A Jeopardy! contestant has been widely mocked on social media after mistaking Janet Jackson for Ariana Grande.
The gaffe came during a round about the Billboard Music Awards, after the contestants were given a clue reading, “As the recipient of the 2018 Icon Award, she took ‘Control’ and took to the stage in her first live performance in nearly a decade.”
They were also shown video footage of Janet Jackson performing her mega-hit Nasty on stage. However, when he buzzed in and was asked for his answer by Alex Trebek, contestant Alwin Hui said, incorrectly, “Who is Ariana Grande?”
“Nope,” Trebek replied without hesitation, before the correct answer of Janet Jackson was buzzed in by one of Alwin’s fellow contestants, named Sarah.
Viewers were seemingly left stunned by the gaffe — which cost Alwin $800 on the show — and were quick to take to social media to give him a roasting.
“Who the hell thinks Ariana grande is the right answer for that!? 10 years ago Ariana grande was still on the Disney channel,” one baffled viewer wrote on YouTube. Another wrote simply, “Ariana Grande, really?”
Twitter was even less forgiving against Alwin, with hundreds of tweets appearing in a matter of minutes mocking him.
“I just watched a guy named Alwin on Jeopardy! call Janet Jackson Ariana Grande. What world IS THIS?!?!?,” one person wrote.
I just watched a guy named Alwin on Jeopardy! call Janet Jackson Ariana Grande. What world IS THIS?!?!? #Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/CoxpSFcNd8
— Ransom Lewis (@ransomlewis69) April 29, 2020
“How did he get this wrong?!?!?,” another added, “Janet Jackson is a living legend sir!”
How did he get this wrong?!?!? Janet Jackson is a living legend sir! #Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/HLRDVV90fh
— Baldheaded Scallywag (@mocha_cutie) April 29, 2020
However, luckily for Alwin, his mistake came two days after Sarah — who got his answer correct — made a gaffe of her own by confusing Chaka Khan with warrior leader Chaka Zulu on the show.
Another unfortunate Jeopardy moment. Thankfully, the woman who previously confused Chaka Khan and Shaka Zulu, knows who Janet Jackson is. pic.twitter.com/2Efp7lsMhS
— Brittney Cottingham (@bbcott) April 29, 2020
Alwin appears to be taking the gaffe in good humor, with a twitter account believed to be his tweeting after his appearance on the show, “Today, I learned Ariana Grande is not the same person as Janet Jackson. AMA.”
He later joked, “My friends says I should watch all of Janet Jackson’s music videos to educate myself. I hear her 2004 Super Bowl halftime show was pretty historic — perhaps I should start there?”
Jeopardy! has been in the headlines a lot in recent months. Last year Alex Trebek took a break from hosting so he could receive treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Following his return to the show, there was an emotional moment when contestant Dhruv Gaur, a sophomore student at Brown University, threw away his chance at winning to pay an emotional tribute to Trebek which brought him to tears.
Since then, we have also found out who the best ever Jeopardy! player is, after Ken Jennings emerged victorious in the Greatest of All Time competition.
Earlier this year, live studio audience for Jeopardy! and other shows, including Wheel of Fortune, were cancelled due to fears over COVID-19.