‘Jeopardy!’ Host Apologizes to Player Amidst Controversy and Heavy Criticism.

‘Jeopardy!’ host Ken Jennings ripped for ‘extremely problematic’ sexist clue, apologizes to female player

The questionable ‘Jeopardy!’ phrase was from famous female poet Dorothy Parker

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“Jeopardy!” fans are heavily criticizing host Ken Jennings for a “sexist” clue.

During Monday night’s episode, the “Jeopardy!” category “Complete the Rhyming Phrase” quickly turned the game into an awkward situation.

When Jennings read the clue, “Men seldom make passes at…”,  returning champion Will Wallace correctly answered, “Girls who wear glasses.”

Jennings recognized the prompt may have made female contestant Heather Ryan uncomfortable since she wore glasses on the show.

“A little problematic, sorry, Heather,” Jennings remarked.

“Jeopardy!” champion Wallace chimed in and added, “Very,” as he defended the female contestant.

The questionable phrase was from acclaimed poet Dorothy Parker.

Game show fans were quick to react to the tense situation on social media.

“‘Yeah, a little problematic’ – Ken… Um, then why didn’t you bring that up to the writers before the game?” one comment read on X.

Another viewer wrote, “More like extremely problematic!”

“Frankly, I don’t need to hear Ken read an obviously outdated and inappropriate clue and then call it ‘problematic,’” a fan wrote on Reddit. “Maybe he can use his position to get it switched out before it goes out over the air.”

While another “Jeopardy!” viewer added on X, “Still angry about this. She’s used her intelligence to get on here, only to be insulted by a sexist and rude comment.”

“Jeopardy!” fans recently blamed Jennings for robbing a contestant after a “messy” answer.

Earlier this month, during a “Final Jeopardy!” round, players were faced with the category “College Towns.”

Jennings read the prompt, “Two schools in the Southeastern Conference are located in cities with this same name but in different states.”

A contestant named Rishabh, an Illinois native who is currently a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, played against environmental attorney Jay Eversman and associate professor Rachel Cassidy.

Two contestants, Rishabh and Rachel, both answered correctly with “What is Columbia?”.

However, game show fans were quick to call out Jennings’ ruling and argued that the winner’s answer was “totally illegible.”

Rishabh’s written answer to “Columbia,” appeared to some to be simply a jumble of letters. The original answer he jotted down was also scribbled out.

Meanwhile, Rachel’s answer to “Columbia” was easier to read on screen.

But since Rishabh wagered $9,801, he took home $20,201 for his two-day win.

The Beloved Drew Carey of ‘The Price Is Right’ is Back with a Brand New Show That Fans Are Already Obsessed Wit.

The Price Is Right host Drew Carey tells ‘star’ contestant ‘Act like you love money’ during game

Drew Carey gave some friendly advice to a contestant on The Price Is Right. Pic credit: CBS
Drew Carey is always ready to give contestants on The Price Is Right some friendly advice about the games.

However, during a recent episode, he also offered a friendly suggestion to a contestant about his future career.

Drew, 66, is a former comedian and actor who has since moved comfortably to his role as game show host.

According to a recent highlight clip from The Price Is Right, viewers may have seen a “future star” on the show.

Drew met a contestant, Malcolm, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and said, “New York raised [him].”

Malcolm told Drew he was visiting the area and had “a quick table read” for an unspecified potential acting role, which piqued Drew’s curiosity.

Drew told TPIR contestant: ‘Act like you love money’

“Oh, what’s up, future star?” Drew joked to Malcolm, who replied he was “just working.”

“Well, act like you love money because we’ve got a pretty nice prize here,” Drew joked as Malcolm laughed at the host’s witty remark.

Announcer George Gray revealed Malcolm would play for a chance to win $10,000 in cash while on The Price Is Right.

He played the Half Off game, which involved correctly choosing which of two items’ prices on their tags was “half-off” the actual price.

For each pair he guessed correctly, half of the 16 boxes on stage would be removed, giving Malcolm an easier chance to pick the one containing the $10,000.

