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TV WTF?!?: Jeopardy contestant Kelly Donohue condemns white supremacy after white power hand gesture controversy

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'Jeopardy' contestant Kelly Donohue condemns white supremacy after hand gesture controversy

'Jeopardy' contestant Kelly Donohue has issued a statement condemning white supremacy amid accusations that he flashed a 'white power' symbol on the game show.
ew.com ew.com

Jeopardy contestant Kelly Donohue condemns white supremacy after hand gesture controversy

"I absolutely, unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism of any kind," Donohue wrote on Facebook, amid accusations that he flashed a "white power" symbol on the game show.
By Tyler Aquilina
April 29, 2021 at 02:35 PM EDT



Jeopardy contestant Kelly Donohue has issued a statement condemning white supremacy and apologizing for the "terrible misunderstanding" that ensued after he allegedly flashed a hand gesture associated with white supremacist hate groups on the game show.

On Tuesday's episode, Donohue made a hand gesture during his on-camera introduction resembling the "okay" gesture, which according to the Anti-Defamation League has been co-opted by multiple far-right and white supremacist groups. On Wednesday, more than 450 former Jeopardy contestants signed an open letter calling on the show to address the incident as backlash against Donohue grew on social media.
Kelly Donohue on 'Jeopardy'

"I'm truly horrified with what has been posted about me on social media. I absolutely, unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism of any kind," Donohue wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. "People who know me personally know that I am not a racist, but for the public at large it bears repeating: I am not a racist and I reject and condemn white supremacy and all forms of bigotry for the evil they are. It's shameful to me to think anyone would try to use the stage of Jeopardy! to advance or promote such a disgusting agenda."

Donohue also reiterated his earlier statement, in a since-deleted Facebook post addressing the blowback, asserting that the gesture was simply a number three intended to "count my victories." Donohue was a three-day champion heading into Tuesday's episode, and had previously gestured with one finger and two fingers in accordance with the number of games he'd won.

"During the taping of my fourth episode, I was simply raising three fingers to mark my 3rd win. There was nothing more I was trying to indicate," he wrote in his new post. "I deeply regret this terrible misunderstanding. I never meant to hurt a soul and I assure you I am no friend of racists or white supremacists." He added that he deleted the earlier post "because the comments were more than I could bear."

"I did, however, understand the fair criticism that I did not include a forceful condemnation of white supremacy in my initial statement," Donohue concluded. "I hope my feelings on that matter are clear now."

Representatives for Jeopardy did not respond to EW's requests for comment on the matter.

kelly-donohue-jeopardy-racist-gesture-608adf24ee4f6-850x478.png
 
Last edited:
Over 450 past Jeopardy contestants call on show to address alleged 'white power' symbol

By Rachel Yang
April 28, 2021 at 09:43 PM EDT

image


UPDATE: Jeopardy contestant Kelly Donohue issued a statement condemning white supremacy Thursday.

EARLIER: A growing list of more than 450 former Jeopardy contestants are calling for action after a recent winner allegedly flashed a hand gesture that has become associated with white supremacist hate groups, and, in another instance, responded to a clue with a term that is considered a slur.
In an open letter published to Medium on Wednesday, the group writes, "A recent contestant has caused concern among Jeopardy! viewers for two separate occurrences, and we as former contestants feel the need to speak out against the messaging that these choices communicated — either intentionally or unintentionally — by the contestant Kelly Donohue and, implicitly by association, the producers of Jeopardy!"

On Tuesday's episode, Donohue made a hand gesture during his on-camera introduction that he later said on social media signified the number three, as he was the three-day champion. In his previous episodes, he gestured with one finger and two fingers in accordance with the number of games he'd won.
But some viewers were struck by Donohue's specific finger positions, which, according to the open letter, "whether intentional or not, resembled very closely a gesture that has been coopted by white power groups, alt right groups, and an anti-government group that calls itself the Three Percenters." (According to the Anti-Defamation League, the "'okay' hand gesture" began as a hoax but has been used by right-wing trolls and white supremacists.)
The open letter calls on Donohue to publicly apologize "for the ramifications of the gesture he made" and disavow "any connection to white supremacist doctrines," and urges the show to "address Kelly's behavior" and take measures to ensure that "future mistakes of this magnitude never make it on air."
In a since-deleted Facebook post addressing the blowback, Donohue said he just wanted to "count my victories."

