Mike Richards will not be Jeopardy’s next host and fans rejoice
The past week must have been a whirlwind for Mike Richards. As a cis white dude, he surely never thought he would be questioned for the job of Jeopardy‘s new host after the passing of legend Alex Trebek. But he was wrong.
As soon as the news came out that the executive producer of the show was even in negotiations to be the next host, social media went wild. Jeopardy fans were not pleased. How could someone with that much sway over the decision of who would be the next host be in the running? And he ultimately became the person to “win” the title.
Whether it was the intention or not, it made it seem like months of celebrity hosts trying out for the spot was just for show. Just to make it look like there was a fair shot for fan-favorites like LeVar Burton, when, in fact, they did not and the executive producer pretty much picked himself for the role.
When the news came out that he was also accused of sexual harassment in the past, the fact that he was going to be the next host became even more unbearable. But it seems like the final nail in his coffin came from an old podcast where he was not only sexist but also racist, antisemitic, and classist.
Mike Richards steps down as next host of Jeopardy
When the story came out, the podcast episodes were soon deleted and he tried to apologize, but fans were still not happy. This ultimately led to him stepping down from the hosting gig two days after The Ringer article came out (much to the delight of fans).
But there is still more that could be done. Richards will still be the executive producer, a role where he can still have major sway over what happens on the show. He could make life hell for the people who work there and whoever the host ends up being. He needs to be fired from the show entirely.
Additionally, while it’s been talked about less, Mayim Bialik is also not a great choice either. She has victim-shamed the victims of Harvey Weinstein, given money to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) who are systematically harassing and killing Palestinians, and has spread anti-vax literature.
She has tried to walk back these actions, but they are still worth looking at for someone hosting a beloved show. It’ll be interesting to see if she steps down in the next few days.
For now, our best hope is to see Mike Richards fired completely and LeVar Burton or Laura Coates (who Alex Trebek said he wanted as his predecessor in an old interview) hired for the job if they want it.
Jeopardy has been a treasure for so many people over the years, it would be awful if it was marred because someone so problematic was chosen to host it.
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What do you think of the news of Mike Richards stepping down as the next Jeopardy host? Who would you pick as the new host? Let us know in the comments below.