The scandal-ridden television producer has lost two major jobs following backlash after his inappropriate comments about women, Jewish, and Asian resurfaced.
- Sep 1, 2021
AceShowbiz - "Jeopardy!" bosses have fired Mike Richards from his executive producer role, after the beleaguered executive stepped down from his new job as host.
Richards beat out fan favourites like actor LeVar Burton and former contestant Ken Jennings to the job as presenter of the programme, after longtime beloved host Alex Trebek died in November (20).
But days after the announcement, an article in The Ringer detailed inappropriate comments about women, and Jewish and Asian people Mike shared on "The Randumb Show", a podcast he hosted from 2013 to 2014, and on 20 August, Richards voluntarily stepped down as the new host of the popular quiz show, though he remained on staff as executive producer.
Now executives at Sony Pictures Television have sent him packing, and he's also losing his producer role on another U.S. game show, "Wheel of Fortune".
On Tuesday (31Aug21), Suzanne Prete, Executive Vice President of Business and Strategy for both programmes, sent staff an internal memo announcing that Richards had been let go, effective immediately, Deadline reports.
Embassy Row boss Michael Davies will take over both shows in the interim.
In her memo, Prete wrote that despite Richards having surrendered his self-appointed hosting duties, the "disruption and internal difficulties" continued on "Jeopardy!".
Deadline also reports the controversial producer was "too compromised" and that he no longer had "internal or external support."
Mayim Bialik, who was named earlier this month (Aug21) as host of the Jeopardy! primetime and spinoff series, will fill in as the regular emcee for at least the next three weeks.