Malcolm correctly chose all three half-off prices, which included a fan, a massager, and a vacuum sealer.

Since he had all three correct, he would automatically receive $1,000. However, he was down to two boxes and had to pick one for the potential $10,000 prize. One of the two boxes was empty.

“Can you give me a hint?” Malcolm asked the host, trying to get some help.

“I wish I could, but I have no idea,” he told him.

Malcolm chose the No. 2 box, which model Devin Goda carried over to him.

Drew gave him a three-count, and Malcolm lifted the lid and saw wads of cash inside, giving him the $10,000 win.

Devin approached to high-five him on the win as fellow model Alexis Gaube walked over. She and Malcolm threw some money into the air to make it rain in a celebratory fashion.

Drew Carey could be among a big movie sequel’s guest stars

Drew Carey rose to fame as a standup comedian and then on television. He starred as a fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom The Drew Carey Show.

Other TV roles included Drew appearing in one-episode appearances for NCIS, Community, and American Housewife. In 1994, he appeared as Drew Clark in 13 episodes of The Good Life.

He’s appeared as himself in most roles and starred on the improv sketch show Whose Line Is It Anyway? Drew could return to the screen in a special cameo role.

Earlier this year, Monsters and Critics reported that fellow actor and comedian Adam Sandler spoke about getting Drew to appear in Happy Gilmore 2.

“That would be great. I would love Drew Carey to be in this movie out of respect to Bob,” Sandler told Dan Patrick during an interview segment.

In the original Happy Gilmore, the late great Bob Barker appeared in a funny cameo role as himself and got into a fight with Sandler’s character, Happy.

“The price is wrong, b***h,” Happy told Barker after seemingly knocking him out.

However, Barker got back on his feet and fought Happy more, knocking him down with a punch.

“I think you’ve had enough,” Barker told him but noticed he was still conscious and knocked him out with a kick.

“Now you’ve had enough, b***h,” Barker said before walking off.

As of this writing, Happy Gilmore 2 doesn’t have an official premiere date, aside from March 2025 on Netflix.

It’s unclear if Carey will appear in the anticipated sequel, although several guest stars will, including NFL star Travis Kelce, who Sandler seemingly confirmed would get a cameo role.

‘The Price Is Right’ Host Drew Carey Slammed by Fans for Perceivedly Unjust Remarks Towards Model.

The Price Is Right fans call out Drew Carey for roasting model ‘for no reason’ during game

Drew Carey’s remark didn’t sit well with some of The Price Is Right fans. Pic credit: CBS
The Price Is Right host Drew Carey reminded his co-star on stage of a previous job, and fans called out what they deemed a savage comment.

The 66-year-old game show host often jokes with people on stage, such as recently joking about marrying a contestant.

While on stage, Drew often works alongside various models, including Amber Lancaster, Rachel Reynolds, Alexis Gaube, Devin Goda, and Manuela Arbelaez.

They help present the various games, reveal prices, and celebrate exciting wins with contestants.

A recent episode featured Let It Roll and a woman attempting to win a brand-new car with some luck.

Many fans reacted to Drew’s comment during the highlight moment from The Price Is Right.

Drew mentioned TPIR model’s previous work during the game show

On The Price Is Right’s Let It Roll, a contestant, Michele, had five die to roll down a giant slide.

The game’s main objective is for a contestant to roll all five die and reveal a car symbol on them to win the car. Alternatively, the die could reveal cash amounts.

After her first roll, she had three car symbols. The other two die revealed $1,000 each.

With that, Drew informed her she could walk away with $2,000 or try to roll the two die again and get car symbols.

“I’ll roll again,” she said as the crowd cheered to encourage her.

 

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Bài viết do The Price Is Right (@therealpriceisright) chia sẻ

“She’s gonna roll again. Thank you, Manuela,” Drew said as she collected the two die to give to Michele for another roll.

“Manuela used to work in a casino in Colombia,” Drew said, chuckling before adding, “When she was young.”

“She can’t talk about it,” the host joked as Michele rolled again.

