Ken Jennings from Jeopardy! responds to fan backlash over controversial move by insisting ‘shows were already suspended’

DANGER! Star Ken Jennings has spoken out after being criticized for continuing to host the show despite the WGA writers’ strike.

Ken defended the controversial move, insisting episodes of the series are “already on hold.”

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He told Deseret News, “Our last week of shows was already on lockdown.

“We could be honest and just shoot last week’s scripts that were already written.”

Ken continued, “You can’t believe the work of our amazing writers, and they’re Emmy Award-winning.

“We can’t wait for the strike to end so we can get our writers back.

“We just hope the writers get the fair deal they deserve [and] We can return in time for autumn.”

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced on May 1 that it was going on strike after weeks of stalled talks with Netflix, Amazon, Sony (Jeopardy!’s parent company) and others.

Pickets gathered the next day as writers protested their contracts and salaries.

Ken’s co-host, Mayim Bialik, announced herself in the last week of the current season of Jeopardy! withdrawn from moderation as reported by meetingand Ken then re-entered.

The ‘Big Bang Theory’ graduate stands in solidarity with the striking writers during the episodes, which filmed May 16-19 and typically air two months after taping.

Even the decades-long writers of Jeopardy! hit and even thanked Mayim for their solidarity on twitter.

Author Mark Gaberman wrote: “@missmayim This means more to us than we could ever say. Thanks very much. #WGAstrong.”

Also, longtime writers Billy Wisse and Michelle Loud, who also caught the eye, recently told Variety, “Our words are on the screen every night.”

“Without writers there is no ‘Jeopardy’. Without us, it’s just a blank blue screen.”

Billy Wisse said he wanted to be “fairly rewarded for the work you do”.

“They ask some people to work day to day,” another Jeopardy! The writer said, “Supporting those who are seeing mini-room experiences from even smaller teams of writers on streaming platform shows.”

“They’ve never tried to make it a gig economy,” said Billy Wisse. “You always had the feeling that authors were partners in this.”

Danger! has a small staff of WGA writers, and the notes were theoretically written well before the strike.

Ken was scheduled to be off stage for the start of next season in September and was criticized on social media for returning to the set as a result.

KEN IS CALLED “CRACK” BY CELEBRITIES

Wil Wheaton is an Actor appearing on Celebrity Jeopardy! took part. Earlier this year, he reached the final against winners Ike Barenholtz and Patton Oswalt — calling Ken directly on Twitter.

“He has the choice to support his colleagues or the management that exploits them. He made his choice.”

“It’s like this: Have you crossed a picket line? If so, you are a scab who has turned your back on organized labor. If no, you are a decent human being who stands by your colleagues,” the 50-year-old wrote.

A fan recently tweeted: “Mayim is also a WGA member while Ken is not. Alex also hosted during the 2007/08 strike because the questions had already been written (same situation).”

Another simply wrote, referring to Mayim: “Good for her.”

Mayim, 47, is co-hosting the Monday-Friday show, while Ken is shutting down in blocks following the death of Alex Trebek.

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