Did ‘Jeopardy!’ host Ken Jennings just come out as bi?
By Johnny Lopez · 25 comments· Updated on January 26, 2024
“What is something we never expected to hear come out of Ken Jennings’ mouth?”
Wednesday night’s episode of Celebrity Jeopardy! left fans feeling confused and excited after host Ken Jennings seemingly revealed some unprecedented information about his private life.
The show was going pretty smoothly up until the “Triple Jeopardy!” round. Yes, if you weren’t aware, Celebrity Jeopardy! now features a round were clue values are tripled.
The kerfuffle occurred as Jennings introduced the categories and took it upon himself to get a little more intimate with the audience.
“Fun fact about me,” Jennings quipped, before saying the name of the category, “‘I’ Can Go Either Way.” Say what now?!
“A lot of people don’t know that,” he added, as the camera panned to the celebrity contestants (Wings actor Steven Weber, former NBA player Shane Battier, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Melissa Fumero) who laughed alongside the studio audience.
Amy Schneider’s 40-week “Jeopardy!” winning the streak is just the beginning for the former engineering manager who is now a household name.
The double-take moment immediately caught the eye of home viewers as many took to social media to make sure they were correctly processing what they just heard.
The tweets Xs were loud and proud:
Did Ken Jennings just announce he was bisexual on Celebrity Jeopardy?
But before we start waving the Pride flag in his honor, Jennings could very well have just been trying to be playful to get a rise out of viewers. In that case, mission accomplished!
While we have no clue how Jennings personally identifies, he has been happily married to his wife Mindy for over 20 years.
The pair met in college at Brigham Young University and were engaged before graduating. They wed in September 2000 and share two children: son Dylan, 20, and daughter Caitlin, 16.
The Jeopardy! GOAT also credits his wife for helping him get through his 74-game winning streak back in 2004.
“I told my boss at work because I didn’t want to get fired, and my wife knew because I didn’t want to get divorced,” he previously told Vulture. “She was always my first call when I got back to the Sony parking garage.”
She was probably also Jennings’ first phone call after making his latest quip on Celebrity Jeopardy!
It seems like we’re finally ready for a male bisexual pop culture renaissance.
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Maybe he can find an equally lame way to broadcast to Americans his preference in gay sex on an upcoming episode. Watch closely for categories like “If I’m the bottom” and “You’re the top”.
Dont know why, but this guy just runs me the wrong way. Having been on this planet for a long time, I’ve come to the conclusion for whatever reason there are people I just dont like, and I dont like ken Jennings
Ken Jennings is known to be a big jokester, so I wouldn’t take this too seriously. However, as I can attest, many Mormon men swing both ways. The local Grindr reveals all.
Author, Johnny Lopez, seem thirsty. Much too thirsty. And… our “superiors” step in to complain. Dear God, our community reacts like a spoiled child – you aren’t forced to watch Ken. I’m pretty certain that most of us couldn’t win even watching re-runs.
I’m happily married and have never used Grinder, so please explain Stormy… does Grinder list religious affiliation? Elder Bob on porn hub is HOT; but, hardly the basis for an accurate opinion.
I find it amazing that some gays still make a big deal about a rumor of a celebrity going one way or another. Coming out is still a good thing, but really, it’s still just a little bit of who you are. AND the thought of Ken naked is not who I would like to see on P%rnhub. So, I don’t understand the hype.
Let’s put it this way. Bi is the acceptable way of telling people you’re gay-adjacent when you don’t want to do the full Monty. And god knows, he’s not the first Momo to come out in mid-life after marriage and kids. One day the LDS may get a grip and accept that LGBTQ folks are in their midst and stop making them feel they have to adapt to a hetero-normative lifestyle in order to be accepted. I’ve honestly lost count of the number of Mormon guys I’ve know in my life who are gay and either left the church to live their full life, or go on to make decisions they’ll regret later.
AMEN to that, brother! Like Bill Clinton use to say, Tad, “I feel your pain.” Probably, the love of my life (I’m still alive, and kicking,so maybe I can amend, and correct that statement?) was a gorgeous, passionate,kinky, mysterious, very rich, Mormon MAN! With a capital “M.!” I met on one of those 976 gay party-lines, remember those? It was on my parent’s “land line” a very Louis XV meets Zsa Zsa Gabor “French” cradle number, the telephone, not the Mormon. Flash forward 30+ years: The very well-connected,Republican Mr. & Mrs. host-sponsors of a ritzy, “old money” Palm Desert charity event are greeting guests as they enter. Guest were escorted in by cute boy and girl Marines. The gentleman host looked me over, evidently remembered”something” from the “past” gasped and almost fainted. I shook his hand, said “Good evening.” And ike a Bette Davis heroine, moved forward into my future.
