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Mike Richards, the favorite to replace the late “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, tries to set the record straight, but doesn’t do himself any favors.
Richards, who is also the show’s executive producer, faced numerous allegations he mistreated workers while working at “The Price is Right” in the 2010s. In an internal post to “Jeopardy ! ” staff dispatched Monday morning, Richards confirmed that he had been offered the role of host, although “no final decision has been made. He also defended himself against the recent uncovering of a past lawsuit. against him, from a woman named Brandi Cochran who says Richard hit back at her when she told him she was pregnant with twins.
According to Cochran’s complaint, filed in 2010, “Cochran revealed she was carrying twins,” and Richards “put his face in his hands. He asked her twice, annoyingly, ‘Twins? Are you serious? … You ‘are you serious?’ After that, Cochran was booked to work less often and has been removed several times from acts in which she would have appeared previously. ” The lawsuit was settled in 2016.
Another former “Price is Right” employee, model Lanisha Cole, also filed a complaint in 2011, in which she alleged that she was “wrongly fired, constantly humiliated and berated in front of her peers by Richards and a other producer “.
Discrimination during pregnancy and the abuse of women in the workplace has long been rampant in the entertainment industry and only started to be tackled recently with the rise of #MeToo a few years ago. Yet in Richards’ Monday email he said “Jeopardy!” personal, he denied these allegations:
I want you all to know that the way my comments and actions were characterized in these complaints does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on “The Price is Right”. I know how special it is to be a parent. It’s the most important thing in the world for me. I wouldn’t say anything to disrespect anyone’s pregnancy and have always supported my colleagues in their parenting journey.
As if news of Richards as the next likely host of “Jeopardy!” Hadn’t already received a lukewarm reception, especially from fans who have long sought a charming celebrity host like LeVar Burton to take over, the overhaul of abuse allegations from Richards’ past has been particularly disappointing. Trebek had suggested in 2018 that he would like to be replaced by Laura Coates, a black woman.
As fans campaigned for Burton’s permanent installment to “Jeopardy!” podium, even circulating a high-profile petition, Richards drew the opposite reaction. In a Change.org petition launched a week ago that has amassed over 1,000 signatures, the message is clear:
“‘Danger!’ fans everywhere, our future is on the line. It’s not a job, it’s a tenure, and Mike Richards would be the favorite to be the new permanent host of “Jeopardy!” It’s the entertaining equivalent of the crime of In short, it’s a crime.
Over the months of guest hosting on “Jeopardy!” Since Trebek’s death last November, while mourning Trebek’s absence, many fans have been excited about the opportunity to embrace more diversity in the series and someone who embodies the spirit of intellectualism and curiosity of the series. Some of its most notable guest hosts include Burton, Robin Roberts, and even CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Fox Sports host Joe Buck will host the show this week.
Through it all, Burton, who has openly expressed interest in being named Trebek’s successor, has been a decisive fan favorite, and it’s not hard to see why. Last week, shortly after learning that Richards would likely be the next host, Burton tweeted his gratitude to fans and the series: “I have said several times over the past few weeks that no matter what the outcome, I won,” he wrote. “The outpouring of love and support from family, friends and fans has been amazing! If love is the ultimate blessing and I believe it is, I am truly blessed beyond all measure.”
Despite the controversy and, among some fans, disappointment over Richard’s likely status as the next “Jeopardy!” host, there is no sign yet that he is going anywhere. According to CNN, Sony is expected to officially name a new host by September, when the show begins production on its next season.
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