How Involved Was Mike Richards in Choosing a ‘Jeopardy!’ Host?
Jeopardy! may be on late summer hiatus, but preparations for Season 38 are sure to gather pace soon as executive producer Mike Richards prepares to take over as the game show’s permanent host.
After months of speculation, Richards is sharing the gig with The Big Bang Theory‘s Mayim Bialik who will helm any primetime specials or tournaments. But one big one still remains regarding the decision to appoint these two as hosts: How involved was Richards in the decision-making process?
(Credit: Jeopardy!, Inc.)
According to The New York Times, Sony revealed that while Richards initially led the hunt for Alex Trebek’s replacement, he stepped aside when he became a candidate. Richards only began executive producing the game show in May of 2020 and over his time there spent just 15 shoot days with Trebek before worsening health forced the beloved host to leave.
Despite stepping aside in the deliberation process, Richards reportedly maintained a key role in the focus group screenings which monitored reactions to the guest hosts for Season 37. Unlike Richards, Jeopardy!‘s other supervising producers are said to have been excluded from this process.
As Richards stated in a memo regarding buzz about his potential appointment as host: “The choice on this is not my decision and never has been.” Ultimately, the chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Tony Vinciquerra, was responsible for selecting Richards.
What do you think of the process? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for Jeopardy!‘s return when Season 38 kicks off.
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Comments are closed on this story.
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P
I think he deserved the job. LeVar Burton was terrible
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P
No way should he be the one....
6 2
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O
still do not
like him. i smell a rat!
6 2
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P
I'd have been OK with Mike, David Faber or Buzzy Cohen, so I'm cool with this choice.
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B
Although I do not think every guest host was meant to be in the running as the permanent host, I thought David Faber did the best job. And I had no idea who he was before this.
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R
Others guest hosts were so much better! Won't be watching Jeopardy in the future.
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G
I think they made a good choice. Why is everyone complaining, because he is a white man? I think he was the best of the bunch.
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G
Everyone is complaining because he lied about the reason he stepped in as a guest host.
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R
I am VERY happy with both hosts that were chosen
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O
Like the choice ! Mike was excellent. Burton was stiff😞
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B
He was one of the very best guest hosts, and he was a last minute replacement for an unnamed celebrity guest host who didn't want to fly in to Los Angeles during their last December Covid outbreak.
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P
He was our pick from the getgo!
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A
Well, at least they didn't pick LeVar Burton (though he could've done better if he had a second week like most of the others before him...)
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P
Disappointed enough to jump ship…so done with what was one of the greatest game shows ever. We will look to see when Mayim hosts otherwise we are done. How very sad.
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G
Don’t like the choice but it should not have been Lavar, he was the worst of the lot. Over exuberant yet hesitant
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G
Skeevy pukeball- done with jeopardy
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G
The fix was in. I know Alex always said the show is about the contestants but if I can't stand the host, t makes it really hard to watch. Jeopardy has lost me forever. Sad, such great brain food.
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