The die went down the shoot, and both came up with car symbols, making Michele a winner.

“Yes! You got a car! Go get it!” Drew shouted.

He high-fived Manuela near the game to celebrate the contestant’s big win.

Fans called out Drew for roasting TPIR model on TV: ‘Show some respect’!

While many viewers celebrated the contestant winning a new car, others mentioned Drew roasting The Price Is Right model.

“He has beef with Manuela,” a commenter suggested in the Instagram comments.

A commenter replied, “For real! ‘When she was young’” with a skull emoji.

Another commenter replied, “People need to stop making fun of Manuela Arbelaez when she’s on TPIR. “
Pic credit: @therealpriceisright/Instagram
“This man just roasting Manuela for no reason,” another individual commented.

“Why the f*** would you say that about Manuela,” someone replied.

Another commenter replied, “Manuela is a SAINT! He needs to show some damn respect!”
Pic credit: @therealpriceisright/Instagram
Manuela, 36, was born in Colombia and became a naturalized American. Manuela also competed in The Price Is Right Model search in 2008. While she wasn’t the winner, production liked her enough to make her a permanent model for the game show in 2009.

That’s two years after Drew officially took over for the late, great Bob Barker. It’s unclear if there truly is any “beef” between Drew and Manuela on the show, as they’ve been working together for 15 years.

Drew Carey’s Bizarre Joke Leaves ‘The Price Is Right’ Model (and Fans) Scratching Their Heads!

‘The Price is Right’: Drew Carey Baffles Fans With Odd Joke to Model Before Big Win (VIDEO)

CBS

The Price is Right host Drew Carey made an interesting wisecrack at the expense of the beloved model Manuela Alvarez during a recent segment. And fans were at a loss, even if it was all in good fun.

In a clip shared by the game show’s Instagram on Wednesday (November 6), a player named Michelle played the Let ‘Em Roll game. The game involves dropping five giant dice from atop a slide. If all five land on the side with a car picture, the player wins the new whip.

Michelle dropped the dice, landing on three cars and two $1,000 sides. Carey explained that she could roll the two $1000 dice again and “try to get two more cars” or walk away with the $2,000. Michelle decided to risk it for the car prize and roll again.

Alvarez, who was glistening in a gold gown, brought the contestant the dice for her second roll. After thanking her, Carey joked, “Manuela used to work in a casino in Colombia.” He specified, “Back when she was young.” Alvarez, who is Colombian, shook off the comment and smiled with a shrug as Carey added, “She can’t talk about it.”

 

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Michelle went on to drop her two remaining dice, which both landed on the car side, so she won the flashy new car. As she rushed over to her prize in joy, Carey gave Alvarez a high-five handshake to ensure there were no hard feelings.

In the comments section of the clip, fans celebrated the big win and expressed their surprise at Carey’s joke, wondering what Alvarez did to deserve the shade.

“This man just roasting Manuela for no reason,” the top comment read with 300 likes.

“Why the fu** would you say that about Manuela,” wrote another.

“Manuela is a SAINT! He needs to show some damn respect!” wrote a third.

“He has beef with Manuela,” joked a fourth.

“For real! ‘When she was young,’” replied a fifth.

Alvarez, however, also chimed into the comments section. Playing into the joke and making clear she wasn’t offended, she wrote, “Shhh” with a laughing emoji.

Meanwhile, if Carey can get overly casual with any TPIR model, it’s Alvarez. She joined the game show in 2009, two years after he took over for Bob Barker in 2007. She’s become a favorite among fans, and she boasts a winning resume.

Her bio from the game show’s website is as follows: “Born in Medellín, Colombia, she moved to the United States in 2006. She was a finalist in The Price Is Right Model Search of 2008, which is when she gained the attention of the show’s producers. Eventually, she was added into the rotation of regular models.

In addition to her role on The Price Is Right, Manuela has appeared on television’s The Bold and the Beautiful and in the motion picture Jack and Jill. She is featured in Diddy/Dirty Money’s music video for “Loving You No More,” and can also be seen in Robin Thicke’s music video “It’s in the Mornin’.” She was a Trophy Model at the 54^th Grammy Awards and was named the number one Hottest Game Show Eye Candy by Complex Magazine.”

