Poll

Your Favorite Guest Host(s)

Ken Jennings
48 (21.2%)
Mike Richards
16 (7.1%)
Katie Couric
2 (0.9%)
Dr. Mehmet Oz
2 (0.9%)
Aaron Rodgers
14 (6.2%)
Anderson Cooper
13 (5.8%)
Bill Whitaker
2 (0.9%)
Buzzy Cohen
23 (10.2%)
Mayim Bialik
41 (18.1%)
Savannah Guthrie
3 (1.3%)
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
5 (2.2%)
George Stephanopoulos
5 (2.2%)
Robin Roberts
6 (2.7%)
Levar Burton
12 (5.3%)
David Faber
26 (11.5%)
Joe Buck
8 (3.5%)

Total Members Voted: 80

Author Topic: Jeopardy! Post-Alex Discussion Post  (Read 104227 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Roadgeek Adam

  • Moderator
  • *******
  • Posts: 4766
  • I am the modren recapper. Domo arigato.
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #60 on: January 15, 2021, 03:41:45 PM »
Roger is stuck in his old school 1970s ways and his base there for the most part believe every bit of the drool that comes out of his mouth.

Mike Richards did a lot for Price and for Drew. Roger was definitely limiting Drew's abilities a bit. Now the thing is running at a well-oiled machine, even if it involves editing.

Rather see more of what Mike Richards did to Price than what Roger did because then we'd end up with a daytime equivalent of Wheel that's struggling.


But yes, people are vocally against Mike for the same reasons they take everything Roger says as god.
Season 41–Season 43, Season 46–Present Recap Guide.
Headmaster of Golden-Road.net After Hours on Skype.
Masters of Arts in History, Western Illinois University, 2017.
[No, modren is not a typo.]

Offline name456

  • In the Audience
  • **
  • Posts: 50
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #61 on: January 15, 2021, 03:55:47 PM »
Roger is stuck in his old school 1970s ways and his base there for the most part believe every bit of the drool that comes out of his mouth.

Mike Richards did a lot for Price and for Drew. Roger was definitely limiting Drew's abilities a bit. Now the thing is running at a well-oiled machine, even if it involves editing.

Rather see more of what Mike Richards did to Price than what Roger did because then we'd end up with a daytime equivalent of Wheel that's struggling.


But yes, people are vocally against Mike for the same reasons they take everything Roger says as god.

I would disagree with that. Live to tape gave it a much more natural feel. Now they can chop it to bits, sometimes with very noticeable and choppy edits, and it just feels fake, like a sitcom or talk show.

I don’t think Mike helped Drew’s hosting much either.

Offline GRWHAMMY the 2nd

  • Walking the Golden Road
  • ****
  • Posts: 428
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #62 on: January 15, 2021, 04:30:38 PM »
i used to like Roger, but then i realized that times change, and so should the show

Offline therealcu2010

  • Director
  • **********
  • Posts: 5652
  • Acknowledge Me!
    • Buy a Vowel Boards, A Wheel of Fortune Community
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #63 on: January 15, 2021, 05:05:40 PM »
Folks, we've veered off topic... this is a discussion about Jeopardy! and it's upcoming guest hosts, not a discussion about who was the better producer of another show entirely. Get back on topic please!
"Nobody cares about the guest stars." - Roger Dobkowitz

"Change isn't always good. Sometimes changing things is a terrible mistake." - Bob Barker

People are tired of the f**kery and drama, but if we'd actually talk to each other sometimes instead of a whole bunch of private conversations with other people, it'd go a long way to perhaps fixing the problems most seem to see in the site.

Offline jude_este

  • Walking the Golden Road
  • ****
  • Posts: 358
  • Camp Old School Sci-Fi
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #64 on: January 16, 2021, 01:46:37 PM »
Thank you for stepping in therealchu2010, as like others, I do not want this to be another Mike bashing thread. And to get back on topic, it's now Katie Couric whose getting attention about comments that she made on last night's Real Time With Bill Maher. No need to explain more about it due to the comments Kaite made is about two politicians.

Offline imhomerjay

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 2038
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #65 on: January 16, 2021, 09:47:38 PM »
Some people will complain about anything someone says, or ever said. Social media magnifies it out of proportion and makes people think it’s a bigger deal than it is. Tune out the noise.

