Mike Richards steps down as 'Jeopardy!' host in wake of resurfaced offensive comments

[ZonkerHarris]

Mike Richards is stepping down as host of “Jeopardy!” effective immediately, he confirmed Friday morning.
Richards, the show’s executive producer who was just named as Alex Trebek’s replacement on the iconic game show, came under fire after the Ringer published an in-depth report that revealed he made disparaging remarks about women, Jewish people and Haiti.
“I was deeply honored to be asked to host the syndicated show and was thrilled by the opportunity to expand my role” Richards wrote in a note to his staff Friday. “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.”
He said that Sony Pictures Television “will now resume the search for a permanent syndicated host.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/08/20/mike-richards-jeopardy-quit/

[SheilaAnn]

1. LeVar would be my choice. n/t

[maveric]

5. I like Ted Allen from "Chopped" myself.

[jimfields33]

2. Just go with ken Jennings and be done with it.

He’s young and can host 30 years at least.

[MANative]

8. This!!! NT

[blogslug]

3. Here's the VARIETY link

Because it's the trade paper and it feels good to see this news in it

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/mike-richards-jeopardy-host-fired-1235045394/

Mike Richards is out as “Jeopardy!” host, just nine days after he was tapped to succeed the legendary Alex Trebek as the face of the beloved quiz show.

Richards, who is also executive producer of “Jeopardy!,” saw his hold on the job undone with astonishing speed after unflattering and downright ugly details surfaced about his past conduct and statements he made on an eight-year-old podcast series. He will remain the show’s executive producer.

On Friday, Sony Pictures TV confirmed that Richards had agreed to step aside as host. In a statement, Richards said the backlash had created “too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show.”

Richards’ hasty exit as host came a day after the Anti-Defamation League called for an investigation after a report surfaced in The Ringer that Richards made disparaging remarks about Jews, women and other groups in episodes of the comedy podcast “The Randumb Show” recorded in 2013 and 2014...

Not happy about him retaining the position of executive producer though. That guy needs to be downgraded to gopher.

[lagomorph777]

4. Executive Producer can cause a lot more damage than Host.

Get this bozo out of there.

[crickets]

10. Exactly. Why does he still have a job at all? nt

[zuul]

6. It's time for a woman to host.

[Mosby]

7. The fact that they are resuming the search

Tells you that the first "search" was a scam. They were going to appoint Richards all along.

[ZonkerHarris]

9. bingo

[ecstatic]

11. Good. I never forgave him for that

He ruined a good show for me.