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‘Jeopardy!’ Contestants Stunned by ‘Wicked’ Inspired Final Clue, Sparking Fan Disbelief
In a surprising turn of events on the popular quiz show Jeopardy!, viewers were left astonished when all three contestants failed to answer a Final Jeopardy! question centered around a well-known character from the hit musical Wicked. The pop culture trivia question, which revolved around a character called Boq, proved to be an unexpected stumbling block for the competitors, leading to widespread reactions from fans online.
Final Jeopardy! Fumble on Fictional Characters
During Thursday’s broadcast of the long-running game show, participants Mary Walheim, Alfred Wallace, and defending champion Bryce Wargin faced a challenging clue under the category “Fictional Characters.” The perplexing prompt read: “Boq is one of these fictional people, ‘Not as big as the grown folk… but neither were they very small.'”
Incorrect Guesses and Wagers
Contestant Mary Walheim, in a bold move, wagered a substantial $5,999 of her $6,000 winnings, only to incorrectly guess “What is a Lilliputian?”
“I’m afraid it’s not the Lilliputians from ‘Gulliver’s Travels’,” host Ken Jennings gently corrected her.
Her fellow competitors, Wallace and Wargin, also seemed to gravitate towards the Lilliputian theory, referencing the tiny inhabitants of Lilliput from Jonathan Swift’s 1726 novel, “Gulliver’s Travels”.
Wallace’s response, “What are lili?”, betrayed a similar line of thinking. He wagered $10,000 of his $10,600, acknowledging his answer was “almost Lilliputian.” Jennings conceded that Wallace likely ran out of time to complete the full word.
The Correct Answer Revealed
Wargin initially guessed “What are Lilliputians?” before amending his answer to “dwarves.”
Jennings then delivered the correct response: “What is a Munchkin?”
“In the 1939 film adaptation of ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ Munchkins are depicted as diminutive, but in the original book, they are described as being closer to Dorothy’s height,” Jennings explained to the contestants, offering context to the clue.
Champion’s Winnings and Fan Reactions
Wargin, who held a leading position with $16,000 prior to Final Jeopardy!, risked $5,201, reducing his total to $10,799. Despite the setback, he remained a four-day Jeopardy! champion, boasting total earnings of $70,199.
Many viewers at home swiftly identified “Munchkin” as the answer, particularly those familiar with the recent cinematic adaptation of Wicked, the popular stage musical. Boq plays a significant role in the 2024 movie, part of the Wicked universe.
Social Media Buzz Over Jeopardy! Clue
Following the episode, social media platforms were flooded with reactions from bewildered Jeopardy! enthusiasts.
- One X (formerly Twitter) user exclaimed: “Read the word ‘Boq’ and SCREAMED ‘MUNCHKIN!!!!!!!!’ How did NO ONE GET THIS??”
- Another X user questioned, “How did no one get that BOQ answer on Jeopardy! right?”
- A viewer commented, “Everyone who watched Jeopardy! and recently watched Wicked was screaming at their TV tonight…”
- Expressing disbelief, a Jeopardy! fan posted on X, “No one knew boq is a munchkin on final jeopardy,” accompanied by crying emojis.
- Another fan shared, “My entire household was shouting MUNCHKIN!!! Apparently not one of the 3 saw ‘Wicked,'”
- On Reddit, a user in the show’s discussion thread simply asked, “Final was so easy. How did they all miss it?”
‘Wicked’ Context and Boq’s Character
Both the Wicked movie and stage production draw inspiration from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, “The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.”
Maguire’s book reimagines the backstory of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, offering an alternative narrative to L. Frank Baum’s classic children’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (1900).
Boq appears in Maguire’s novels and the Wicked musical, however, the character was absent from the iconic 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” film starring Judy Garland.
‘Wicked’ Movie Success
Since its release in November, Wicked has become a box office phenomenon, generating $747.2 million globally against a $150 million production budget.
It now holds the title of highest-grossing musical movie of all time. Wicked garnered 10 Academy Award nominations for the upcoming 2025 Oscars.
Ethan Slater, who portrayed Boq, is expected to reprise his role alongside Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in “Wicked: Part Two – For Good,” slated for release this fall.