Jeopardy! contestant Halley Ryherd endured an embarrassing moment Wednesday night when she misidentified popular throwback hip-hop groups. During the “Chuck D, Times 3” category of gameplay, which included prompts about 19th-century naturalist Charles Darwin and author Charles Dickens, as well as rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy, current host Mayim Bialik read the following clue:
“In the 1990s, Chuck D began fighting the power in this hip-hop group with Flavor Flav, a man who always knew what time it was.” Ryherd, a real estate attorney, buzzed in and asked hesitantly, “What is the Funky Bunch?” The Funky Bunch was the hip-hop group led by rapper “Marky Mark,” now actor Mark Wahlberg.
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Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch sang “Good Vibrations” in 1991, while Public Enemy is known for “Fight The Power” in 1988. In addition to losing $600, Ryherd garnered a lot of disapproval on social media.
Nevertheless, Chuck D did not take offense and even stood up for Ryherd. “Everybody don’t know everything… it’s why I introduce myself wherever I go and whoever I talk to … it’s just courtesy,” he tweeted. “But the sad thing is not knowing those other Chuck Ds.”
Ryherd, meanwhile, jokes she will be seeking therapy in light of her on-screen gaffe. “I’ve talk to my therapist about it and I think I’m ready to forever be the person who mixed up Public Enemy and Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch on @Jeopardy. #mylegacy,” she tweeted.
In addition, she quoted Chuck D’s tweet, writing,”You know honestly @MrChuckD was nicer about this than my in-laws are going to be at our family reunion next week.” Despite her losses, Ryherd still managed to win the episode, earning $5,999.
Ryherd told the Des Moines Register that she thought she was being pranked when finding out she would be on Jeopardy!.” I got a call on, of all days, April 1, from ‘Jeopardy!’ and I was thinking, ‘If this is my brother, I’m gonna kill you,’” said the Iowa native. Throughout her life, she has kept up her love of quizzes through bar trivia and by taking Jeopardy! Anytime Test, an online qualification test to join the show every year after Valentine’s Day.
Ryherd credited her June 29 victory to approaching her betting in Final Jeopardy with the anticipation that everyone else would get the answer right when everyone got the answer wrong. She told the Des Moines Register that she intends to use her prize money to take her husband to France for their 10th wedding anniversary next year.
