Ex-Jeopardy! Host and EP Mike Richards Discusses Departure From Iconic Game Show
Mike Richards
Sony Pictures Television
Former Jeopardy! showrunner and producer Mike Richards is opening up about his exit from the game show. Richards, who also served as EP for Wheel of Fortune, spoke to People about getting the gig and his decision to step down from Jeopardy! in 2021.
Numerous celebs stepped in to guest host after Alex Trebek's death, but Richards ended up getting the job. He recalled:
Everyone was so angry because it looked like I had gone into a room and picked myself. And that's not what happens in television, but I understood that that's what the outward appearances were.
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However, he said he only hosted for one day before people began to call for examination of sexist and racist comments made on a podcast he formerly hosted. Richards ended up leaving the show. He mused:
He also says that a lot of what was written about him was half-true, or taken out of context. "But by then everyone was like, 'Oh he's just a horrible person.'"
Richards, who's a fan of Ken Jennings as host, shared his thoughts on his public exit. He mused:
Why I am talking now is that I feel like I can be a force for good as far as having open, honest conversations. We can all disagree about a lot of things. We can disagree about politics, we can disagree about who hosts Jeopardy!. We can disagree about liking a final Jeopardy! clue. And we should. But I felt like there was a this rush to judgment, and a lot of people got joy in saying, 'I got you.'
