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Mike Richards, the executive producer and favorite to become the permanent host of Danger, was involved in a discrimination lawsuit ten years ago over his decision to fire a former The price is right fashion model who got pregnant.
While Danger Producers Sony Pictures Television have yet to officially confirm that Richards will replace the late Alex Trebek as full-time host of the syndicated show, news broke on Wednesday that he was the lead contender for the job. Sources say Sony is still considering other options, but an announcement about a permanent host is imminent.
Richards was just one of many invited hosts to effectively audition for the guest host position. Among the others, fan favorite LeVar Burton, former Danger champions David Faber, Buzzy Cohen and Ken Jennings, as well as Savannah Guthrie, Sanjay Gupta, Anderson Cooper, Mayim Bialik, Aaron Rodgers, Dr. Oz, Katie Couric, George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts and Joe Buck. Of the group, Bialik and Cohen are also reportedly among those still considering replacing Trebek, who hosted the beloved trivia show for 36 years. Sources have already said THR that Burton was a favorite to win the role full time. Burton appeared to acknowledge that he would not get the full-time job in a Tweeter Thusday.
As for Richards, he arrived at Sony with a global deal in 2019 after spending a decade each on The price is right and Let’s make a deal. He has experience hosting on the Sony Supported Game Show Network Split and The pyramid as well as the CW High school reunion and the WB network Beauty and the Geek.
During his tenure as co-executive producer of The price is right, Richards’ alleged views of his female workers came to the fore in a discrimination lawsuit filed by Brandi Cochran in 2010 against CBS and FremantleMedia.
Cochran was a model on the show, but after taking pregnancy leave she was not invited to join The price is right. She claimed to have been discriminated against in connection with pregnancy.
Richards, who had assumed production responsibilities at The price is right in 2008 attempted a more active role for models on the game show. Unlike when Bob Barker introduced the game show, Richards wanted the models to interact with new host Drew Carey and the show’s contestants. Richards even considered having microphones on the models so the audience could hear them speak.
But as a California appeals court would later note, there was evidence that Richards harbored animosity related to the pregnancy. In particular, there was a Christmas party in 2008 where he lamented the effect of Cochran’s pregnancy on the staff. “Go figure, I’m firing five models, what are the chances that one of the ones I keep will get pregnant?” “
Cochran said she originally kept her pregnancy a secret because she didn’t want to be fired. Later, she told the others that she was pregnant with twins. When Cochran did, she said, Richards “put his head in his hands.” The next day, Richards reportedly ran up to her and said, “Twins? Are you kidding? Are you serious?”
Richards has defended against rehire Cochran (who miscarried with one of the twins and pointed out the stress she endured) due to the changing format of the show. At trial, he said the series relied on fewer role models and that while Cochran was a “good role model” it “would not get us to good ones.”
A jury sided with Cochran and awarded him $ 8.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages. It was a historic verdict at the time, but one that was short-lived as a judge later overturned the verdict for poor jury instruction. (The judge was confused about the standards in discrimination cases – something that would ultimately be dealt with last year by the Supreme Court in a major case against Comcast.) FremantleMedia wanted more from the trial judge. The producer insisted that based on the evidence, including Richards’ testimony, the judge should have inflicted a loss on Cochran. FremantleMedia therefore appealed. In a victory for Cochran, the appeals court ruled that there was enough evidence for a second trial. The matter was then settled.
While Richards was producing the show, she faced other allegations of pregnancy discrimination beyond those made by Cochran. They did not succeed.
Sony declined to comment.
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