‘Jeopardy’s NSFW “Sexting” Clue Shocks Fans: “I Need to Go Lie Down”

What’s up with game shows lately? Last week, Wheel of Fortune grossed out fans with a kinky puzzle, and now, Jeopardy seems to have followed suit with a NSFW clue of its own. On Monday night, Jeopardy ditched its family-friendly themes with a question about Sexting in Suburbia, a 2012 Lifetime movie. While the contestants didn’t seem to mind yelling “sexting” across the set, viewers at home weren’t quite as calm about the moment. “There’s a 0% chance I would ever buzz in to respond ‘sexting’ in front of Alex Trebek,” wrote one fan.

During the first Jeopardy round, contestants were asked to answer clues in the “Lifetime Movie Titles” category (a sign that Monday’s show was already going to be entertaining). After moving through questions about Denise Richards’ The Secret Lives of Cheerleaders and Murder on Trial in Italy starring Hayden Panettiere, the group was given a good, old fashioned throwback. “Ripped from the headlines in 2012, doing this icky kind of messaging ‘in Suburbia,'” read Trebek.

Seattle professor Steve Goodreau was quick to buzz in. “What is sexting?” he said with a small smirk. The movie in question, Sexting in Suburbia, centers on a teenage girl (Jenn Proske) who commits suicide after nude photos are sent around school. It’s certainly not the most uplifting (and it’s definitely not something that would be made in 2020), but if you’re interested, you can stream it for free on Tubi or Vudu.

Sensitive content aside, Jeopardy fans had a field day with the “sexting” clue. “What a time to be alive!” tweeted one viewer. “Kinda fantastic,” said another. Others took issue with Jeopardy‘s characterization of sexting as “icky” and taboo. “Who’s to judge what people do on their phones,” wrote one particularly annoyed Twitter user. “I know you’re a family show, but no need to start getting judgy on us.”

“Horny trivia players,” this one’s for you. Enjoy!

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