Has ‘Jeopardy’ host Mike Richards disrespected Alex Trebek’s memory?
Alex Trebek was a real class act. Or, well, any scandals he had did not outrank the love that fans and other people had for him. Jeopardy without Alex Trebek, however, has turned into a mess. Or, to paraphrase someone from Twitter, it’s become a succession style mess that is giving everyone major Game of Thrones vibes. We’re just waiting for the dragons to emerge.
If you’ve been following the news, then you’ve probably heard that Mike Richards, who was named as a syndicated host for Jeopardy after the death of Alex Trebek, has stepped down from the role. This follows a series of scandals of his past comments, which were a lot. So much. Like, there was a new scandal or remark in poor taste from the new Jeopardy host.
During his time producing on The Price Is Right, Richards was involved in two lawsuits involving models from the series, who allege harassment & discrimination from the replacement for Alex Trebek. Richards just kept digging himself deeper & deeper when old sexist comments have also appeared. Let’s see what was the latest lead up in Richards quitting the series as its hosts, shall we?
The comments
Apparently, Richards appeared on The Randumb Show, which was a podcast that Richards taped in his office for The Price is Right from 2013 to 2014. It was supposed to be a “behind-the-scenes” look at the beloved daytime game show series. The Ringer went through all 41 episodes of The Randumb Show and they were not all that impressed by Richards.
They found that Richards frequently used offensive & disparaging language regarding women. He would also frequently reference his co-host as his “booth ho”, charming. The comments are just the latest in a long line of concerns over Richards’ behavior, especially toward women. According to Variety, The Anti-Defamation League is demanding an investigation into Richards’ behavior.
According to sources within Sony, the comments have “parked grave concern within the studio about whether Richards’ public image may already be too damaged for him to be the face of the beloved quiz show.” Richards was taping new episodes when he stepped down as host of the series. We’re willing to bet good money that he was more or less encouraged to leave his role by Sony.
What Richards said
Richards has yet again apologized for his comments before stepping down from Jeopardy. He said, “It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago. Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry.”
He added, in the latest of the revolving door of apologies, “Even with the passage of time, it’s more than clear that my attempts to be funny and provocative were not acceptable, and I have removed the episodes. My responsibilities today as a father, husband, and a public personality who speaks to many people through my role on television means I have substantial and serious obligations as a role model, and I intend to live up to them.”
Now that Richards has quit the series, however? Well, the past behavior is still disturbing. Hopefully, Jeopardy fans can rest easier knowing that this will not taint the legacy created by the late & great Alex Trebek. Whether Bialik would be made permanent host of everything or a new syndicated host will be announced remains to be seen at this time.
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What do you think about Mike Richards leaving Jeopardy? Do you think that anyone will be worthy of replacing Alex Trebek? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
