Jeopardy! is a not-so-typical question and answer game show, where contestants must answer in the form of a question. Most of the time, it is serious, but some answers end up cracking up the hosts, contestants, and audience.
Sometimes the contestant gives a NSFW or unexpected answer, and the hosts responds with an even funnier remark. Other times, the audience lets out an “Oooo,” and they gloss over it. Jeopardy! shared their funniest moments from Season 41 on YouTube, and we are breaking down the top five.
Read on to see more funny moments from Season 41 and prepare for more laughs in Season 42. Let us know which one was your favorite, even if it wasn’t listed here.
Hoe Is Never The Answer
Host Ken Jennings relived his famous “hoe” moment. On June 25, Micah Fritz, Kiley Campbell, and Greg Harris played against each other. The first clue of the game read, “A tool with an angled blade to get unwanted plants out at the root is called a Cape Cod type of this,” in “This is Not a Drill.”
Fritz buzzed in and said, “What is a hoe?” which was incorrect, dropping him to -$400. The other two contestants did not buzz in. The correct response was, “What is a weeder?”
After letting the silence fill the air, Jennings said, “It seems like ‘What is a hoe?’ is never correct out here.” The contestants and audience laughed.
Jennings first talked about a hoe during his reign in October 2004. In “Tool Time” for $200, the clue was, “This term for a long-handled gardening tool can also mean an immoral pleasure seeker.”
With $14,800 in his bank, he answered, “What’s a hoe?” Then-host Alex Trebek told him “no” and then backtracked when he realized what he said.
“Whoa! They teach you that in school in Utah, huh?” Trebek said. His opponent, Al, correctly answered with “rake.”
Who is Cocaine Bear?
@itnfilms Pooh made #Jeopardy ♬ original sound – ITN Films
During the 2025 Jeopardy! Masters tournament, Juveria Zaheer, Matt Amodio, and Roger Craig all got a laugh out of Zaheer’s response. The clue was “This beloved bear gets a terrifying makeover in the 2023 horror film subtitled ‘Blood and Honey.’”
Zaheer responsed with “Who is Cocaine Bear?” Host Ken Jennings and the audience laughed as he said, “No, I’m sorry.” Amodio rang in and answered, “What is Pooh?”
“Yes, Winnie The Pooh is now in the public domain,” Jennings said. “Although I’m sure Cocaine Bear is having some crazy makeovers as well.” Zaheer cringed and said, “Uh oh!” The entire audience let out boisterous laughs.
Looking for a Sugar Daddy
One contestant had money and… other things on her mind. During the season premiere, on September 9, 2024, Amanda White buzzed in on “This paternal name from a rich benefactor comes from Little Orphan Annie.” With -$200 in her bank, she hesitated before saying, “What is a Sugar Daddy?”
“No, I’m sorry,” Jennings said.
Rachel Bradley buzzed in and answered correctly, “What is Daddy Warbucks?”
“A little different from a Sugar Daddy,” the host joked.
Animal Lover?
Even Celebrity Jeopardy! delivered the laughs. In “An App For Every Org,” the clue read, “By protecting animals, you earn rankings like ‘Lieutenant Llama’ & ‘Colonel Chicken’ on the app for this org. founded in 1980.”
Margaret Cho buzzed in with “What is KFC?” and a laugh.
“No,” Jennings laughed back. “Sorry.”
Rachel Brosnahan then answered correctly with “What is PETA?”
“KFC’s longtime antagonist, PETA, is correct,” Jennings said.
“But, you inspired me, Margaret, so thank you,” Brosnahan said.
Jeopardy!, Season 42, September 8, check local listings