categories include insulting the disabled, once tweeting that there is “nothing sadder than a hot person in a wheelchair,” joking about cancer patients, and mocking other peoples’ religions, race, and prayers.
Have you considered that your thoughts and prayers aren't doing jack shit
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) October 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/KenJennings/status/290578733348315136?s=20
https://twitter.com/KenJennings/status/86510971971051520?s=20
but most of my fans aren't assholes like you
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) June 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/KenJennings/status/232651422074802176?s=20
