Alex Trebek delivered an answer.

And it has been accepted.

The host of Jeopardy was in hot water with Irish Americans after a remark on a recent show directed at a contestant who had told the story of how he had visited Ireland and climbed the highest peaks in all of the Republic’s 26 counties.

Trebek had queried contestant Shannon Dillmore on his Irish connection given his first name.

Mr. Dillmore stated he had visited all 26 Counties of the Republic of Ireland and has hill walked all of its highest peaks.  

 It was at this point, according to a statement from the Ancient Order of Hibernians, that Mr. Trebek asked Mr. Dillmore “Were you sober when you did it?”

The sleight prompted a statement from the Hibernians calling on Mr. Trebek to deliver an on-air apology.

That has not happened, but Trebek did get on the phone to the Hibernians to say sorry.

And the Hibernians are happy with the response. 

“The Ancient Order of Hibernians wish to acknowledge and commend the response of Jeopardy! and the show’s host Alex Trebek in acknowledging and responding to concerns over perceived defaming remarks targeting individuals of Irish heritage during the 10.18/16 show,” said a statement Wednesday. 

AOH National Anti-Defamation Chairman, Neil Cosgrove, said in the statement that three days after the offending broadcast, on October 21, he had received a call from Mr. Trebek.

Read More: AOH fury as Jeopardy host Alex Trebek implies Irish are drunks 

Said Cosgrove in the AOH statement: “Given the sad history of the negative stereotype of ‘Drunken Paddy,’ a creation of bigotry and a tool of marginalization used to justify imperial policy in Ireland and discrimination in America, many Irish Americans understandably took offense to this (Trebek’s) comment. 

“Multiple members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians reached out to me as the National Anti-Defamation Chair to express their indignation.   

“Our Hibernian Oath calls us to ‘not countenance any performance that may reasonably be interpreted as caricaturing or debasing the Irish people, whether in public or in private, in song, recitation or story, on the stage or on the screen.’   In fulfillment of that pledge, the Order issued a statement condemning the comment by Mr. Trebek and called for an apology.

“In our conversation, Mr. Trebek stated his interview comment was never intended to draw any inference between inebriation and the Irish character. 

“He stated the point of departure for his comment was strictly the contestants' youth and that young men of all backgrounds usually take on unorthodox challenges as the result of dares in the company of other young men while good-naturedly carousing.  

“Mr. Trebek stated it was strictly in this context that he meant to frame his remark. 

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This article first appeared in the Irish Echo. For more stories, visit their website here.  

“However, Mr. Trebek stated, and we give him great credit, that he went back and reviewed the tape of the interview. 

“He noted while viewing  the playback that when he asked the question he did so with a lilt in his voice which he volunteered could be construed as emulating an Irish brogue. 

“Mr. Trebek stated while it was never his intent to offend anyone, in viewing the tape he certainly could see how the comment and the delivery could combine to give a connotation he had never intended to convey and for that he was truly sorry. 

“Mr. Tebek stated that the show in question had been taped months before and that Jeopardy! production is currently in hiatus, making an on-air apology not possible; thus he was reaching out to personally express his regret for the unintended offense.”

The AOH said that it accepted this explanation from the quiz show host, and indeed praised Mr. Trebek for his sincerity and integrity.

The statement said: “We commend Mr. Trebek for taking the time to listen and respond to our concerns.  

“It would have been very easy for the show’s producers to ignore the issue or have an anonymous staffer give a carefully nuanced statement dismissing the issue,” the AOH statement said.   

“The fact that Mr. Trebek reached out personally to express his regrets for the unintentional offense given we believe betokens his sincerity as well as his integrity.

“It is a rare person indeed who has not at some point said something inappropriate and given offense where none was intended. 

“In taking the time to offer a personal apology, the regard which Mr. Trebek and Jeopardy! are held has been justified, and we commend them both for acknowledging and rapidly seeking to make amends.”