JEOPARDY!’s current champion Brian Henegar has switched up his mustache instead of shaving it off as an F-U to his nasty internet trolls.
The two-day winner’s appearance on the game show this week drew comparisons to none other than Adolf Hitler.
ABCBrian Henegar has won 2 games and $43K total on Jeopardy![/caption]
Twitter/JepMastaHe grew out his mustache into a goatee and was all smiles in the face of Hitler jokes[/caption]
Brian, 40, from LaFollette, Tennessee, has emerged victorious twice so far on Jeopardy!.
Unfortunately, that did not stop online haters from remarking that Brian’s appearance made him look like Hitler.
One viewer tweeted after his first win on Tuesday: “I need someone in Brian’s life to tell him he kinda looks like Hitler.”
Another person wrote, “Brian was so excited when he won, he caused quite a führer!”
The champ briefly quit Twitter in light of the “jerks” who can only “focus on my looks.”
But he got overwhelming support from former contestants and fans alike, everyone urging people to knock it off.
He rejoined the platform one day later and announced he was not shaving his stache but growing it out instead, paying no mind to his haters.
BRIAN’S NEW LOOK
He tweeted on Wednesday: “So…I’m back on Twitter for the time being at least… I wanna say that seeing these really hurtful comments by some very jerky people made me lose all faith in humanity.
Seeing all of your positive replies, restored it, and then some. Thank u all and god bless you. #Jeopardy.
“So I have two things to say right now. For starters, even though I’ve spent about 10 years on it, I’m shaving off my mustache tonight…too much work to keep it tight.”
“And second, to all of you jerkolas you thought comparing my appearance to one of the most evil dictators who ever lived was the height of comedy, when I get my Jeopardy winnings, I will be making a donation to the Anti-Defamation League.”
“That way some good will come from your hate,” the Pilot Flying J truck stop worker added.
“So I decided rather than to shave off my mustache, I’m just gonna grow it out into a goatee… I admit that I run the risk of making myself look like my evil twin from a parallel universe, but that’s just the risk I am willing to take :-)”
‘LOOKS GREAT ON YOU!’
Brian concluded his thread by sharing a photo of his new facial hair style while driving: “And…here it is. Ignore the lighting it’s seven here in Tennessee and I am about to drive to work.”
Fans loved the new look as one replied: “Your mustache is fine the way it has been. Make changes for yourself, not the internet haters. Great job on your wins!”
Another wrote: “I love a goatee…looks good on you. Keep up the positivity!”
A third gushed: “Keep smiling, looking forward to watching #Jeopardy again this evening!”
And a fourth said: “A goatee is very chic! Looks great on you.”
Brian also wrote to Reddit about the gross comments he got: “Well I’m ignoring them from now on. They don’t get to write my story.”
WINNING REACTION TO 1ST VICTORY
Brian had a reaction for the books at the end of his first episode on April 4th – he was struck with the very realization that he’d won.
As The U.S. Sun was the first to cover, Brian clutched his chest and began to pant as host Ken Jennings, 48, revealed his winning wager.
He bubbled into shocked laughter when his one-day total of $23,201 was announced.
“As I believe is slowly dawning on you,” Ken joked, “you’re the new Jeopardy! champion!” – Brian clutched his podium as the laughter continued.
Plenty of fans loved the made-for-TV moment as one viewer tweeted: “That priceless reaction reminds me of Mattea Roach!”
“I love how excited today’s winner was!” wrote another.
Ken had said on stage that Brian’s stache harkened back to Alex Trebek as the contestant is a game show devotee- before vicious trolls suggested otherwise.
Seventy-four-time winner Ken and Mayim Bialik, 47, were announced as the successors for the late Alex over the summer.
Ken is hosting until April 28th at which point Mayim will return on May 1 and helm the last four months of the season.
Fans will still get more of Ken – whom many have made clear they prefer between the two – as he is hosting Jeopardy! Masters, a round-robin 20-episode tournament in primetime on ABC.
The special is airing starting on May 8 and scored its first trailer today – it includes legends like James Holzhauer, Amy Schneider, and Mattea Roach.
ABCBrian Henegar’s mustache resulted in comparisons of the worst variety[/caption]
Jeopardy!The ongoing winner quit and rejoined Twitter – he is donating part of his winnings to the anti-defamation league[/caption]
Jeopardy!Brian had a wonderful reaction to his first win and will go for win 3 tonight[/caption]