"Many of the great champions of old had a little signature hello they would do on-screen when being introduced by Johnny Gilbert," he wrote. "I decided to count my victories. That's a 1. That's a 2. That's a 3. No more. No less. There wasn't a hidden agenda or any malice behind it. Had I managed to repeat as champion, you'd have been treated to a 4."
Representatives for Jeopardy did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.
CREDIT: JEOPARDY PRODUCTIONS, INC.
The letter also notes that during Monday's episode, Donohue responded to a clue with a term for the Roma people that is considered a slur. Although guest host Anderson Cooper noted as much on air, the signatories point out that "other episodes of the show where questionable responses or misspeaking prompted a pause and re-recording of the dialogue."
They continue, "This probably would have been a good occasion to employ a similar fix. Yes, it may be an innocent or ignorant reply, and yes, it was technically correct. But on a television show for an international audience, the impact on a larger stage needs to be taken into account."
Thus, the former contestants are asking that the writers "remove this word from their vocabulary when it's not being used in the context of a title of an artwork or a direct quotation."
With regard to Donohue's hand gesture, the letter also notes that the Jeopardy production team has in the past taken measures to reshoot or even digitally alter moments deemed unsuitable for broadcast.
 
Letter from former Jeopardy! contestants regarding offensive terminology and gesture aired this week
J! Contestants Letter
1 day ago·5 min read


A recent contestant has caused concern among “Jeopardy!” viewers for two separate occurrences, and we as former contestants feel the need to speak out against the messaging that these choices communicated — either intentionally or unintentionally — by the contestant Kelly Donohue and, implicitly by association, the producers of “Jeopardy!”.

On Monday, April 26, Kelly responded to a clue with a term for the Roma that is considered a slur. The use of this term doesn’t necessarily indicate malice; until recently, it was widely used by English speakers. Current diversity style guides, however, suggest that it not be used, and that Roma or Romani be used instead. Host Anderson Cooper noted this on-air. However, many of us witnessed occasions in tapings of other episodes of the show where questionable responses or mis-speaking prompted a pause and re-recording of the dialogue. This probably would have been a good occasion to employ a similar fix. Yes, it may be an innocent or ignorant reply, and yes, it was technically correct. But on a television show for an international audience, the impact on a larger stage needs to be taken into account. A search of recent show archives reveals that the writers of clues have used the term “Gypsy” five times in the last two years. We ask the writers to remove this word from their vocabulary when it’s not being used in the context of a title of an artwork or a direct quotation. It would be best if they could craft clues that positively showcase the cultural heritage of the Roma and distance the association with hurtful stereotypes from the past.

Tuesday, April 27, was a more widely felt misstep. During his on-camera introduction, Kelly made a gesture with his hand that he has since claimed was an indication that he had won three games. He had, on previous episodes, indicated with one finger and two fingers that he had won one and two games, and no reasonable person would have interpreted those gestures differently. However, this gesture was not a clear-cut symbol for the number three. He held his thumb and forefinger together with his other three fingers extended and palm facing inward, and he tapped his chest. This, whether intentional or not, resembled very closely a gesture that has been coopted by white power groups, alt right groups, and an anti-government group that calls itself the Three Percenters. In a public Facebook post that has since been deleted, Kelly states, “That’s a 3. No more. No less.” His public Facebook profile also featured a cover photo of Frank Sinatra making a similar gesture. This was either erased or made private on Wednesday morning, along with hundreds of public comments on his few “Jeopardy!”-related posts. Regardless of his stated intent, the gesture is a racist dog whistle. Some of the first people to notice this were not affiliated with “Jeopardy!” in any way — they were viewers who couldn’t believe what they’d seen, captured it on video, and shared it to Twitter. Among them were people of color who, needless to say, are attuned to racist messaging and not appreciative that the show allowed this symbol to be broadcast.

