Posted on 08/20/2021 7:38:04 AM PDT by EdnaMode
Mike Richards will not host the syndicated Jeopardy! after multiple controversies from his past emerged in the last few weeks. He just announced his exit in an internal memo. The show had already started production, which has been canceled for today as search for a permanent host resumes. In the meanwhile, guest hosts once again will be stepping in, with Richards remaining an executive producer.
The news comes on the heels of a report about offensive and sexist comments towards his female co-hosts and guests Richards had made on The Randumb Show, a podcast he hosted for 41 episodes in 2013 and 2014, along with off-color remarks about Haitians and Jews. The controversy prompted the Anti-Defamation League to call upon Jeopardy! producer Sony Pictures Television to investigte.
“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,” SPT spokesperson said this morning. “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.”
Richards previously apologized for the comments on his podcast as well as for insensitive comments about pregnant women attributed to him in a lawsuit filed against The Price Is Right while he was a top producer there. He was involved in two suits by former models on the game show, both of which were ultimately settled.
Richards earlier this month was named permanent host of the syndicated edition of Jeopardy!, succeeding beloved longtime host Alex Trebek, who died last year. Actress Mayim Bialik was named host of Jeopardy!‘s primetime editions and spinoffs. Here is Richards’ memo:
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.
Mike
thank you for clearing that up.
Richards was a weird choice. Folks didn’t think that highly of him in the first place. He was in charge of the search until he threw his hat in. He’s being sued for harassment by multiple women. And then there’s that website. All around that was a poor decision.
Bring back Dr Oz!
Yeah, double his salary to $20 million a year, and promote it as the “Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy Hour, Starring Pat Sajak” (sorry, Vanna). Pat is looking to retire, but a huge paycheck, in exchange for an increased workload, might make him reconsider. Pat’s only worth $70 million or so; he could double that and then hang it up.
BTW, I remember the late Mark Goodson say (about 40 years ago), that it was getting difficult to find capable game show hosts. Most of the legends we remember (Bill Cullen, Gene Rayburn, Dennis James, etc) came out of network radio, or the days of live TV which required hosts who could think on their feet, keep the game moving along, focus attention on the contestants and handle anything that came up.
Many of the actors/hosts being trotted out these days can’t do anything without a script or teleprompter, and couldn’t ad lib a fart after a baked bean dinner. Richards was the best of the guest hosts. Good luck finding someone better, though hosting skill is probably a secondary consideration. Looks like the affirmative action crowd is pushing LeVar Burton, despite the fact he was one of the worst guest hosts (IMO).
Brad Rutter, please.
He did not do well as guest host.
That’s a shame, he was actually great at it. He was the 2nd guest host after Ken Jennings, who sucked. Aaron Rodgers was good too though I don’t like him as a Bear’s fan I was hoping he’d take the job.
This is disgusting.
Really? Are you sure??
Elsewhere I read that he also made offense remarks about Asians. But nowhere did I read WHAT exactly he said. I'd like to know so I can make up my own mind about how bad it was.
Journalists treat us like children, withholding the facts of a story because it's "too emotionally hurtful."
Either that, or the remarks weren't that bad. Nothing worse than you might hear on the Howard Stern Show or many a standup comedy act. (Or at least, a standup act before our woke era.)
In addition to comments about women, Richards also made disparaging remarks about Haiti, the Ringer reported. When Triffon mentioned problems with her apartment in one episode that the Ringer detailed, Richards reportedly said: “Does Beth live, like, in Haiti?”
“Doesn’t it sound like that?” Richards reportedly added. “Like, the urine smell, the woman in the muumuu, the stray cats."
That's it? That's the worst he's said about Haiti? For that, no job?
And some of his "racist" remarks:
In at least two clips on his podcast, Richards talked about wanting to host a television show. He spoke about his admiration for Jeff Probst, the host of the reality show “Survivor,” because “I like, you know, the average White-guy host,” Richards said.
“I cheer for him to succeed because I feel like through his success, I could have some success hosting,” he added.
In another clip, he said he admired Ryan Seacrest, the host of “American Idol,” because “he’s actually made the world a safer place for what I like to call the ‘skinny White host.' "
Still can't find what he said about Asians and Jews. But the remarks I am finding are pretty tepid.
Source: https://www.pressherald.com/2021/08/19/new-jeopardy-host-insulted-women-jewish-people-and-haiti-on-podcast-report-says/
Longtime Goodson-Todman showrunner Roger Dobkowitz on Facebook:
“I am certainly not sorry to see what happened to Mike Richards. I worked with him on an audition tape we did for CBS...I had no trouble with him then and he seemed like a nice person. It was shortly after he began to work on Price that my opinion of him completely changed...I had lots of friends still working the show...staff, stagehands, and technicians...and they reported to me how badly he would treat people...he would yell and berate people...he would act like a little Napoleon, demanding them to do as he wished...it seemed no one like him.
Good producers don’t need to berate people to get things done...good producers know that one needs to work WITH people...there is no need to act like a jerk.
He was not, in my opinion, a nice person.”
The Seinfeld one—born in 1949
The game show one—born in 1975
Lol. I knew Cooper Anderson didn’t sound right.
I thought his people interviews were good, and he definitely didn’t act like he knew all the answers.
I was prepared to throw up …. But was pleasantly surprised
Mike Richards Fired as Executive Producer of ‘Jeopardy!’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’
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