Where Jeopardy! ex-host Mike Richards is now – from high-powered producer to disgraced recluse
BEFORE Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings began their quests to replace Alex Trebek as the permanent host of Jeopardy!, there was Mike Richards.
The former executive producer of the show was originally named the first official replacement for Alex, after the game show legend passed away in 2020.
On August 11, 2021, Mike was introduced as the new permanent host of the daily version of the show, with Mayim only expected to host a few prime-time specials and spinoffs.
But Mike's run behind the podium lasted a total of one week, before he was forced to step down after controversial comments he had made in the past about his co-host Beth Triffon during his The Randumb Show podcast resurfaced.
Enter Ken Jennings as emergency replacement.
The so-called Jeopardy! G.O.A.T. joined Mayim, and the two were named interim hosts through the end of the 2021-2022 season.
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Meanwhile, Mike tried to return to his producing roots for both Jeopardy! and sister show Wheel of Fortune, but less than two weeks after being replaced as host, he was fired from both shows completely.
Since then, Mike has led an apparently quiet professional life.
The now 46-year-old's was an episode of Wheel of Fortune taped months ago, but only first aired in April 2022.
Mike was born and raised in Burbank, California, near the studio homes of the game shows for which he would eventually work.
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He and his wife, Stephanie, have two sons.
CAREER IN JEOPARDY
In August, executives confirmed that Mike had stepped down from his roles, adding that the decision was "effective immediately."
"We had hopes 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," a memo from Sony Pictures Television revealed. "That clearly has not happened."
In a statement resigning from his position as host, Mike added: "I was deeply honored to be asked to host the syndicated show and was thrilled by the opportunity to expand my role.
"However, over the last several days it has become clear that moving forward as host would be too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show."
In a separate statement, the disgraced producer addressed the severe backlash over his comments.
"It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago," he said. "Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry."
He added: "The podcast was intended to be a series of irreverent conversations between longtime friends who had a history of joking around."
"Even with the passage of time, it’s more than clear that my attempts to be funny and provocative were not acceptable, and I have removed the episodes."
WHAT DID MIKE SAY?
According to , Mike previously made controversial comments about his podcast co-host Beth Triffon.
Among other things, Mike dubbed Beth as a “booth ho,” “booth slut” and “boothstitute.”
In another episode, Mike discussed a photo of Beth and her friends as he called the group “really frumpy and overweight” and said “they all look terrible in the picture … they look fat and not good in the picture.”
He was also accused of making several racist and anti-semitic jokes, attempting to justify them as humor.
After his resignation, Mayim's role was expanded. And Ken came on board as well.
MAYIM VS. KEN
The debate over who should become the singular, permanent host, ignited almost immediately, with a majority of fans flocking to the former record-setting contestant.
But as Ken now begins a months-long sabbatical from the syndicated show, outraged fans are demanding he return full-time, calling the former Blossom star a "terrible" host.
One wrote: “Why is Mayim Bialik hosting Jeopardy again?
“She is not funny, she has more money than most TV personalities, she endorses a terrible product and should concentrate on other things rather than hosting Jeopardy, which she is terrible at. Please bring back Ken Jennings!”
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A second agreed: “Please, Jeopardy, I beg of you: Name Ken Jennings as host immediately and stop this Mayim Bialik farce."
A third shared: “Mayim Bialik has been hosting Jeopardy on and off for about a year at this point and still sucks at hosting. Remarkable stuff.”
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