This “Jeopardy!” Contestant Lost $3,200 For Saying “Gangster” Instead Of “Gangsta”

This must’ve felt not so Coolio.

Nick Spicher was just trying to answer a question in the “Music & Literature Before & After” category, when he made the grave mistake of calling Coolio’s classic 1995 song “Gangster’s Paradise” instead of “Gangsta’s Paradise.

Nick Spicher was just trying to answer a question in the "Music & Literature Before & After" category, when he made the grave mistake of calling Coolio's classic 1995 song "Gangster's Paradise" instead of "Gangsta's Paradise.

The answer, which was actually kind of amazing, was “Gangsta’s Paradise Lost.”

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Initially, his response was accepted as correct, but a few minutes later, Alex Trebek laid down the hammer of justice: Spicher’s mistake cost him $3,200.

Initially, his response was accepted as correct, but a few minutes later, Alex Trebek laid down the hammer of justice: Spicher's mistake cost him $3,200.

OUCHIE WOWIE!!! Jeopardy! explained in a blog post that “gangsta” and “gangster” are listed separately in the Oxford English Dictionary, with separate definitions, so Spicher’s response changed the meaning of the song’s title.

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Anyway, all’s well that ends well, because Spicher ended up winning the game anyway.

Anyway, all’s well that ends well, because Spicher ended up winning the game anyway.

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