Mike Richards fired as executive producer of ‘Jeopardy!’ just days after quitting host gig
Final Jeopardy! came quickly.
Mike Richards, the embattled “Jeopardy!” executive producer who almost replaced Alex Trebek as host of the popular game show, was fired Tuesday amid mounting criticism for sexist and anti-Semitic comments he made in the past.
The stunning announcement came just days after Richards stepped down from his short-lived role as host, a decision he and his team had hoped would be enough for critics calling for his ouster. It was not.
Sony, which produces the beloved program, decided that he was no longer able to do his job effectively and that firing him was in the best interest of the show, the Daily News has learned. He was also fired as EP of “Wheel of Fortune.”
“We had hoped that when Mike stepped down from the host position at Jeopardy! it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks. That clearly has not happened,” Suzanne Prete, Sony’s executive vice president for business and strategy, said in an internal memo to staff.
Game show vet Michael Davies has agreed to help produce “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” on an interim basis, according to Sony. Prete also said she will be “more involved in the day-to-day” work behind the shows.
“I know this has been a challenging time for the entire team, and I want to thank you all for your cooperation and professionalism over these last few weeks,” she wrote.
Richards was named as Trebek’s successor on Aug. 11 after a lengthy search for a new host. The controversial decision to name the show’s own EP as the face of the program angered many “Jeopardy!” fans, some of whom wanted to see actor LeVar Burton or actress Mayim Bialik take the job.
But the backlash intensified after a report by The Ringer revealed a series of insulting, sexist and anti-Semitic comments Richards had made years ago. One of the incidents was the subject of a 2010 lawsuit by model Brandi Cochran, who accused him of discriminating against her for being pregnant. Richards, who lost the suit, reportedly said, “I fire five models. What are the odds one of the ones that I keep gets pregnant?”
Some of the other comments that came to light in recent weeks were aired during his old podcast, “The Randumb Show,” where Richards disparaged women’s bodies, joked about Jewish stereotypes and used a slur for little people while referring to singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth. In addition, he complained that one-piece bathing suits made women look “really frumpy and overweight” and once asked his female co-host about taking “booby photos.”
After taping just one week’s worth of “Jeopardy!” shows this month, Richards apologized for his past comments and said he would step down from that role. In a bid to keep the EP job, he also agreed to undergo sensitivity training. The shows Richards recorded are still scheduled to air, beginning Sept. 13.
Bialik, who is set to host prime-time “Jeopardy!” specials, will return as guest host of the regular program as Sony resumes its search for a new permanent host.
“Jeopardy!” champion and professional gambler James Holzhauer quickly weighed in on Sony’s decision to fire Richards.
“Do I think Mike Richards’s podcast comments were appropriate for polite society? No,” he tweeted. “But did he deserve the benefit of the doubt for the job he did running Jeopardy? Also no.”
