I think it’s safe to say that of all the best game shows in TV history, Jeopardy! holds itself to a certain standard. Fans are constantly fact-checking the clues, contestants are called out if they’re perceived as too cocky or disrespectful, and heck, even Matt Amodio — one of Jeopardy!’s biggest winners — once had to fight off the pitchforks for responding to clues with “What’s …?” instead of “What is …?” Well, throw all that decorum out the window, because it turns out the show is all about “These nuts.”
What a strange sentence to write, especially in regards to Jeopardy!, but it is the truth. Someone on the game show’s team had the utterly brilliant idea to pull every clip of hosts Alex Trebek and Ken Jennings saying, “These nuts,” and I think somebody deserves a raise. Please channel your inner 12-year-old and enjoy the following piece of media:
I love that they kept the full clues in, as well as the contestants’ responses, because the context actually makes it funnier when the phrase in question is uttered (and we all learn a little something, right?). The longer the video plays, the more I giggled when Ken Jennings or Alex Trebek said, “These nuts,” especially hearing the different inflections required by the clue.
This is proof to me that you do your best work when you love your job. Nobody who’s trudging through another day at the office, counting down the minutes of their shift, is pitching a “These nuts” compilation video.
The Jeopardy! clue writers have often allowed their sense of humor to sneak into the show, whether that’s reminding Ken Jennings of his iconic “What is a hoe?” moment, having announcer Johnny Gilbert recite lyrics from rap songs, or getting Alex Trebek to present clues in costume. It’s rare, though, to see them go this blatantly juvenile, and I think it's great.
Fans also seem to be on board with the game show’s descent into this brand of humor, with YouTube comments including:
- That was utterly juvenile. I started laughing after the fourth or fifth one, and they got better after that – peterbyrne7348
- OMG, i died, i can't handle Alex Trebek saying "these nuts" so many times, but i also love it😂😂😂 – theonlymegumegu
- This is what the Jeopardy! fans want – vladiatorfilms4329
- It started out funny and somehow kept getting funnier every time – bassett_green
- Every single one was funny. I laughed EVERY time – BossiMomo
- I love that someone was paid money (hopefully) to do this. Delivering things we didn't even know we wanted like a true hero. – DJBillyQ
- I feel immature af for having laughed at every single time I heard Alex say it.😂😂😂😂😂 – supermcfly100
A lot of Jeopardy! fans seem to be realizing their sense of humor isn’t as mature as they thought.
Yes, Ken Jennings may show up in an impeccably paired suit and tie, requiring contestants to know everything from World Capitals to Opera to U.S. Presidents, but clearly nobody’s above having a little fun. Future contestants should be sure they’re up to par on their “Much Ado About Nutting” facts.
Check your local listings to see when Jeopardy! airs in your area, or stream episodes the next with your Hulu subscription or Peacock subscription.
