Hasan Minhaj apologizes for ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ performance on ‘Tonight Show’
Hasan Minhaj will be taking his talents down to “The Price Is Right” next year.
Days after appearing on “Celebrity Jeopardy!,” the comedian was a guest on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” to discuss his energetic behavior on the game show.
Starting off the interview with a sarcastic tone in his voice, Minhaj called Fallon’s show “bad luck” claiming every time he appears on the show, there’s always some sort of controversy that follows.
The most recent controversy comes from Minhaj’s appearance on the celebrity spinoff of the hit game show, where he was dialed up to 11, like the Cocoa Puffs bird, jumping off the wall.
Minhaj could be seen celebrating every correct guess like it was the million-dollar winner and animatedly reacting to an incorrect answer, to the disdain of some avid “Jeopardy!” fanatics.
One fan took to Twitter to say, “Watching Celebrity Jeopardy! and I don’t think Hasan Minhaj is capable of answering a question like a normal person.”
TV Insider got in on the action calling Minhaj the “Most Annoying Contestant Ever.”
To which the comedian said, “hurt, because the show has been on for over 58 years, and they’ve had 15,000 contestants on the show, and Dr. Oz was a contestant.”
After Fallon read more tweets and responses to Minhaj, the comedian took out a pre-written monologue, turned to a close-up camera, and spoke directly to the “Jeopardy!” fans.
“I want to take this moment to apologize, ‘Jeopardy!’ fans look at me. I’m sorry I desecrated an American institution.” The funny man said. “I’m sorry I ripped your 7 p.m. linear tv pacifier out of your geriatric mouth. And most importantly I am sorry for trying to make ‘Jeopardy!’ fun.”
Minhaj did have an excuse for his behavior, saying it was rigged because his buzzer wasn’t working correctly.
Minhaj later went on to compare “Jeopardy!” to American elections. “Winner take all, there is no second or third place, so it incentivizes that (all in) behavior.”
Asked whether he learned anything from the whole ordeal, Minhaj responded “I’ve been reflecting. TV is all about expectations, and life is about expectations.
And when people turn on ‘Jeopardy!’ they want to see a quiet quiz show.”
“But I need to go to a place where the eccentric are allowed. That’s why next summer I, Hasan Minhaj, will be taking my talents to the ‘Price is Right.'”
In Sunday’s “Celebrity Jeopardy!” episode, Minhaj competed against eventual winner Wil Wheaton and Troian Bellisario and played for the charity International Rescue Committee winning $30,000 for flood victims in Pakistan.