Feb 20

Dad Gets All Feminist on Jeopardy’s Ass

My dad has to watch Jeopardy at 4:30 every day.  You don’t get in the way of his Jeopardy watching and, if you don’t play along like you’ve got money on it, you best leave the room.

My dad is also not what you’d call an ardent feminist, but today’s Teen Jeopardy had him hopping mad.

First, in an awkward effort to segue to a discussion of the Marx Brothers, Alex announced that no women could watch the Three Stooges, that it was for men only.  My dad rolled his eyes and grunted.  I wondered if it was a pro-feminist grunt, but it could have just been him being perturbed at hearing the Marx Brothers and the Three Stooges lumped together.

But then, one of the Double Jeopardy categories was “Cheerleaders” and he just lost it.

“What kind of category is that?!  A smart young lady like her shouldn’t have to waste her time studying up on who was a cheerleader when.  What a stupid idea.  But you know, someone put that category in there just for her because they thought it was a girlie thing she would know and the two boys wouldn’t.  But you notice she didn’t respond to any of the answers.  I say good for her.  It’s demeaning to women to assume that they can’t like the Three Stooges and that they give two shits about cheerleading.  I mean, my god, they’re not even talking about the sporty kind of cheerleading.  I’m about ready to turn the channel.”

Of course, he didn’t.  It is Jeopardy, after all.  But to even hear him threaten to turn the channel tickled me.

10 thoughts on “Dad Gets All Feminist on Jeopardy’s Ass”

  2. Whoo, Aunt B’s dad!

    I was watching the show with my mom tonight, and we both had to roll our eyes at the Three Stooges comment. It seemed so unnecessary. I’ve seen episodes before where Alex took a patronizing tone with a female contestant, but I’ve never seen him say something so blatant/weird regarding gender. I don’t understand why he acts like such an ass when it comes to stuff like that.

  4. I have never even seen Jeopardy, but reading your post makes me want to break my tv.

    If only we could get 5 million (?) people to switch off at the same time ! That would give them something to think about…. maybe ?

    Best wishes to your dad.

  5. Some evenings here at Chez Coyote find the entire family huddled around the 13 inch black and white, shouting answers at it loud enough for the contestants to actually hear. Your Dad would never make it here, its a rough room, see, and the cardinal sin is to EVER question Alex. It just isn’t done.

    FWIW, I have yet to know a woman who liked the Stooges. Now, The Marx Bros are a different story…

  6. Maybe you’ve just done a bad job of asking a girl if she liked the Stooges. After all, some of us spent our formative years dancing around to the Curly Shuffle. We’re bound to at least like Curly.

    Plus the name!

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