During other tapings of “Jeopardy!” episodes, changes have been made to avoid negative messaging making it to air. On more than one occasion, contestants have made gestures during their introductions that were seen as undesirable for broadcast and were asked by the production team to reshoot the footage without the gesture. A couple of years ago, a contestant unintentionally wagered a monetary amount that used numerical values coopted by white supremacist groups and, since the total didn’t affect the outcome of the game, “Jeopardy!” digitally altered the numbers in the version that aired. This should have been done in this case. Intentional or not, the burden was on the production team to catch the similarity to a hate symbol and make sure it didn’t end up on air.

Most problematic to us as a contestant community is the fact that Kelly has not publicly apologized for the ramifications of the gesture he made. If something has been misconstrued, an apology and a total disavowal of any connection to white supremacist doctrines is called for. We saw that gesture air on television. We are among the public it affected, and we are a diverse group of people. People of color, religious minorities, and other marginalized groups already live in a United States and a Canada that have structural and institutional racism, sexism, antisemitism, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia embedded into their history and function. These people deal with microaggressions nearly every day of their lives, through words, actions, and assumptions that remind them on a constant basis that they are not the default, they are not the mainstream, they are not “real citizens.” And that is hard enough. That is enough for them to bear and enough for us to keep trying to recognize, to address, and to fight. That is already a series of walls and fences that keeps us from truly reaching the American ideal of e pluribus unum.

We cannot stand up for hate. We cannot stand next to hate. We cannot stand onstage with something that looks like hate. We are ashamed to be associated with brands and identities that suffer the taint of hateful statements and actions — particularly if they go unchallenged by those at the top.

Executive producer Mike Richards recently said, “I think politically, the country is incredibly divided and that makes me sad, and I really have always thought that ‘Jeopardy!’ is a great uniter that way. It is apolitical and there’s no place for divisiveness on it in any way, and that is what I want it to be going forward.” This event was the opposite of apolitical speech. It was perceived by people across demographic boundaries as a wink and a nod by white men about their superiority. And that speech is out there and the damage has been done. “Jeopardy!” is a program that ostensibly prizes knowledge and education. It would be prudent to address this now to uphold that reputation. Leaving this messaging unchecked will encourage others to attempt similar things in the future. Is the production team of “Jeopardy!” prepared for more of this? Prepared for more attempts to disguise contempt as innocent gesturing? Prepared for the backlash and ramifications should one of those moments ever become tied to real-world violence?

As people whose lives have been largely beneficially impacted by this show and its community, we really hope to see a statement and a disavowal of both of this week’s events, and we would like to see “Jeopardy!” address Kelly’s behavior. We know that contestants sign morals and ethics-related agreements when they prepare to appear on the show, and we would ask the production team to evaluate this situation within that framework. We would like to know whether a sensitivity and diversity auditor is involved in the show’s writing. Finally, we hope to see changes made so that future mistakes of this magnitude never make it on air.
 
A Letter from Concerned Former Contestants to Mike Richards, Executive Producer of Jeopardy!
J! Contestants Letter
Feb 24·2 min read


February 24, 2021

Dear Mr. Richards:

It has been exciting to see Jeopardy! feature an increasingly diverse pool of contestants over the past few years. We are excited to see this diversity of talent expand to the guest host pool, with guest hosts such as Aaron Rodgers, Katie Couric, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, to name a few. And as a large, diverse group of people, there is very little that a large group of Jeopardy! contestants can agree upon. But when we heard that Dr. Mehmet Oz was slated to be a guest host, agreement came quickly — we were opposed.

We understand that first and foremost, Jeopardy! is a television show, and ratings are important. However, Dr. Oz stands in opposition to everything that Jeopardy! stands for. Jeopardy! is a show that values facts and knowledge. Throughout his nearly two decades on television he has used his authority as a doctor to push harmful ideas onto the American public, in stark contrast with his oath to first do no harm. These ideas include promoting supplements that do nothing, legitimizing gay conversion therapy (which is banned in California, as well as 19 other states), dangerous “cures” for autism, and, most recently, the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. None of these things is backed by any scientific fact and by promoting them he is actively putting his viewers in danger. In fact, his ideas are so dangerous that thousands of his colleagues have petitioned to have him fired from his position at Columbia Medical School. And what kind of message does this send to the LGBTQ+ and autistic contestants and viewers of Jeopardy!?

