Over the past several years, the “ok” hand symbol has progressively been called a racist and white supremicist hand gesture..
So when Jeopardy contestant Kelly Donahue put up three fingers to celebrate three days of wins on the show, people on Twitter quickly posted his image and commentary that he showcased a racist hand gesture!
What occurred from that point was nothing else but a modern day electronic witch hunt.
Donahue issued a comment on Facebook that he was in on way being racist.. but then he deleted that post as public pressure and endless comments called him out as a white supremacist.. At that point, the on-air moment resulted in Donohue receiving immense backlash from at-home viewers and past contestants. The gesture many accused him of using has been classified as a symbol of hate by the Anti-Defamation League as of 2019..
Donahue then issued another newer statement in which he further tried to quell the personal attacks:
“I’m truly horrified with what has been posted about me on social media. I absolutely, unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism of any kind. People who know me personally know that I am not a racist, but for the public at large it bears repeating: I am not a racist and I reject and condemn white supremacy and all forms of bigotry for the evil they are,” Donohue wrote in a lengthy statement on Facebook.
“It’s shameful to me to think anyone would try to use the stage of ‘Jeopardy!’ to advance or promote such a disgusting agenda. During the taping of my fourth episode, I was simply raising three fingers to mark my 3rd win. There was nothing more I was trying to indicate,” he said.
“I deeply regret this terrible misunderstanding. I never meant to hurt a soul and I assure you I am no friend of racists or white supremacists,” his post continues..
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Meanwhile, a formal letter from more than 400 alleged former “Jeopardy!” contestants published to Medium on Wednesday called for showrunners to act on the alleged condemned hand gesture.
“This, whether intentional or not, resembled very closely a gesture that has been coopted by white power groups, alt right groups, and an anti-government group that calls itself the Three Percenters,” the letter reads….
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…everything went into chaotic hell when Alex Trebek left the world…