The Price Is Right, Weekdays, 11am ET/10am PT, CBS

JEOPARDY! Collides with This Iconic Christian Kids’ Show

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 24: Ken Jennings attends the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival Opening Night Screening of “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 24, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for TCM)
The beloved game show JEOPARDY! and the classic Christian cartoon VEGGIETALES collided, and we’re here for it.

According to Relevant Magazine, for Wednesday night’s final JEOPARDY! clue, show host Ken Jennings read, “Phil Vischer, creator of this show, originally had a candy bar as the lead until his wife nudged him in a healthier direction.”

Of course, the answer was VEGGIETALES.

“I decided in high school that I wanted my filmmaking to promote biblical values,” Vischer told “The Pure Flix Podcast” previously of what sparked his interest in filmmaking. He explained that MTV started when he was in high school, and he realized it would be “trouble.”

“I was only 16, but I knew that the values I learned growing up in Sunday school were not the values that were coming across on many of the music videos that were on MTV,” he explained.

So, in the late ’80s, after being hired as a computer animator, he began working on some characters, eventually landing on a candy bar as the star. Thankfully his wife stepped in.

“Moms are going to be mad if you make their kids fall in love with candy bars,” she told him.

So Vischer ended up with the characters we know and love today: Larry the Cucumber, Bob the Tomato, Junior Asparagus, Laura Carrot, Madame Blueberry, Petunia Rhubarb, LarryBoy, Mr. Lunt, French Peas and Archibald Asparagus, among others. The hit TV show which first launched in 1993.

“I just never could have imagined that in a million years,” Vischer said VEGGIETALES’ success. “You can’t plan…a big success in entertainment and media…you just be true to yourself and enjoy.”

New VEGGIETALES content still keep kids entertained.

In September, they launched the soundtrack for the VERY VEGGIE SILLY STORIES

“From all of us at VeggieTales… It’s finally here! The Very Veggie Silly Stories Soundtrack is out TODAY! Now you can bring the fun, the laughter, and the songs you love with you wherever you go,” VEGGIETALES wrote on social media.

The veggies often show up on social media to share Bible verses.

Last month, the French Peas shared Isaiah 41:10, which reads, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

“Allo! It is us, ze French Peas! Do not be afraid, oui oui! Isaiah 41:10 says God is with you, He will make you strong, and He will hold you up with His righteous right hand. So-how you say-no need to worry, God’s got you covered!” the French Peas wrote in the caption.

Mr. Lunt also shared Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

“Let me tell ya, life makes a lot more sense when we trust God instead of trying to figure it all out on our own. Proverbs 3:5–6 says it best: submit to Him, and He’ll straighten out the path ahead. Now that’s what I call good directions!” he said on Instagram.

It’s great to see VEGGIETALES still leaving a mark for Christ in the culture.

‘The Price Is Right’ Fans Have This One Complaint About Hole-In-One Game

The Price Is Right/CBS

Not every The Price Is Right game is perfect. Fans of the game show have recently shared a complaint about one in particular, Hole-In-One.

For Hole-In-One, contestants must rank six grocery items from least to most expensive. Two models place flags representing the items on a miniature golf course in the order the contestant chooses. If they guess the prices in the right order, the TPIR contestant only has to hit the ball from a few inches away, but if they guess incorrectly on any of the items, they have to shoot from further away. If a contestant gets them all correct, they get a $500 bonus. If the contestant gets the ball in the hole, they win the prize.

Fans’ main complaint is that if a contestant gets an item out of order, for example, if the third item costs less than the second, the remaining prices are never revealed.

“Hole-In-One. Does it drive anyone else insane that they don’t show the price of the rest of the items on Hole-In-One??” a Reddit user asked. “I feel like that game is so hard, and people usually lose early. I need to know if my guesses were right or not lol. I feel like they show the rest of the prices or the right answers on all other games, but this one!”