Dr. Oz represents what has become a dubious trend in America: the elevation of the credentialed talking head at the expense of academic rigor and consensus. We once viewed intelligence and genius as something that a single heroic intellect could embody. We have since learned and we now understand that we do much better at study and science when we approach it as a group and build off of each other’s insights and checks. But consensus does not mean that everyone gets a seat at the table to present “treatments” that at best, have no medical evidence to support them, and at worst, are shown by medical evidence to be actively harmful. Evidence-based medicine is the gold standard because evidence-based medicine keeps people alive. And we need our public champions of learning and science to support that view.

Jeopardy! is known for being incredibly rigorous; a well-deserved reputation. As contestants, we’ve all seen what happens behind the scenes if there’s any doubt about a question. We’ve seen writers and judges frantically cross-reference answers in real time to make sure that the facts are accurate. To then invite Dr. Oz to guest-host is a slap in the face to all involved.

Sincerely,

Former Jeopardy! Contestants

(600+ signatories in the link below)

medium.com

A Letter from Concerned Former Contestants to Mike Richards, Executive Producer of Jeopardy!

February 24, 2021
medium.com medium.com
 
www.ibtimes.sg

'Jeopardy!' Contestant Kelly Donohue Did Not Flash White Power Hand Symbol During the Show

"Jeopardy!" contestant Kelly Donohue sparked backlash after images showed him flashing what appeared to be the white supremacist hand gesture during a recent appearance on the show.
www.ibtimes.sg www.ibtimes.sg

'Jeopardy!' Contestant Kelly Donohue Did Not Flash White Power Hand Symbol During the Show
"Jeopardy!" contestant Kelly Donohue sparked backlash after images showed him flashing what appeared to be the white supremacist hand gesture during a recent appearance on the show.


Over the last couple of days, social media users have been circulating a claim that Jeopardy! contestant Kelly Donohue made a "white power" hand gesture during a recent episode.

Along with their claim, users shared images and photos showing returning champion Donohue, a bank examiner from Massachusetts, touching his thumb and index finger with his remaining three fingers extended and palm facing inward - hand gesture has been known to have roots in white supremacy – as the show's host, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, introduced him.

The incident sparked backlash on social media and a group of former show participants also penned an open letter published to Medium on Wednesday condemning the incident on the game show, demanding an apology.

Donohue's Hand Gesture Symbolizes his Three Victories

"Jeopardy!" contestant Kelly Donohue appears to flash the "white power" symbol during his appearance. Twitter

However, it turns out Donohue's gesture seemed to be an indicator of the number of times he has won on the show. His appearance on April 27 was his third win, and he was holding up three of his fingers to reflect the same. Similarly, during his introduction on previous shows, Donohue has held up two fingers and one finger, signifying his second and first win, respectively.

A Facebook account linked to Donohue clarified this in a now-deleted Facebook post. "I just wanted to clear something up about my recent appearances on Jeopardy!, the greatest game show of all time. Competing on Jeopardy was the thrill of a lifetime and being a returning champion is something I'll never forget. Many of the great champions of old had a little signature hello they would do onscreenwhen being introduced by Johnny Gilbert. I decided to count my victories.

"That's a 1. That's a 2. That's a 3. No more. No less," he wrote alongside images of him making the respective hand gestures during all three appearances on the show. "There wasn't a hidden agenda or any malice behind it."

Images show Kelly Donohue signalling his first, second and third victory with hand gestures on the show. Twitter

What Does the White Power Symbol Mean?

The "white power" hand gesture, which resembles the initials W and P, is popular among "people across several segments of the right and far-right," according to the Anti-Defamation League and the movement associated with the gesture, called "Operation O-KKK," was reportedly started on the anonymous message board platform 4chan in 2017.

Neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klansmen and other white nationalists have been known to use the gesture in public "to signal their presence and to spot potential sympathizers and recruits," the New York Times reported in 2019.

The hand gesture is now being used as an expression of white supremacy. For instance, white supremacist Brenton Tarrant flashed the symbol during a March 2019 courtroom appearance for allegedly killing 50 people in a shooting spree at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

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‘Jeopardy!’ winner Kelly Donohue calls ‘racist’ hand gesture a ‘terrible misunderstanding’
NEWS
by: Nexstar Media Wire
Posted: Apr 29, 2021 / 10:11 PM EDT / Updated: Apr 30, 2021 / 09:33 AM EDT
(Credit: “Jeopardy!”)

(NEXSTAR) – Three-time Jeopardy! winner Kelly Donohue issued a statement Thursday saying that he his “truly horrified” after some people interpreted a hand gesture he made on Tuesday’s show to be a white power signal.

When host Anderson Cooper introduced Donohue, who is a three-time winner, Donohue stretched out his middle, ring and pinky fingers across his chest.
“He held his thumb and forefinger together with his other three fingers extended and palm facing inward, and he tapped his chest,” according to a letter from former “Jeopardy!” contestants. “This, whether intentional or not, resembled very closely a gesture that has been coopted by white power groups, alt right groups, and an anti-government group that calls itself the Three Percenters.”

“His public Facebook profile also featured a cover photo of Frank Sinatra making a similar gesture,” the letter continues. “This was either erased or made private on Wednesday morning, along with hundreds of public comments on his few “Jeopardy!”-related posts.”

The “OK” hand gesture’s interpretation as a white power symbol dates back to a 2017 hoax on the website 4chan and was used by right-leaning individuals as a trolling tactic, according to the Anti-Defamation League, but was later also adopted by some white supremacists.
Final round of ‘Jeopardy!’ guest hosts announced — including a fan favorite

Screenshots of Donohue’s gesture prompted a number of posts on social media accusing him of making a racist gesture and slamming the show’s producers for not re-taping his introduction.

“I’m truly horrified with what has been posted about me on social media,” Donohue said in a Facebook post Thursday. “I absolutely, unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism of any kind. People who know me personally know that I am not a racist, but for the public at large it bears repeating: I am not a racist and I reject and condemn white supremacy and all forms of bigotry for the evil they are.”

Fact-checking website Snopes points out that, unlike the ADL’s palm-out hand gesture, Donohue held his palm to his chest and tucked in his thumb and index finger. He had also shown his wins on his fingers in his previous two introductions.

Some people criticized Donohue for deleting a previous Facebook post in which they say he did not condemn white supremacy.

giphy.gif


Donohue stated that he deleted the post because the comments were more than he could bear, but the admitted that the criticism had merit.

“I hope my feelings on that matter are clear now,” he wrote.​

The letter from former “Jeopardy!” contestants also called out the show for allowing the hand sign to air.

“During other tapings of ‘Jeopardy!’ episodes, changes have been made to avoid negative messaging making it to air,” the letter reads. “On more than one occasion, contestants have made gestures during their introductions that were seen as undesirable for broadcast and were asked by the production team to reshoot the footage without the gesture.”

“Jeopardy!” did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
 
www.deseret.com

‘Jeopardy!’ contestant calls hand gesture controversy a ‘terrible misunderstanding’

A “Jeopardy!” contestant has faced backlash after making a hand gesture widely associated with white supremacy at the start of the quiz show on Tuesday, April 27.
www.deseret.com www.deseret.com

‘Jeopardy!’ contestant calls hand gesture controversy a ‘terrible misunderstanding’
A ‘Jeopardy!’ contestant has faced backlash after making a hand gesture widely associated with white supremacy at the start of the quiz show on Tuesday, April 27
By Lottie Elizabeth Johnson@Lotlotej Apr 29, 2021, 3:15pm MDT
Share this story
Kelly Donohue, a three-day “Jeopardy!” champion, recently drew backlash for making a hand gesture widely associated with white supremacy. Twitter screenshot

