Alex Trebek calls nerdcore hip-hop fans 'losers' on 'Jeopardy'
It can be hard to tell when Alex Trebek is joking, but his snarky comment about nerdcore hip-hop didn't sit right with at least one nerdcore star.
I'll take "Jokes That Fall Flat" for $1,000, please, Alex.
"Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek isn't into nerdcore hip-hop. He doesn't listen to artists like MC Frontalot, Mega Ran or Optimus Rhyme. This was made very clear by his reaction to contestant Susan Cole, a legislative librarian from Maryland, on an episode of the game show that aired Wednesday.
It happened during the portion of the show where Trebek chats with the players about their interests. Cole expressed her love of nerdcore hip-hop, a genre that features hip-hop beats along with lyrics about gaming, science fiction and computers.
"It's people who identify as nerdy, rapping about the things they love," Cole explained. "Losers, in other words," Trebek deadpanned in response. The audience laughed, and even Cole let out an exasperated chuckle. Trebek quickly clarified, "No, I'm teasing you."
As Entertainment Weekly notes, nerdcore rapper Mega Ran took exception to Trebek's offhand comment and responded with this rap:
Mega Ran lays down some quality burns, like "guess you hadn't heard, nerds make up half of your viewership" and "easy to be snarky when you're holding all the notecards."
Cole dealt with Trebek's insult graciously. She also handily conquered the game, coming out the winner with $20,600. She will return to defend her crown on Thursday's show. The shows are all taped in advance, but we'll see if Trebek has anything more to say about nerdcore on the latest episode.