There will never be another Alex, but I think Ken Jennings is terrific. He also had a good X response when someone posted that he is awful, and the show should bring back Aaron Rodgers: “I always dreamed about getting this tweet but I thought it would be about a starting quarterback controversy.”
I always roll my eyes about the general reaction when someone makes any sort of double entendre joke or comment possibly relating to being outside the “totally straight” default expectation. They have to gossip and research and speculate and argue. Why the f*ck should anyone care? Just laugh and move on.
I like nerds taking it, kinda of cute, lol the Mormon thing who cares what the underwear thing i see, made-up religion tyrannical older but like Seiantolgie i,d do him in a stall
I actually find Ken Jennings entertaining as a Jeopardy host, but I do like Mayim Bialik’s over-enthusiastic delivery a little more. Either is fine, though. For me, the competitors deep in the throes of the game are always the most interesting aspect of the show.
I think that people who don’t get the reason he would announce such a thing, and the people who would think that somehow his wife should feel offended, are mostly people who have never had to think twice about sexuality in general. Bi visibility is important, and good for him for feeling the need to increase it. Too many people think Bi is really “gay but not ready to admit it yet,” and that’s just not true – and it’s another reason why bi visibility matters. Next – revealing he is bisexual in no way at all is likely to be a slight to his wife. If one is open publicly, my experience is that same person is open privately – because not being so would just not be practical. Being attracted to men and women is not a slight on his spouse (regardless of gender) and thinking it is is – well – just one more reason why bi visibility is important: There’s too much ignorance out there. Good for him for combatting it.
I was brought up as a Mormon in Boise, Idaho and I know that a lot of stuff happens between guys! Religion is causing problems in the Middle East, you think they would have learned by now!
While there’s certainly many great LGBTQ people in Utah, Ken Jennings is NOT one of them. He’s not a bad one either. He is NOT LGBTQ. He is mad head over heels in love with his great wife. That aint gonna change. And, I really dont think I want it to change. No where is it written that everyone has to be on our team. Diversity is what make’s this world a great place.
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still_onthemark
Ken is a Mormon who’s never even had coffee, wears his magic underwear for every show, and has never had an impure thought! 🙂
dbmcvey
I can say from experience, he wouldn’t be the first practicing Mormon bisexual. Of course, when I was growing up we called them “closet cases.”
Fahd
Sound like my father, but the show just hasn´t been the same since Alex left us.
I don´t know what Mormons do to atone for “impure thoughts”, but I recommend three Hail Marys for giving into the temptation of the double entendre.
Hey, how about that 74-game winning streak!
SoPluckyWhat
How about those Dodgers!?
FreddieW
I’m sorry for his wife. Sounds like TV stardom has addled his brain. Is he hooking up with a guy somewhere? Enquiring minds will want to know.
FreddieW
Maybe he can find an equally lame way to broadcast to Americans his preference in gay sex on an upcoming episode. Watch closely for categories like “If I’m the bottom” and “You’re the top”.
dbmcvey
This shouldn’t be taken seriously.
ryepie2222
Can we please get a new host? He sucks
Pietro D
I couldn’t agree more! Get Rid Of Him! I can’t stand him as host of J.
Aside from that the Moron Mormon is married so why is he inflicting this pain on his wife of 20 tears?
I hate this shit! Keep it to yourself and work it out privately!
Why should we care if he’s Str8, Bi or Gay????????? I certainly don’t give a damn what he is. I just don’t like the way he did it!
greekboy
Dont know why, but this guy just runs me the wrong way. Having been on this planet for a long time, I’ve come to the conclusion for whatever reason there are people I just dont like, and I dont like ken Jennings
storm45701
Ken Jennings is known to be a big jokester, so I wouldn’t take this too seriously. However, as I can attest, many Mormon men swing both ways. The local Grindr reveals all.
henare
if only his jokes were actually funny …
Ronbo
Author, Johnny Lopez, seem thirsty. Much too thirsty. And… our “superiors” step in to complain. Dear God, our community reacts like a spoiled child – you aren’t forced to watch Ken. I’m pretty certain that most of us couldn’t win even watching re-runs.