An example of this happened on October 10 when a contestant got the third price wrong, and the last three prices weren’t shown. Host Drew Carey said he was worried about the contestant’s pick, but he won a car anyway.

One fan said that when Bob Barker hosted, the rest of the prices were always flipped over. “Now… never,” they wrote.

“It does. And the fact that in the last 250 years, I haven’t seen anyone make it past the second or maybe third line…” another said.

“I think because it’s so frustrating, I want to know the dang answer since it’s hard haha,” added another Redditor.

Other fans thought $500 was way too small a prize. “The bonus for getting them all is a whopping $500.I think a strategy would be to try for 3 in a row. Cheap, something middle, then expensive. That should be an easy 3rd line. Maybe go for 4 if you’re feeling cocky,” said one fan.

“I was always curious when the last time someone got the prices in the right order. $500 seems so ridiculous a reward for doing that, I would say $5k would be more fitting,” another wrote.

Does this bother you about the game? Let us know in the comments.

The Price Is Right, Weekdays, 11a/10c, CBS, stream next day on Paramount+

Why Snoop Dogg Started Crying So Hard on The Voice, He Needed Tissues

This duet just blew him away on The Voice Season 28.

The very first night of Battles nearly broke Coach Snoop Dogg’s heart! After the Blind Auditions, and for the first time ever, Artists were asked to pair themselves up for competitive duets, and belter Yoshihanaa and pitch-perfect Natalia Albertini chose each other. For their Battle, Snoop assigned them “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” written by Carole King and made famous by Aretha Franklin.

Both women loved the song and had their own take during the performance. With her years of experience singing in a wedding band and training at the Berklee School of Music, Albertini was polished and professional, while Yoshihanaa needed some coaxing from Battle Advisor Lizzo to push herself and not rely on her (incredible) organic talent to carry her through.

By the end of their rehearsal session, both Snoop and Lizzo were so excited that they began literally throwing things. Lizzo took off a shoe and chucked it across the room, and Snoop started tossing pillows around. “When two divas come together and just diva out, I live,” said the “Good as Hell” singer. “My left eye won’t stop crying, but it’s tears of joy,” added the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” rapper.

“I’m torn between Yoshihanaa and Natalia for sure because Yoshihanaa is God-given, natural born talent…Natalia, it was oozing out of her, and she’s so rehearsed and so trained,” Lizzo said later, characterizing the two women as “maximum effort” versus “effortless” and asking Snoop, “Which one do you pick?” In typical Snoop fashion, he answered, “The Gangster Holy Ghost will help me make my decision.”

Yoshihanaa and Natalia Albertini had a “proper old school Voice battle”

Yoshihanaa appears on The Voice Season 28 Episode 2 “The Blind Auditions Part 2”.

Photo: Griffin Nagel/NBC

After they absolutely slayed their duet, competing for every note and hitting all the right ones, Coach Niall Horan couldn’t contain his excitement.

“That was a proper old school Voice Battle. That’s why we watch this show. Natalia, when you go up against a powerhouse, a lot of people shy away from that. You gave it and — this guy, look, he’s crying,” Horan said, referring to Snoop, who was indeed tearing up.

“Yoshihanaa, completely flawless, so natural. It comes out of you without you even trying. Do I have to pick?” Horan asked. Fortunately for him, no.

“Natalia, your range is incredible, the huskiness in your voice, I absolutely love. Yoshihanaa, I thought you were Aretha Franklin standing up there. I would go with Yoshihanaa,” said Coach Reba McEntire.

For his feedback, Coach Michael Bublé said, “Yoshihanaa, you made it yours and it seemed effortless. Natalia, I felt like you were very disciplined. You are standing in the middle of a boxing ring, and you’re supposed to deliver a knockout punch, but your vocal quality is good enough [so] you don’t have to do that. And for that reason, today’s Battle, for me, would have been won by Natalia.”

Natalia Albertini appears on The Voice Season 28.

