Justin Bullock, FISM News

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The adored gameshow Jeopardy! was met with scandal after its newly selected host, Mike Richards, stepped down when a series of disparaging comments about women, Jews, and the poor resurfaced. The remarks that many found offensive were made by Richards on his past podcast and were brought to light once he was named the new face of the show.

Richards is the executive producer of the famous gameshow and had been selected as the replacement of the legendary Alex Trebek who died due to complications with cancer in 2020. Following Richards resignation, the show announced that they would be canceled until further notice. However, earlier this week Sony Pictures Television decided to appoint actress Mayim Bialik as interim host.

Thankfully, Bialik was an easy choice for the show’s production team as she had hosted a number of one off Jeopardy! specials in the past. Bialik is most famous for her role on the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory where she played the neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler. In real life Bialik is also educated and trained as a neuroscientist and received her degree from UCLA. Sony Pictures Television announced that Bialik will host for the first few weeks of episodes that begin on September 13, 2021, but that the public should expect a variety of other guest hosts until a permanent emcee can be chosen.

Richards’ insensitive comments were given on an old podcast he hosted known as The Randumb Show, and were published in a report by the Ringer. In an internal memo Richards sent out to the employees of Jeopardy! that was obtained by Reuters, Richards said:

It pains me that these past incidents and comments have cast such a shadow on Jeopardy! as we look to start a new chapter… I want to apologize to each of you for the unwanted negative attention that has come to Jeopardy! over the last few weeks and for the confusion and delays this is now causing. I know I have a lot of work to do to regain your trust and confidence.