I’ll take snarky comments for $100. That’s the attitude displayed so far by Hollywood reactions to the news that Mike Richards has stepped down as the host of Jeopardy! after one show.
Richards, a controversial choice ever since he was announced as the host that would replace longtime face of the show Alex Trebek, decided today to step down and reopen the search for a new host. That’s after a devasating expose of past sexist and off-color comments made during a podcast some seven years ago left his position untenable. He will stay on as the show’s executive producer.
The online world gave him a hearty and unsentimental send-off today after the news broke, including a dig by former Jeopardy! champion James Holzhauer. But at least one celebrity (a former tryout for the how hosting duties) found a reason to smile.
A few of the comments:
Happy Friday, y’all!
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) August 20, 2021
Mike Richards is living a Twilight Zone episode about a white guy who finally found someone to listen to his podcast.
— Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) August 20, 2021
Mike Richards should be removed as an Exec Producer of Jeopardy simply for not realizing what an inappropriate choice Mike Richards would be as host. He must have known what Mike Richards had said on that podcast.
— (((Joshua Malina))) (@JoshMalina) August 20, 2021
Mike Richards is staying on as EP of Jeopardy and therefore I would pay a thousand dollars to get to watch the production meeting on the new host’s first day.
— Daniel Powell (@danieljpowell) August 20, 2021
Me enjoying watching @Jeopardy tarnish its legacy a little more every day with each new #MikeRichards revelation: pic.twitter.com/fcVOz4Raln
— Eric Haywood (@EricHaywood) August 19, 2021
When LeVar Burton see Mike Richards at the Jeopardy office pic.twitter.com/dMUqqxXDu3
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) August 20, 2021
My favorite part of the Jeopardy story is all of the folks acting like Mike Richards is the first underqualified white guy with skeletons in his closet to be hired over a bunch of better qualified people.
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) August 19, 2021
I was really looking forward to the season premiere where after an exhaustive 61-clue search for the next Jeopardy champion, the show looks past the three obvious candidates and declares Mike Richards the winner
— James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) August 20, 2021