Photo: Danny Ventrella/NBC

Removing his sunglasses to dab a tear, Snoop admitted, “Y’all made me shed a tear. I’m just thinking about [how] Lizzo gave y’all so much information and y’all used it. But I was crying because I can only keep one of you, and my heart is broke.” After a quick prayer to the Holy Ghost, he gave the win to Yoshihanaa.

Want a chance to win The Voice’s Season 28 Coach merch?

Head to The Voice’s Instagram to learn how you can snag a #TeamNiall hoodie, #TeamSnoop chain, #TeamBuble jersey, or #TeamReba shirt.

Why Snoop Dogg used his Save on Natalia Albertini

Calling it “the decision I didn’t want to make but I had to make,” Snoop said he “chose Yoshihanaa due to the fact that she had the most powerful performance tonight. I feel like she’s got a lot of room to grow, and at the same time she’s a seasoned vet.”

But that didn’t mean he was done with Albertini. He used his only Battles Save of the season to keep her on his team! “The reason why I saved Natalia is that performance was so strong and so heartfelt,” he explained, calling her, “too good to be on somebody else’s team and too good to go home.”

The Surprising Way Blake Shelton Helped End Tonight’s Episode of The Voice

He wasn’t there in person — but his music was.

It’s almost like he never left. Country star Blake Shelton, who was part of the original Coach lineup of The Voice and stayed for over 20 seasons, may have retired from the red chairs, but he will always be part of the show’s DNA. And the wonderful performance from the first night of the Season 28 Battles just proved it. As the episode drew to a close, Team Bublé Artists Austin Gilbert and Rob Cole rehearsed and duetted “Honey Bee,” a song from Shelton’s 2011 album Red River Blue.

“Blake would be happy to hear you do your version of Blake’s song,” Coach Michael Bublé advised the singers, encouraging them to “bend it to [their will].”

Their Battle Advisor, country singer and Season 27 Coach Kelsea Ballerini, completely agreed, telling the two, “Whatever changes you make to it, you just have to be 100 percent committed.”

The Shelton of it all definitely came through in the performance. After they sang, Coach Snoop Dogg, who sits in the red chair Shelton previously occupied, told Rob and Austin, “I felt the spirit of Blake Shelton when y’all was singing that. Something in his seat moved my legs.”

Just getting to the Battle rounds is a huge accomplishment for any singer, but it was especially emotional for these two. Just a few seasons ago, Rob Cole received zero chair turns, but he told himself, “No does not mean never.” It was all the more gratifying, then, when Bublé declared him the winner of his Battle.

Meanwhile, Austin Gilbert performed in front of his pregnant fiancée, aching to make her proud, and when Reba McEntire pressed her button to steal him, he literally fell to his knees in gratitude. “Austin, your enthusiasm, your big heart, your gorgeous voice…you’re a cowboy. I’m so thrilled you’re now a part of Team Reba,” she told him.

Want a chance to win The Voice’s Season 28 Coach merch?

Head to The Voice’s Instagram to learn how you can snag a #TeamNiall hoodie, #TeamSnoop chain, #TeamBuble jersey, or #TeamReba shirt.

Will Blake Shelton ever return to The Voice?

Blake Shelton performs on NBC’s “Today” Citi Concert Series at Rockefeller Plaza on May 13, 2025 in New York City.

Photo: NDZ/Star Max/GC Images

“Honey Bee” is one thing, but will we ever get the real Blake Shelton back as a full-time Coach for the next generation of Artists? Here’s what he said last time he addressed the question…

Talking to E! News in April 2024, Shelton looked back fondly on his Voice journey, saying, “I did 23 seasons of the show and I enjoyed it. And by the time I got to that last season, it was time.” He’s been spending more time enjoying Oklahoma farm life with his wife Gwen Stefani and, of course, making music. “I needed to get back to what my day job was anyway,” he added, “which is, you know, being a country singer.”

And it’s not like he’s not around. “I don’t mean to sound like I’m not a part of the family anymore,” the singer said. “It was the most important years of my life where I was a Coach on The Voice. But as far as the job goes, I don’t think I’m ever ready to do that again as I sit here now.”

