‘Jeopardy!’ producer steps down as host after past scrutinized

LOS ANGELES — Producer Mike Richards stepped down from his brief tenure arsenic big of “Jeopardy!” aft a study astir past misogynistic comments surfaced this week and pursuing a drumbeat of disapproval astir his enactment and however it was made.

Richards was chosen past week arsenic the successor to Alex Trebek, a determination that was seen arsenic divisive from the opening aft the amusement had embarked connected a hunt that included actors, sports figures, journalists and celebrities.

Earlier this week, The Ringer website revealed demeaning comments astir women, the stateless and others that Richards had made connected a 2013-14 podcast, “The Randumb Show.” The clips were removed online aft the study was posted.

“Over the past respective days it has go wide that moving guardant arsenic big would beryllium excessively overmuch of a distraction for our fans and not the close determination for the show,” Richards said successful a enactment to the “Jeopardy!” unit connected Friday.

Richards said a hunt for a caller big volition begin, with impermanent hosts returning to proceed accumulation for the caller season.

But viewers volition get to spot the short-lived emcee successful action. The episodes that Richards taped Thursday volition aerial erstwhile the amusement returns for its 38th play starting Sept. 13; a do-over with a substitute big would beryllium a slap astatine the contestants and further undermine the show.

Richards’ enactment indicated that helium volition stay the show’s enforcement shaper — an awkward concern for whoever replaces him.

Podcast controversy

Sony Pictures Television, the workplace that makes “Jeopardy!” and which released Richards’ memo, said it was amazed to larn of his podcasts and violative connection and spoke with him “about our concerns and our expectations moving forward.”

“It our anticipation that arsenic EP helium volition proceed to bash truthful with professionalism and respect,” Sony said successful a connection Friday.

The podcast contented would person dogged anyone taking implicit a high-profile Hollywood presumption but was particularly hard for Richards, said Robert Thompson, a Syracuse University professor.

They were “the other of what we thought of successful Alex Trebek. ‘Jeopardy!’ and Trebek were benignant of this spot you escaped from the ungraded and the tweets and each the different worldly that was going connected successful the world,” Thompson said Friday.

“Jeopardy!” champion James Holzhauer, who holds the grounds for single-game winnings and is No. 3 for all-time winnings, offered a sarcastic absorption to Richards’ exit.

“I was truly looking guardant to the play premiere wherever aft an exhaustive 61-clue hunt for the adjacent Jeopardy champion, the amusement looks past the 3 evident candidates and declares Mike Richards the winner,” Holzhauer tweeted.

I was truly looking guardant to the play premiere wherever aft an exhaustive 61-clue hunt for the adjacent Jeopardy champion, the amusement looks past the 3 evident candidates and declares Mike Richards the winner

— James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) August 20, 2021

When Richards was tapped to big the fashionable crippled amusement past week, Sony besides announced that histrion Mayim Bialik would emcee “Jeopardy!” prime-time and spinoff series, including a caller assemblage championship.

Giving the flagship amusement to Richards, who’s firmly successful the cookie-cutter big mold of a white, square-jawed young man, struck immoderate arsenic impervious of an insincere effort by the workplace to see a woman, a idiosyncratic of colour oregon idiosyncratic from the LGBTQ community. More than fractional of the impermanent hosts autumn into 1 oregon much of those groups.

Past controversies

While the study of Richards’ podcasts instantly preceded his exit, determination had besides been renewed attraction to his 2009-18 tenure arsenic a shaper connected “The Price is Right.” Several lawsuits had been filed by erstwhile models against the amusement alleging discriminatory behavior, including 1 which named Richards. He reportedly was dropped from it earlier a colony was reached.

Doubts besides grew astir the fairness of the enactment process, with reports uncovering holes successful Richards’ repeated assertion that the determination was Sony’s and helium had nary relation successful it. Volleys of memes were launched comparing Richards to Dick Cheney, whose hunt for George W. Bush’s 2000 vice statesmanlike moving mate ended with Cheney successful the spot.

Sony’s determination to crown the “Jeopardy!” enforcement shaper arsenic Trebek’s successor — aft a pageant-style parade of personage contenders — had stirred ill-will and suspicion toward what had been a remarkably trusted institution. Trebek, who hosted the amusement for 37 seasons, died past November.

There was “tentative celebration” among “Jeopardy!” fans Friday, said Andy Saunders, a longtime Canadian spectator and head of The Jeopardy! Fan website. He expressed heavy reservations astir Richards staying connected arsenic the show’s producer.

“With his comments astir truthful galore marginalized groups becoming nationalist knowledge, however are immoderate of the staffers connected the amusement that mightiness beryllium successful those groups going to spot Mike Richards arsenic a manager?” helium said.

On the podcast, Richards utilized derogatory, crude connection astir women and their bodies. At 1 constituent helium says his pistillate co-host and erstwhile adjunct was a “booth ho” and “booth slut” erstwhile she worked astatine a commercialized show. He besides made mocking remarks astir Jews and Asians and disparaged the homeless.

“It is humbling to face a terribly embarrassing infinitesimal of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from astir a decennary ago,” Richards said successful a connection to The Ringer unit writer Claire McNear, who archetypal reported connected the podcasts. He called the remarks inexcusable, adding, “I americium profoundly sorry.”

McNear, writer of the 2020 book, “Answers successful the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider’s Guide to Jeopardy!” said Thursday that “Jeopardy!” had go an unimpeachable portion of popular culture.

“Everybody knew ‘Jeopardy!’ and everybody loved ‘Jeopardy!’ and Trebek was not controversial. It was conscionable this large trivia show. And present it is arguable and that’s not going away,” she said.

Guest hosts

Filling the host’s occupation was ne'er easy. Affection for Trebek made uncovering a replacement some a motion of respect for him arsenic good arsenic a concern decision.

The contiguous absorption to the mostly chartless Richards’ hiring was befuddlement, though helium ably handled a two-week stint arsenic a fill-in host. There were besides howls of protestation from fans of different candidates, including Ken Jennings, LeVar Burton and Aaron Rodgers.

Richards signed an wide improvement woody with Sony successful 2019, and became enforcement shaper of “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” successful May 2020, positions helium was to clasp portion hosting the quiz show.

While ratings roseate and fell during the assorted guest-host stints, “Jeopardy!” remains among the top-ranked syndicated programs and a invaluable plus for Sony.