Three weeks ago, Mike Richards was on top of the World. He beat out several celebrities to be named the host of Jeopardy. Unfortunately for him, as quickly as he was given the job, it was taken away from him.
Past derogatory comments he made came back to haunt him. Because of that, he was said to have stepped down from the job, but Sony let him keep his Executive Producer position at Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
That is until now. According to Variety, the staff of both shows got a letter from Suzanne Prete, EVP, Business and Strategy, informing them of his termination.
I’m writing to let you know that Mike will no longer be serving as EP of Wheel and Jeopardy! effective immediately. We had hoped that when Mike stepped down from the host position at Jeopardy! it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks. That clearly has not happened.
Michael Davies from Embassy Row has agreed to help with production on an interim basis until further notice. Michael and I will work together with all of you in the weeks ahead to ensure that production remains on schedule and we do not miss a beat as we head into the new season.
I know this has been a challenging time for the entire team, and I want to thank you all for your cooperation and professionalism over these last few weeks. As Ravi mentioned last week, I will be more involved in the day-to-day on our shows moving forward and I am looking forward to working closely with all of you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.
Sounds like the staff finally felt free to tell management what they really thought of their boss.
I wonder who Sony will hire first, a host or an EP. It is going to be hard for the staff because they are without their two most important people and everything is in flux. Plus, dealing with the egos and inexperience of the guest hosts is going to be so much harder without a boss to reign them in.
Personally, I think they should have cancelled Jeopardy after Alex Trebek’s death. He was the show as much as the trivia answers. Without it, it is just not the same.
Alex Trebek hosted Jeopardy for 36 years, and the most controversial thing about him was when he shaved his mustache.
Mike Richards, who got the job last week, didn’t even last 36 hours as the host of the game show before stepping down due to things he said on his podcast around 2013. Richards began taping new episodes yesterday and announced this morning that he will not be continuing on in front of the camera.
He wrote in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “Dear Team,
“It pains me that these past incidents and comments have cast such a shadow on Jeopardy! as we look to start a new chapter.
“As I mentioned last week, I was deeply honored to be asked to host the syndicated show and was thrilled by the opportunity to expand my role. However, over the last several days it has become clear that moving forward as host would be too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show.
As such, I will be stepping down as host effective immediately. As a result, we will be canceling production today. SPT will now resume the search for a permanent syndicated host. In the meantime, we will be bringing back guest hosts to continue production for the new season, details of which will be announced next week.
I want to apologize to each of you for the unwanted negative attention that has come to Jeopardy! over the last few weeks and for the confusion and delays this is now causing. I know I have a lot of work to do to regain your trust and confidence.”
Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Television wrote this, “We support Mike’s decision to step down as host. We were surprised this week to learn of Mike’s 2013/2014 podcast and the offensive language he used in the past. We have spoken with him about our concerns and our expectations moving forward.
‘Mike has been with us for the last two years and has led the Jeopardy! team through the most challenging time the show has ever experienced. It is our hope that as EP he will continue to do so with professionalism and respect.”
It will be interesting to see what they are going to do with yesterday’s episodes because of Matt Amodio’s winning streak. They can’t just scrap whatever they filmed.
Now that they are going back to guest hosts, I hope they get Neil deGrasse Tyson, Rivers Cuomo, and Weird Al Yankovic to try out. Who do you want to see get the job?
Oh, and you LeVar Burton fans didn’t watch his episodes. Because of that, his were the lowest-rated episodes. Therefore, I don’t think he will be offered the gig. Sorry.
It will be interesting to see who they eventually settle on. Because nowadays no one is safe from a controversial past…
The late Chadwick Boseman might not have won an Oscar this year, but he did get his own category on Jeopardy. On the show’s season finale, contestants had to answer five questions about the actor, and they got all of them right.
Jeopardy has been on the search for a new host, and today they named the two people who will replace the late Alex Trebek. The daily host is Executive Producer Mike Richards, while the host of the primetime special National College Championship is going to Mayim Bialik.
“We are thrilled to begin the next chapter of America’s Favorite Quiz Show with Mike hosting our daily show and Mayim hosting new versions of Jeopardy!,” Ravi Ahuja, chairman of Global Television Studios and Corporate Development for Sony Pictures said to The Hollywood Reporter. “We took this decision incredibly seriously. A tremendous amount of work and deliberation has gone into it, perhaps more than has ever gone into the selection of hosts for a show – deservedly so because it’s Jeopardy! and we are following the incomparable Alex Trebek. A senior group of Sony Pictures Television executives pored over footage from every episode, reviewed research from multiple panels and focus groups, and got valuable input from our key partners and Jeopardy! viewers.”
Ahuja continued, “We knew early on that we wanted to divide the hosting responsibilities and it became very clear that Mike and Mayim were the undeniable choices. They were both at the top of our research and analysis. Mike is a unique talent, at ease behind the podium and a double threat as producer and host. Mayim has a wonderful energy, an innate sense of the game, and an authentic curiosity that naturally represents the Jeopardy! brand. We are excited to get to work with them both and are confident that they will carry on the legacy of this iconic show.”
What do you think of Richards as the new host? He reminds me of vanilla and Wonder Bread. I am not saying that because he is white, I am saying it because he is boring and forgettable.
Bialik is Bialik, you either like her, or you don’t. I don’t.
When Jeopardy announced that they were looking for guest hosts, LeVar Burton’s fans started a petition to get him the job. They succeeded. So much so, they were hoping that he would be offered the position permanently.
Yesterday, there was a report that they are not going with the fan-favorite. Instead, they are in serious negotiations with the game show’s EP Mike Richards. As soon as they heard, they ran to social media to protest about the decision.
When Burton woke up to find himself trending, he had some sage words for his admirers. “I have said many times over these past weeks that no matter the outcome, I’ve won,” he wrote. “The outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and fans alike has been incredible! If love is the ultimate blessing, and I believe that it is, I am truly blessed beyond measure.”
Now you can see why they love him so much.
Personally, I think they should continue auditioning. I would like to see Neil deGrasse Tyson and Rivers Cuomo give it a try, while my friend said they should try out some local news people. What do you think?