Catch new episodes of The Voice Season 28 every Monday and Tuesday at 8/7c — only on NBC, and streaming the next day on Peacock.

The Voice Battles Recap: Night 1 Ends With Reba in Tears — Were the Right 3 Singers Sent Home?

NBC screenshot

The Voice kicked off its Season 28 Battles on Monday with two saves, three eliminations and lots of tears from Reba McEntire.

With the Blind Auditions now behind us, Monday’s episode pit the members of the coaches’ teams against one another. And because The Voice loves a good twist, the contestants learned that — for the first time in the show’s 28-season history — they were in charge of choosing their own duet partners.

So, which singers were left standing at the end of the night? And whose teams are they all on now? Read on for a full breakdown of Monday’s battles. (Spoiler alert: We have several bones to pick with these coaches.)

Yoshihanaa and Natalia Albertini

Team Snoop: Yoshihanaa (Grade: A-) defeated Natalia Albertini (Grade: A) on “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” — Natalia saved by Snoop | While Yoshihanaa definitely started out strong, singing this Aretha Franklin anthem like she’s been performing it her whole career, we were more taken by Natalia’s approach, which included a generous helping of stank as she relished every drawn-out note and growl. Despite getting the song’s biggest moment to herself, we didn’t think Yoshihanaa seized the opportunity as much as she could have. We were frankly a little surprised when Snoop declared Yoshihanaa the winner, but at least he’s keeping Natalia around too.

 

Aaron Nichols and Daron Lamee

Team Reba: Aaron Nichols (Grade: A) defeated Daron Lamee (Grade: A) on “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” | Now this is how you do a duet! These two voices couldn’t be any more different, yet they blended like magic on this Elvin Bishop song, occasionally building to tight, soaring harmonies. We aren’t surprised that Reba McEntire chose to keep Aaron, as his country vibe is definitely more in her wheelhouse, but we really wish someone had saved Daron. That voice is too good to go!

Jazz McKenzie and Trinity

Team Bublé: Jazz McKenzie (Grade: B+) defeated Trinity (Grade: A-) on “Virtual Insanity” — Trinity saved by Bublé | Jazz came in strong and confident on this Jamiroquai jam, sending chills down our spine with those stunning low notes, whereas Trinity opted to show off her higher register, taking the song to some very interesting places right away. If we could fuse these two voices into one, the result would be unstoppable. Sadly, science has only come so far, and Michael Bublé (much to our surprise) named Jazz the winner. Given our love for Trinity, it was extremely satisfying to see all of the other coaches attempt to steal her, though she ultimately decided to stick with Team Bublé.

Dustin Dale Gaspard and Revel Day

Team Niall: Dustin Dale Gaspard (Grade: B+) defeated Revel Day (Grade: A-) on “Too Sweet” | Dustin did a serviceable job with this viral Hozier earworm, throwing in a few growls as needed to spice things up, but it was Revel’s take that had our full attention; those smooth, low notes made us all rumbly in our tumbly, and he made a stronger impression on the song’s bigger moments — but that’s just our opinion, clearly, because Niall Horan chose to keep Dustin on his team, ending Revel’s journey on The Voice.

 

Kanard Thomas and Kenny Ike

Team Snoop: Kenny Ike (Grade: A-) defeated Kanard Thomas (Grade: A-) on “All the Things (Your Man Won’t Do)” | This was a close call. Too close, even. Both Kanard and Kenny did an excellent job of connecting with the audience, laying this smooth Joe song on us like we were the ones being romanced. Both performers were excellent, if a bit too similar, joining forces for a strong showing. Snoop Dogg felt more strongly about Kenny’s performance, which is fair enough. We’re just glad we didn’t have to choose between them.