A “Jeopardy!” contestant has faced backlash after making a hand gesture widely associated with white supremacy at the start of the quiz show on Tuesday, April 27.
RELATED
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What happened with Kelly Donohue on ‘Jeopardy!’?
Kelly Donohue was on a three-day winning streak going into Tuesday’s game. At the start of that episode, as the contestants were being introduced, Donohue made an “OK” sign with his hand and held it to his chest.
In the two “Jeopardy!” episodes prior to Tuesday night, Donohue had gestured with one and two fingers to indicate his wins, Deadline reported. The contestant has stated that holding up three fingers on Tuesday was no different.
But in recent years, that gesture has become associated with hate groups —specifically white supremacists — leading the Anti-Defamation League to classify it as a symbol of hate in 2019, The Wrap reported.
Donohue’s gesture sparked outcry from many fans, leading to an open letter — signed by nearly 600 former contestants as of Thursday — demanding an apology from Donohue and “Jeopardy!” producers.
  • “Regardless of his stated intent, the gesture is a racist dog whistle,” the letter reads. “Some of the first people to notice this were not affiliated with ‘Jeopardy!’ in any way — they were viewers who couldn’t believe what they’d seen, captured it on video, and shared it to Twitter. Among them were people of color who, needless to say, are attuned to racist messaging and not appreciative that the show allowed this symbol to be broadcast.”
On Thursday, Donohue — who had previously written “That’s a 3. No more. No less” on his Facebook account — issued a formal apology.
  • “I’m truly horrified with what has been posted about me on social media,” Donohue wrote on Facebook Thursday. “I absolutely, unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism of any kind. People who know me personally know that I am not a racist, but for the public at large it bears repeating: I am not a racist and I reject and condemn white supremacy and all forms of bigotry for the evil they are. It’s shameful to me to think anyone would try to use the stage of ‘Jeopardy!’ to advance or promote such a disgusting agenda.
  • “During the taping of my fourth episode, I was simply raising three fingers to mark my 3rd win,” he continued. “There was nothing more I was trying to indicate. I deeply regret this terrible misunderstanding. I never meant to hurt a soul and I assure you I am no friend of racists or white supremacists.”
Going forward
“Jeopardy!” has not issued a statement about the controversy. But former “Jeopardy!” contestants have called for change going forward.
  • “We know that contestants sign morals and ethics-related agreements when they prepare to appear on the show, and we would ask the production team to evaluate this situation within that framework,” reads the open letter signed by former “Jeopardy!” contestants. “We would like to know whether a sensitivity and diversity auditor is involved in the show’s writing. Finally, we hope to see changes made so that future mistakes of this magnitude never make it on air.”
Donohue, a bank examiner from Winthrop, Massachusetts, lost on Tuesday night after a three-game winning streak earned him $79,601, according to a daily “Jeopardy!” recap.
On Friday, Anderson Cooper wraps up his two-week stint as “Jeopardy!” guest host. Bill Whitaker, a “60 Minutes” correspondent, will host May 3-14, the Deseret News reported.
 
Winthrop man denies making racist hand gesture on ‘Jeopardy!’ after 500-plus former contestants sign open letter
"I’m truly horrified with what has been posted about me on social media."
Winthrop resident Kelly Donohue during Tuesday's episode of "Jeopardy!" –Screenshot
SHARE TWEET72 COMMENTS
By

Kevin Slane, Boston.com Staff
April 29, 2021
Winthrop resident Kelly Donohue recently enjoyed a four-day run on the beloved game show “Jeopardy!,” winning three games and $80,601 thanks to several high-risk Daily Double bets and good command of the board.
However, the bank examiner’s final appearance on the show Tuesday evening set off a social media firestorm, as accusations swirled that the contestant had made a racist hand gesture on camera.


At the beginning of Tuesday’s show, Donohue held up three fingers, he says to signify the three games he had won on “Jeopardy!” heading into the match. Donohue held up one finger following his first win on Friday’s show and two fingers at the start of Monday’s episode.



