'Jeopardy!' fans call out the show for incorrect and offensive answer

On Jeopardy! Monday, one medical clue in particular did not sit well with many fans. And they took to social media with their disgust. Coming from a category called Plain-Named Maladies, the clue that was read by host Savannah Guthrie said, “Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome is also known as Grinch Syndrome because this organ is too small.” The correct answer was, “what is the heart?”

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, also known as POTS, is defined by myheart.net as a condition that affects the flow of blood through the body, causing dizziness when standing. It occurs mostly in younger women, and also includes elevated heart rate, extreme fatigue and lightheadedness as other common symptoms. There has also been an uptick in POTS diagnosis in patients who also had Covid-19.

But Jeopardy!’s use of the term “grinch syndrome,” and associating it with having a small heart - which is not currently linked to POTS - both rubbed people the wrong way. One viewer said, “Oh Jeopardy! this is shameful. I have POTs and am sad you would resort to this. How low. And I might add, incredibly incorrect.”

Video transcript

- Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is also known as Grinch Syndrome, because this organ is too small. Jessica?

- What is the heart?

- Yes, that's right.

- On Jeopardy, Monday, one clue, in particular, did not sit well with many fans. Coming from the plain-named named maladies category, the clue was about postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, also known as POTS, defined by myheart.net as a condition that affects the flow of blood through the body and causing dizziness when standing. But Jeopardy's use of the term, Grinch Syndrome, and associating it with having a small heart, which is not currently linked to POTS, both rubbed people the wrong way.

One viewer said, oh, Jeopardy, this is shameful. I have POTS, and I'm sad you would resort to this. How low, and I might add, incredibly incorrect. Would you seriously tell a kid he has a condition that makes him a Grinch? I just can't believe this.

Others made comments, like the Jeopardy writers are the real Grinches. Tighten it up, and get it together. You are an embarrassment, and, hey, Jeopardy. This isn't accurate at all. I would love some POTS representation and awareness, but this ain't it, my dude.

And Dysautonomia International, a nonprofit that raises funds for research and promotes awareness of disorders, like POTS, added, hey, Jeopardy. No one with any credibility calls POTS Grinch Syndrome. Promoting outdated, misogynistic terms to describe a debilitating, autonomic nervous system disorder that impacts millions of Americans is not cool. We request an apology on behalf of our community. Do better.

And with no response from Jeopardy, as of this taping, I guess, do better would be a nice start.

- We'll be back tomorrow for more Jeopardy. We'll see you then.