Austin Gilbert and Rob Cole

Team Bublé: Rob Cole (Grade: B) defeated Austin Gilbert (Grade: B+) on “Honey Bee” — Austin stolen by Reba | With two strong country performers at the mic, Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee” was the perfect duet to close out the night, giving us an emotional twist ending in the process. It wasn’t the most exciting performance of the night, but we have to hand it to Austin, who tapped into his mighty mustache powers to give this song the oomph it desperately needed. Don’t get us wrong, Rob was also very good, but the level of enthusiasm between them cannot be understated. Bublé chose to keep Rob on his team, and his loss turned out to be Reba’s gain; with tears in her eyes, she stole Austin onto her team, praising his enthusiasm, heart and, of course, his voice. “You’re a cowboy,” she told him.

And just like that, the first night of Season 28 Battles has come to an end, and we must say goodbye to three talented singers: Daron Lamee, Revel Day and Kanard Thomas were all eliminated from the competition on Monday. Are you sad to see any of them go? Did you agree with the coaches’ decisions? Weigh in via our poll below, then drop a comment with your thoughts on Night 1 of the Battles.

A Major Rule Change for The Voice Battles Totally Raises the Stakes

Here’s how The Voice Season 28 Battles will look different than seasons past.

With the Blind Auditions over, The Voice teams have been set. Coaches Reba McEntire, Niall Horan, Snoop Dogg, and Michael Bublé are each leading groups of incredible Artists, but they’ve got their eyes on who they want to steal. And they know the Battle rounds are on!

Unlike in previous seasons, when Coaches divided their own teams into pairs for the Battle rounds, this season, the Artists will be pairing themselves up, forming unexpected couplings for duets. The Coaches are still in charge of choosing the songs, though, creating a unique and interesting challenge: finding songs that work for both singers.

After each vocal Battle, the Coach must choose which Artist will advance to the next round of the competition, a.k.a the Knockouts, and who will go home. That is, unless they are saved or stolen. This season during the Battles, each Coach has one Steal and one Save. By the end of the Battle round, each Coach will have six Artists on their team.

The Battle rounds are so different from the Blind Auditions on The Voice

Reba McEntire and Michael Bublé appear on The Voice Season 28.

Photo: Art Streiber/NBC

“The part I love about the duets”, Coach Snoop Dogg explained as the Battle rounds got underway, is “the sisterhood, brotherhood, companionship.” However, he noted, “At the same time, you see certain elements of ‘Wait a minute, this is a Battle!’” He also expressed how excited he was to keep deserving Artists around even if they didn’t win their Battle. “Thank you gangster Holy Ghost that one Steal and one Save is upon each Coach,” he said.

Horan pointed out that the Artists should always be working to improve, saying, “You get to see what people have done since the Blind Auditions. Whether they’ve stepped up or not.” Bublé agreed, adding, “I wanna be blown away by the Artists that execute some of the notes I’ve given.”

McEntire put it simply and honestly: “There’s gonna be a lot of talented people that have to go home. Cream’s rising to the top.”

Want a chance to win The Voice’s Season 28 Coach merch?

Head to The Voice’s Instagram to learn how you can snag a #TeamNiall hoodie, #TeamSnoop chain, #TeamBuble jersey, or #TeamReba shirt.

Who are the Battle Advisors for The Voice Season 28?

Snoop Dogg and Niall Horan appear on The Voice Season 28.

Photo: Art Streiber/NBC

So much of the fun of the Battle rounds comes from the Battle Advisors, mega-stars who assist the Coaches in helping the Artists develop their performances. Last season, Wicked star Cynthia Erivo joined Coach Michael Bublé, Coach Adam Levine enlisted Kate Hudson, first-time Coach Kelsea Ballerini got Little Big Town, and Coach John Legend’s Battle Advisor was Coco Jones.

For Season 28, another batch of exciting celebrities is in the house. Coach Snoop’s Battle Advisor is “Good as Hell” hit-maker Lizzo, new to The Voice family. Kelsea Ballerini is back as Battle Advisor to Team Bublé, so #Bublerini returns. Former The Voice Coach Nick Jonas joins Team Reba, basically a two-for-one special in terms of Coaches. Finally, best-selling singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi advises Team Niall; this is Capaldi’s first time on the show, but he seems right at home.

The Voice airs Monday and Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC. New episodes are available to stream on Peacock the next day.