After weeks of guest hosts on B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� that included celebrities from TV, sports and journalism, the daily syndicated quiz show chose its executive producer, Mike Richards, as the successor to beloved host Alex Trebek.
But after fan backlash to a selection process that turned messy in recent weeks, producer Sony split the pie by naming another guest host, actor Mayim Bialik, as emcee for B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� prime-time and spinoff series, including a new college championship.
In another nod to B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� devotees, longest winning-streak champion Ken Jennings will return as a consulting producer.
Richards will retain executive producing duties for B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淲heel of Fortune,B次元官网网址� Sony Pictures Television said in a statement Wednesday. The studio also appeared to deflect the idea that it was bowing to the dismay that some fans expressed when word leaked last week that Richards would be the pick.
B次元官网网址淲e knew early on that we wanted to divide the hosting responsibilities and it became very clear that Mike and Mayim were the undeniable choices. They were both at the top of our research and analysis,B次元官网网址� said Ravi Ahuja, Chairman of Global Television Studios for Sony Pictures. B次元官网网址淲e took this decision incredibly seriously.B次元官网网址�
In his guest-host appearances, Ahuja said Richards was B次元官网网址渁t ease behind the podium and a double threat as producer and host. Mayim has a wonderful energy, an innate sense of the game, and an authentic curiosity that naturally represents the B次元官网网址楯eopardy!B次元官网网址� brand.B次元官网网址�
Richards was the second of the temp hosts who filled the void left by TrebekB次元官网网址檚 death, with B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� champs Jennings and Buzzy Cohen, actors Bialik and LeVar Burton, NFL player Aaron Rodgers and TV journalists among the others.
The studio didnB次元官网网址檛 break the game-show mold by choosing Richards. White male hosts have long been the convention, with a few women (among them Meredith Vieira, Jane Lynch, Leslie Jones) and a larger contingent of Black men (Wayne Brady, Steve Harvey, Anthony Anderson) making inroads in recent years.
Richards has an extensive, Emmy Award-winning game show resume. He was the executive producer of B次元官网网址淭he Price is RightB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 Make a DealB次元官网网址� for more than a decade and produced the 2020 revival of B次元官网网址淲ho Wants to Be a Millionaire.B次元官网网址� His on-camera experience includes hosting B次元官网网址淭he PyramidB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淏eauty and the Geek,B次元官网网址� a reality show.
He joined B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� as the replacement for retiring executive producer Harry Friedman starting with the 2020-21 season, and was in the job for only a few months when Trebek, 80, died last November of pancreatic cancer.
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Jennings, who holds the record for most regular-game winnings with $2.52 million and the longest winning-streak, 74 games, had been considered a frontrunner, along with Cohen and Bialik (B次元官网网址淭he Big Bang TheoryB次元官网网址�). Burton had his own chorus of supporters, including the petitioners whom he credits with getting him on the show last month.
Sony had been handing the transition gracefully: The show regularly saluted TrebekB次元官网网址檚 legacy, made charitable donations in his memory and framed the succession of guest hosts as a chance for viewers to adapt to change and, just maybe, have a hand in the choice.
In interviews, Richards portrayed himself as a relative bystander in the process, one who had stepped in as guest host only when needed.
When Variety reported last week that he was close to signing a deal, fans and observers questioned whether the supposed audition and selection process was a stunt, with the conclusion foregone. They also expressed doubt that Richards was right for the job.
There were other candidates with the gravitas and resume that B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� and its viewers deserve, said Andy Saunders, a longtime viewer and administrator for The Jeopardy! Fan website.
Richards will have to earn the respect already accorded to others who tried out, Saunders said. HeB次元官网网址檒l still watch the show as the siteB次元官网网址檚 operator, but said, B次元官网网址淚 would certainly not begrudge any other viewer who would choose to tune out.B次元官网网址�
Filling the hostB次元官网网址檚 job was never easy. Affection for the Canadian-born Trebek made finding a replacement both a gesture of regard for him as well as a business decision. Viewership shifted under the guest hosts, but B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� remains among the top-ranked syndicated programs.
Trebek helped build the showB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渄isplay of excellence with his own excellence,B次元官网网址� said Deepak Sarma, a Case Western Reserve University professor and Netflix cultural consultant. B次元官网网址淎nyone who is going to take his position will be judged in the end against this model of perfection.B次元官网网址�
When Richards spoke to The Associated Press in May, he asked that viewers give the new host a fair shot.
B次元官网网址淢y hope is that whoever is chosen will be given a chance to prove why they were chosen, without too much static,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淯ltimately, we are trying to put out the best product for our fans.B次元官网网址�
In a statement Wednesday, Richards said he was honored to be chosen for the job and promised to adhere to TrebekB次元官网网址檚 belief that B次元官网网址渢he game itself and the contestants are the most important aspects of the show.B次元官网网址�
Bialik, who played a scientist on B次元官网网址淭he Big Bang TheoryB次元官网网址� sitcom and is one in real life, was among the fan favorites to succeed Trebek.
B次元官网网址淲hat started out with my 15-year-old repeating a rumor from Instagram that I should guest host the show has turned into one of the most exciting and surreal opportunities of my life!B次元官网网址� she said in a statement.
SheB次元官网网址檒l be host of B次元官网网址淛eopardy! National College Championship,B次元官网网址� which Sony announced Wednesday. The prime-time ABC show will feature 15 colleges from across the country competing over two weeks.
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Lynn Elber, The Associated Press
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