Some people online, however, believed that Donohue’s symbol resembled the “Okay” hand gesture. The gesture started as an inside joke on online imageboard 4chan to troll liberals and mainstream media into believing the gesture was a hate symbol but was later co-opted by white supremacists to actually symbolize white power. The gesture was officially designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League in 2019.
In a Facebook post viewed by Boston.com that is no longer visible, Donohue initially dismissed concerns about the symbol, saying “That’s a 3. No more. No less,” before later denying the accusations more adamantly. Donohue also deleted or made private his Facebook cover photo, an image of Frank Sinatra making a similar gesture.

On Wednesday night, as a handful of national media outlets began picking up the story, an open letter signed by more than 500 former “Jeopardy!” contestants criticized the show’s producers for not editing Donohue’s hand gesture out and re-recording the intro.
“This gesture was not a clear-cut symbol for the number three,” the open letter read. “He held his thumb and forefinger together with his other three fingers extended and palm facing inward, and he tapped his chest. This, whether intentional or not, resembled very closely a gesture that has been coopted by white power groups, alt right groups, and an anti-government group that calls itself the Three Percenters.”


The letter also criticized “Jeopardy!” for not editing out Donohue’s correct response of “gypsy” to a clue, citing diversity style guides that say the term perpetuates harmful stereotypes about the Romani people.

“As people whose lives have been largely beneficially impacted by this show and its community, we really hope to see a statement and a disavowal of both of this week’s events, and we would like to see “Jeopardy!” address Kelly’s behavior,” the letter read. “We know that contestants sign morals and ethics-related agreements when they prepare to appear on the show, and we would ask the production team to evaluate this situation within that framework.”

Among the 500-plus former contestants who signed the letter were dozens of Massachusetts residents. One former “Jeopardy!” contestant who signed the letter and lives in the Boston area told Boston.com that after having seen how fastidious “Jeopardy” producers are about editing, they were surprised to see the gesture on air.

“When I was on the show, everyone involved was very careful with making sure nothing questionable or controversial slipped through the cracks,” the contestant said. “For example, Alex Trebek once asked a fellow contestant what major company she worked for, and that company’s name got edited off the air. Halfway through James [Holzhauer’s] run, they made him stop writing shoutouts to family members during Final Jeopardy. They specifically told us not to wager numbers like $69 or $666 during Final as well. So regardless of the contestant’s intent, I’m just surprised that Sony did not try to re-tape it or edit it out, and that they have been silent up to this point even as several articles and this open letter have all come out by now.”


“Jeopardy!” representatives and Donohue had not responded to Boston.com requests for comment at the time of this article’s publication.
On Thursday morning, Donohue did respond with a public statement on Facebook, stating that he deeply regretted the “terrible misunderstanding” and that he unequivocally condemns “white supremacy and racism of any kind.”

“I’m truly horrified with what has been posted about me on social media,” Donohue wrote. “I absolutely, unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism of any kind. People who know me personally know that I am not a racist, but for the public at large it bears repeating: I am not a racist and I reject and condemn white supremacy and all forms of bigotry for the evil they are.”

“It’s shameful to me to think anyone would try to use the stage of Jeopardy! to advance or promote such a disgusting agenda,” Donohue continued. “During the taping of my fourth episode, I was simply raising three fingers to mark my 3rd win. There was nothing more I was trying to indicate. I deeply regret this terrible misunderstanding. I never meant to hurt a soul and I assure you I am no friend of racists or white supremacists.”

www.boston.com

Winthrop man denies making racist hand gesture on 'Jeopardy!' after 500-plus former contestants sign open letter

Winthrop resident Kelly Donohue recently enjoyed a four-day run on the beloved game show “Jeopardy!,” winning three games and $80,601 thanks to several high-risk Daily Double bets and good command of the board. However, the bank examiner’s final appearance on the show Tuesday evening set off a...
www.boston.com
 
Last edited:
Of course he did. What did anybody expect? Jeopardy is in a pickle because if they throw him off he'll definitely sue. Although they probably have a behavior clause in the contract.

Anyway, we all know what time it is. He knew what it meant and what he was doing. Let's see what the producers do.
 

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