Fired ‘Jeopardy!’ Producer-Turned-Host Spills BTS Tea
Fired Jeopardy! producer-turned-host, Micke Richards is spilling all of the behind-the-scenes tea from that specific time. He was ultimately replaced by Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik. Yet, what exactly transpired during the initial transition? Keep reading for more details on what he went through.
Fired Jeopardy! Producer-Turned-Host Spills BTS Tea
When Alex Trebek passed away in 2020, the search was on for the new Jeopardy! host. Production knew what was in store for them when Trebek retired shortly before he died so he could be at home and spend time with his family. No one could fill his shoes but the show must go on. It looked like they would be trying out a bevy of notable names to see who would fit in, carrying on the torch. According to People, Mike Richards, who had served as a show producer, knew it was a huge undertaking when he was named host in 2021. Unfortunately, a lot more venom came with it.
To Richards, he believed there should be a new host named immediately after Trebek departed:
“I actually thought we shouldjust name a new host. But when Alex passed away, it was hard on everyone. Jeopardy! fans, the country… there’s was a whole staff of people where he was the only boss they’ve ever known. He had a place in everyone’s heart, and while we all knew he was ill, his passing was very sudden, if that makes sense. It seemed to happen quickly. We were all legitimately in mourning.”
Therefore, trying different hosts allowed them to better understand what viewers wanted and who they felt comfortable with. A focus group company came in to assist and Mike notes that Katie Couric may have been the one who got away. “She was so impressed by everyone’s knowledge. I always wondered if that was a missed opportunity, to reboot the show with her, a completely different host.” Yet, Mike did well in the testing group and was stunned to get the job:
“No one was more surprised than me. They told me, ‘We’d like you to be the host of the syndicated version of Jeopardy!‘ I paused, and said, ‘Oh wow. Thank you. What’s the media plan?’ Because I was very concerned that this was going to be scrutinized as closely as a Presidential election. There was widespread belief that whoever got the job first wouldn’t make it.”
The Firing
Mike Richards served just one day as the host of Jeopardy! after people assumed that he cast himself. Yet, that was not why he was fired. On The Price Is Right, where he had been an EP, he was named in wrongful termination and discrimination lawsuits by models on the show. He also said some ill things about marginalized communities so all of this combined led to his firing. In the end, he is satisfied with Ken Jennings as the host of the show. Finally, Mike has taken time to reflect and sit with what happened and it appears that he is in a much better place.
Do you understand why he was fired and do you think it was all for the better? Let us know and watch Jeopardy! weekdays on ABC.
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