No, ‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Kelly Donohue Didn’t Make the ‘White Power’ Hand Gesture

 

"A brief hand gesture by Donohue sparked a torrent of internet outrage."

. . . "According to the Anti-Defamation League, which tracks and researches hate and extremism, the white supremacist meaning behind the “OK” hand gesture has evolved over time. It started as a hoax on the 4chan message board in 2017, then became a trolling tactic. The gesture, per the ADL, is generally a circle formed with the thumb and forefinger and the three remaining fingers outstretched: . . ."

Snopes

Some #Jeopardy fans have accused returning champion Kelly Donohue of flashing “the white power sign" during his introduction last night: https://t.co/jNFkFdLy5E pic.twitter.com/1oKcVsTZvK

— Decider (@decider) April 28, 2021

 The ‘Jeopardy!’ Hate Gesture Controversy, Explained

It is believed that the association between the widely used gesture and white supremacy began as a prank conceived by 4Chan users, known as "Operation O-KKK," hoping to goad anti-fascists into making fools of themselves.  

Three-time Jeopardy! winner Kelly Donohue issued a statement Thursday saying that he his “truly horrified” after some people interpreted a hand gesture he made on Tuesday’s show to be a white power signal.

Media Led Internet Mob Falsely Attacks West Point Cadets Over 4chan White Power Hoax That The MSM Helped Internet Trolls Perpetuate

"Having learned absolutely nothing from their utter humiliation after the MSM led an internet mob to attack teenage Covington Catholic students using a deceptively edited video clip, resulting in multiple multi-million dollar lawsuits against major news organizations like Washington Post and CNN, once again liberal media's own bias and knee-jerk reactions caused them try to destroy three young West Point cadets for what ended up being no more than a game.

"Apparently this latest bit of idiocy on the part of the establishment media began after a random Twitter user, with a little over 400 followers, tweeted "Just wanted to enjoy the #ArmyNavy. Didn’t expect or want to see the White Power symbol thrown up by cadets on national television." Along with that statement were images, shown below." . . .

It is not often that ANP readers will see me offering kudos to anyone that works at CNN, but credit must be given when it is due, so kudos goes out to CNN law enforcement analyst James A. Gagliano, who offered up and heartfelt apology without attempting to make excuses for himself, stating "Owe cadets in question apology for my knee-jerk reaction, questioning their actions before Academy’s investigation & fair hearing of the facts. Guilty of serving as Twitter judge w/my *hot take*, immediately presupposing something nefarious. I was wrong."

. . . "MEDIA HELPS 4CHAN TO CONTROL THE NARRTIVE AND CO-OPT SYMBOLS

"So, how did something as innocent as the "Okay" sign, which most of us grew up using meaning things were alright, OK, good, etc..... suddenly become taboo, a sign of white supremacy in the eyes of the media, ADL and liberals?

"The same way an innocent and amusing green frog became a "white supremacist symbol," and milk was declared "racist."

"A mixture of 4chan trolls, with the full complicity by the liberals and the establishment media (I know, the same thing!) by allowing those 4chan trolls to control the narrative by allowing them to co-opt memes and symbols, and doing the trolls bidding by then reporting on those appropriated symbols and memes as if they "belonged" to the trolls, and anyone that uses them must be a racist, white supremacist." . . .