Jeopardy! Megathread

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If Ken Jennings wants it, he should get it.

Otherwise, I don't think Brad Rutter or James Holzhauer would say no if Jeopardy asked either of them if they were interested in being the new host...

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I'm inclined to believe the right thing to do was either hire Pat Sajak, or put the show to bed without Alex.

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Mike Richards says he is stepping aside as the new daytime host of "Jeopardy!" after a series of sexist remarks he made in the past resurfaced earlier this week.

Richards, who has been the executive producer of "Jeopardy!" since 2020, was named the new daily host of the long-running game show earlier this month. Actress Mayim Bialik was named as the host for the game show's primetime events and tournaments.

"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. As such, I will be stepping down as host effective immediately," Richards said in a statement to "Jeopardy!" staff obtained by The Ringer and CNN. "As a result, we will be cancelling production today."

Since being named the permanent host of "Jeopardy!," Richards' past has come under scrutiny — including a workplace discrimination lawsuit that was levied against him during his time as a producer on "The Price is Right."

WTKR

I thought Jennings was supposed to be a shoe-in for this job? Why was he tossed aside and why do they keep teasing us?

I'd be happy if Richards was also fired as a producer.

At this point the only correct move is to give Biyalk (or another woman) the full-time hosting gig.

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Call this "cancel culture" all you want, but I don't think he was a very popular choice even before this controversy became relevant again. And he's still an executive producer on the program, so don't feel too bad.

The position of Jeopardy host is an institution and viewers probably want someone who feels like a better filler of Trebek's shoes, even if doing so completely is impossible. I don't really know who that could be though. I agree with Horus that it probably shouldn't be Mayim Bialik either. I'm not sure why her anti-vax past hasn't been dredged up more though.

The only for Sony to make this right is to fire Richards as Executive producer and bring in a full time female host. I agree that Bialik isn't a good fit...and frankly I'd let her go too if she really is anti-vax, but someone like Meredith Vieira, with her past experience on Who Wants to be a Millionaire would be a good choice.

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Richards is now out as executive producer of both Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.

Sony did the right thing here.

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Rumor has it that former Tournament of Champions winner Buzzy Cohen might be in contention for the permanent hosting gig: https://www.newsweek.com/buzzy-cohen-emerges-unlikely-jeopardy-host-frontrunner-1627790

I think he’d be good, but I don’t see how it’s not Mayim Bialik at this point, or maybe an outside chance for Jennings.

Anyway, today’s the day!

Bialik literally can't take the job unless she leaves Call me Kat, or it gets cancelled.

My guess is that it will be a woman, and Bialik will be phased out (with Call me Kat being the official excuse in favor of having a single host.

I still think the best choices in that vein are Meredith Vieria (Former host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and Today, currently hosting 25 Words or Less), Elizabeth Banks (Actress, currently hosting Press Your Luck, so we know she's willing to make room in her schedule for hosting game shows) and Vanna White (the co-hostess of Wheel of Fortune, her job is literally unnecessary on Wheel, given the electronic board. Either she should be offered the hosting position on Jeopardy, or she should be offered Johnny Gilbert's job (the chances of Johnny making it through any given season at 93 are less than 50-50, quite frankly.))

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Bialik and Jennings will cover hosting duties for the rest of this year, with Jennings (apparently) filling in when Bialik is unavailable.

That seems to indicate that the producers would prefer that Bialik become the permanent host. If her new show sputters out (which is a good possibility, given the fate of so many recent television series), then I wouldn't be surprised if she got that position.

The very idea that Jennings can lose the job because of the one Tweet joke about a hot person in a wheelchair, while Bialik, who believes that C-sections are bad and that those babies should just die instead, is a f***ing disgrace and shows how out of touch the Jeopardy producers are.

If you asked 100 people in a wheelchair whether Ken's Tweet or Bialik's statement is worse, they're almost all going to say hers.

I'm not that familiar with these controversies, although I've heard that Bialik is an anti-vaxxer. Personally, I think that Jennings should get the hosting job permanently, as I think that would best reflect Trebek's wishes. But we'll see what happens.

Ken Jennings Tweeted this in 2014:

He's deleted it recently, probably as a requirement for the job. It's admittedly not a great look for him, but in the grand scheme of things not that big of a deal. He has apologized for it.

Here's a good summary of Bialik's anti-vaccine history:
https://twitter.com/Michael_Rosch/status/1438541207395840003
Basically, she's trying to distance herself from her past anti-vaxx comments and has publicly endorsed the COVID vaccine. So problematic, but at least she's moving in the right direction.

However, this is inexcusable. She needs to issue a VERY strongly worded statement condemning this and clarifying that she doesn't really believe it, but I haven't seen her give any response.


She also had a controversial NY Times op-ed after the Harvey Weinstein scandal came out that was interpreted by many as victim blaming, as she recommended that women dress more modestly and flirt less. And some people are really bothered by her financial backing of Israeli military groups.

Anyway, all that to say that the decisionmakers must just really like Bialik on a personal level, because they're ridiculously controversy-avoidant when it comes to Jennings, one of the most beloved figures in Jeopardy history, and seemingly don't care when it comes to Bialik.

