Kids & Family

Did Young 'Jeopardy' Contestant Get a Fair Deal?

A Newtown student's misspelled answer cost him in the final round of the popular game show.

A Newtown boy says he feels "cheated" after a correct -- but misspelled -- answer cost him $3,000 in the "Final Jeopardy" round of the popular and long-running game show.

Thomas Hurley III, 12, was a contestant on Kid's Jeopardy in February and had amassed $9,600 when host Alex Trebek read the climactic question: what famous 1863 document did Abraham Lincoln call a "fit and necessary war measure?"

Hurley's answer: "Emanciptation Proclamation." One letter off. Not good enough for Trebek, who counted the question as wrong. Hurley lost his $3,000 bet, finished second to his rival -- who had won $66,000 at that point -- and took home a $2,000 consolation prize. Hurley told the Danbury News-Times he felt "cheated" by the ruling.

""He was a little stunned by it," his mother Suzanne told the News-Times. "He felt embarrassed. It was hard to watch."

Jeopardy! producers defended the move afterwards.

"If 'Jeopardy!' were to give credit for an incorrect response (however minor), the show would effectively penalize the other players," said producers in an e-mail to the Associated Press. "We love presenting young people as contestants on our show and make every effort to be fair and consistent in their treatment."

Opinions were split on Jeopardy's Facebook page.

"[C]ome on," wrote one commenter. "It is not like the word was horribly misspelled. If this were a spelling bee or spelling test that is one thing. However in this case he should have been given proper credit for the correct answer."

"Were Jeopardy! to make a spelling error on the name 'Thomas Hurley III' within the payee line of his $2000 check, perhaps the young lad would understand better their ruling," wrote another.

The segment, recorded in February, was broadcast last week.

What do you think -- did Jeopardy! cheat Thomas Hurley? Or are the producers justified in their decision?


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