What is “The Love Ballad of Turd Ferguson?” That’s the answer (well, question) new pop culture sensation and Jeopardy contestant Talia wrote down for Final Jeopardy on a Jeopardy episode that aired this week. Talia was wrong, she lost: but in all the important ways she won. The query/answer was about a 1999 movie song and censorship — yawn. But Turd Ferguson, of course, is Burt Reynolds’ alias as Reynolds is portrayed by comedian Norm Macdonald in the classic Saturday Night Live Jeopardy sketches. Will Ferrell plays the exasperated Alex Trebek.
Talia, with her massive pop culture coup, got the real Alex Trebek to read aloud the name Turd Ferguson as he announced her answer. She gave viewers the thumbs up as he did it. Mission accomplished. Almost makes you think she may have known the real answer, but couldn’t pass up the opportunity. It’s Trebek’s last season as host.