It's easy. Jennings, and Mike Richards before him are men. Bialik is a women, and Sony must think they'd be immune to criticism if they hired her (ignoring the fact there are plenty of other qualified women, like Meredith Vieria, Brooke Burns, or even Robin Roberts who could host).

[NewYorkExpress]

Current arrangement (Ken hosting regular shows and Mayim Bialik hosting specials) is staying for the rest of this season: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jeopardy-mayim-bialik-ken-jennings-to-host-through-remainder-of-season-38-1235059265/

I could see them just going with that as the permanent arrangement. Ken is a pretty good host and I don't think most people care about some stupid old tweets.

I think they're looking for an excuse to get rid of Biyalik. For whatever reason, be it her availabilty or her anti-vaxxer stance, it isn't working out.

I don't think they'll go with Ken as the sole host, and I think when they do get rid of Biyalik he'll do the prime time specials (and stuff like the Power Players Tournament and maybe annual tournaments), while someone else gets the full-time gig (I'm personally hoping for Meredith Vieria)

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With 39 games & $1,319,800 now behind her, Amy is now the sole record-holder of the 2nd-longest winning streak in J! history.

Wouldn't it be something if she breaks Ken's record while he's hosting?

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After forty consecutive victories, Amy Schneider has been defeated.

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I just now saw Wednesday's episode (I DVR them so my son and I can watch them together, usually a few days at a time) and I'm floored that Amy missed that Final.  It was an instaget for me and seemed like an easy one for someone with her breadth of knowledge.

I knew it had to be something on the Indian Subcontinent, and the only country that fits that description is Bangladesh.

I got it right and the forty day Champion didn't.

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Oh, & in hosting news, Sara Haines, host of The Chase, when asked on her insta story today about Ken not returning for this season, responded, "He is very busy with Jeopardy! and you never want to clip someone's wings. What an opportunity, well deserved," which strikes me as her being somebody who knows & probably didn't realize that she was saying too much too soon, or that it hasn't already been announced, but, yeah... the writing's on the wall, y'all! We did it! Ken4Life!

I suppose it's possible Ken didn't want to work on multiple game shows at the same time (which would mean he'd leave The Chase  no matter what unless Mayim got the sole hosting job, and Jeopardy! seems insistent on continuing with her as at least a part-time host.)

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ABC ordered a Celebrity Jeopardy! in primetime, starting next fall.While a host has not been announced, it's presumed it will be Mayim Bialik hosting.

ABC has ordered new “Jeopardy!” primetime spinoff series “Celebrity Jeopardy!” The show is set to premiere as part of the Disney-owned broadcaster’s fall slate, airing alongside “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” on Sundays.

Notably included in the announcement for “Celebrity Jeopardy!,” which came alongside ABC’s reveal of its fall 2022-2023 schedule on Tuesday, was this line: “A host will be announced at a later date.”

Craig Erwich says he “wouldn’t read anything into” the inclusion of this bit and the exclusion of Mayim Bialik’s name, as last year she was announced as the host of primetime “Jeopardy!” specials when the now-ousted Mike Richards was chosen as the full-time host. Bialik has been trading off hosting duties with Ken Jennings on the main syndicated series for several months now as the series looks for a permanent full-time replacement for Alex Trebek following his passing.




“It’s really just about the details of the announcement,” the ABC chief told Variety in an interview ahead of the schedule’s release and the order of “Celebrity Jeopardy!.” “And we just are not ready yet, but we will be soon. I wouldn’t read anything into it.”

When asked for clarification, as in if it should not be gathered from this omission that Bialik is not hosting, Erwich responded: “Correct.”

Airing Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC, “Celebrity Jeopardy!” is described as “an all-new game show” that “welcomes celebrity contestants to compete for a chance to win money for a charity of their choice.”

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I mean, would anyone be complaining if they had accepted it? Would the person who won because they didn't accept it have cried foul?

Look, I have penmanship that bad, and I'm pretty sure that it would not be accepted on Final Jeopardy.

Then again, Final Jeopardy should join the rest of the game and be verbal answers only (with exceptions being granted for contestants who are deaf/mute).

[NewYorkExpress]

The dual hosting situation between Ken Jennings and Mayim Biyalik is essentially permanent at this point.

At last, there’s a solution to the ongoing question of which host — Mayim Bialik or Ken Jennings —  will ultimately lead “Jeopardy!” The answer: Both.

Sony Pictures Entertainment has entered into long-term deals that will have the two hosts continue to split duties on the popular syndicated game show, according to a person familiar with the matter, while retaining Bialik to host primetime editions of the show as well as the new “Celebrity Jeopardy!” show expected to start up at ABC. With Sony eager to boost more versions of the program, this person says, more than one host was required. Bialik continues to work on the Fox sitcom, “Call Me Kat,” which has been scheduled for a third season.

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Was Leslie Jordan important enough to Call Me Kat, that they won't to be able to continue going forward?

The show is temporarily pausing production following Jordan's death. Assuming this means that Call Me Kat does not get a season 4, is the door open for Mayim Byalik to be sole host for Jeopardy! next season?