I’m happily married and have never used Grinder, so please explain Stormy… does Grinder list religious affiliation? Elder Bob on porn hub is HOT; but, hardly the basis for an accurate opinion.
SoPluckyWhat
I find it amazing that some gays still make a big deal about a rumor of a celebrity going one way or another. Coming out is still a good thing, but really, it’s still just a little bit of who you are. AND the thought of Ken naked is not who I would like to see on P%rnhub. So, I don’t understand the hype.
Man About Town
There was an actor on “Wings” named Steven Weber, so maybe Johnny-boy means him.
It’s certainly not the first time a Queerty writer embarrassed himself with dumb, lazy errors!
Tad
Let’s put it this way. Bi is the acceptable way of telling people you’re gay-adjacent when you don’t want to do the full Monty. And god knows, he’s not the first Momo to come out in mid-life after marriage and kids. One day the LDS may get a grip and accept that LGBTQ folks are in their midst and stop making them feel they have to adapt to a hetero-normative lifestyle in order to be accepted. I’ve honestly lost count of the number of Mormon guys I’ve know in my life who are gay and either left the church to live their full life, or go on to make decisions they’ll regret later.
Mr.Gavin Elster
AMEN to that, brother! Like Bill Clinton use to say, Tad, “I feel your pain.” Probably, the love of my life (I’m still alive, and kicking,so maybe I can amend, and correct that statement?) was a gorgeous, passionate,kinky, mysterious, very rich, Mormon MAN! With a capital “M.!” I met on one of those 976 gay party-lines, remember those? It was on my parent’s “land line” a very Louis XV meets Zsa Zsa Gabor “French” cradle number, the telephone, not the Mormon. Flash forward 30+ years: The very well-connected,Republican Mr. & Mrs. host-sponsors of a ritzy, “old money” Palm Desert charity event are greeting guests as they enter. Guest were escorted in by cute boy and girl Marines. The gentleman host looked me over, evidently remembered”something” from the “past” gasped and almost fainted. I shook his hand, said “Good evening.” And ike a Bette Davis heroine, moved forward into my future.
Kangol2
Mr. Gavin Elster, you win the raconteur of the threads award today! Great story, and even better in your telling.
DennisMpls
There will never be another Alex, but I think Ken Jennings is terrific. He also had a good X response when someone posted that he is awful, and the show should bring back Aaron Rodgers: “I always dreamed about getting this tweet but I thought it would be about a starting quarterback controversy.”
I always roll my eyes about the general reaction when someone makes any sort of double entendre joke or comment possibly relating to being outside the “totally straight” default expectation. They have to gossip and research and speculate and argue. Why the f*ck should anyone care? Just laugh and move on.
johncp56
I like nerds taking it, kinda of cute, lol the Mormon thing who cares what the underwear thing i see, made-up religion tyrannical older but like Seiantolgie i,d do him in a stall
Just.my.opinion
People are paying far too much attention to this. Get a life.
Kangol2
I actually find Ken Jennings entertaining as a Jeopardy host, but I do like Mayim Bialik’s over-enthusiastic delivery a little more. Either is fine, though. For me, the competitors deep in the throes of the game are always the most interesting aspect of the show.
[email protected]
I think that people who don’t get the reason he would announce such a thing, and the people who would think that somehow his wife should feel offended, are mostly people who have never had to think twice about sexuality in general. Bi visibility is important, and good for him for feeling the need to increase it. Too many people think Bi is really “gay but not ready to admit it yet,” and that’s just not true – and it’s another reason why bi visibility matters. Next – revealing he is bisexual in no way at all is likely to be a slight to his wife. If one is open publicly, my experience is that same person is open privately – because not being so would just not be practical. Being attracted to men and women is not a slight on his spouse (regardless of gender) and thinking it is is – well – just one more reason why bi visibility is important: There’s too much ignorance out there. Good for him for combatting it.
GayEGO
I was brought up as a Mormon in Boise, Idaho and I know that a lot of stuff happens between guys! Religion is causing problems in the Middle East, you think they would have learned by now!
mmartin0464
While there’s certainly many great LGBTQ people in Utah, Ken Jennings is NOT one of them. He’s not a bad one either. He is NOT LGBTQ. He is mad head over heels in love with his great wife. That aint gonna change. And, I really dont think I want it to change. No where is it written that everyone has to be on our team. Diversity is what make’s this world a great place.