Offline Flerbert419

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 2805
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #66 on: January 17, 2021, 08:50:03 AM »
I have trouble understanding why so many on this board seem to dislike Mike Richards.

Here's my two issues with the way Mike has handled the current situation (and it relates to J! so it's on topic):

1. I do not agree that he should have been the "voice of the show" when Alex passed away. I understand he is the current executive producer, but by all indications he knew Alex for a very short time. We know Mike only worked with him for a period of months. For the media appearances and tribute, give me somebody who Alex worked with for 30+ years and who actually knew the man. Mike also has a tendency to be robotic in front of the camera which did not work well for me in this emotional situation. Harry Friedman would have been a better choice!

2. Inserting himself into the guest host spot looks like he is taking advantage of Alex's death to further his own career ambitions. If he was not EP and he got slotted in that would be one thing, but who's going to tell the boss he can't host? Maybe they are in a jam for guests hosts and he's stepping up to save the day, but it looks like just another line on his IMDb page to help him land his next gig.
"The most famous game on The Price is Right is Plinko..." "Which I don't get, honestly."
~ Drew Carey to Chris Wallace, aired January 26, 2024

Offline PatrickRox80

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 5027
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #67 on: January 17, 2021, 10:49:40 AM »
1. I do not agree that he should have been the "voice of the show" when Alex passed away. I understand he is the current executive producer, but by all indications he knew Alex for a very short time. We know Mike only worked with him for a period of months. For the media appearances and tribute, give me somebody who Alex worked with for 30+ years and who actually knew the man. Mike also has a tendency to be robotic in front of the camera which did not work well for me in this emotional situation. Harry Friedman would have been a better choice!

2. Inserting himself into the guest host spot looks like he is taking advantage of Alex's death to further his own career ambitions. If he was not EP and he got slotted in that would be one thing, but who's going to tell the boss he can't host? Maybe they are in a jam for guests hosts and he's stepping up to save the day, but it looks like just another line on his IMDb page to help him land his next gig.

#1 I can understand. The show's been running for 36 years, so many of its longer-tenured staff members are either already retired, too old or uncomfortable to speak about it on camera or also deceased. It doesn't help that Alex passed away in the midst of a pandemic with many restrictions still in place. Mike Richards is the face of the show and as EP would be the most likely person on the current staff to say something announcing Alex's passing. It helps that Mike's had television experience on the camera and off.

This brings me to #2. It doesn't surprise me that Mike would take advantage of Alex's death to boost his hosting resume. Prior to last year, he had zero association with Jeopardy! and only got to know Alex for a few months. As emotional as his speech was, I can't look at him the same way without thinking he's full of it. This also confirms that Mike still has a misguided moral compass. He's had it since he allowed Jenny McCarthy to play on Price because she's "a great advocate for what she believes in".

But as we've seen with Katie Couric, guest hosts can have worse publicity than Mike. Ken Jennings was known to have similar baggage but not to the same extent.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2021, 10:55:21 AM by PatrickRox80 »

Offline imhomerjay

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 2038
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #68 on: January 17, 2021, 12:00:23 PM »
An incredibly minute number of people know who the executive producer is, nor when they took over. Fewer still care that he delivered the remarks. It matters that the remarks were delivered, and were delivered tactfully and sincerely. It makes perfect sense to have the person with that title make them, whether in the role for three months, three years or three decades.

Second, the presumption that anyone is trying to boost their resume in the absence of any actual evidence to that effect is unfounded. It is possible for one to respect the game, to respect the legacy and to do what is necessary to ensure the game goes on with the particular skill set they possess. We don't know the logistical challenges of lining up schedules for guest hosts while maintaining production schedule in the midst of covid.

If there's a moral compass that may not be pointing true north, it could be in the presumption of selfish intent where there is no evidence any exists, based on preconceptions and personal animus.   

Offline thepriceis_J

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 2642
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #69 on: January 17, 2021, 03:23:26 PM »
1. I do not agree that he should have been the "voice of the show" when Alex passed away. I understand he is the current executive producer, but by all indications he knew Alex for a very short time. We know Mike only worked with him for a period of months. For the media appearances and tribute, give me somebody who Alex worked with for 30+ years and who actually knew the man. Mike also has a tendency to be robotic in front of the camera which did not work well for me in this emotional situation. Harry Friedman would have been a better choice!
It's a tough situation. But they had literally one/two days to put together that video message and get it in the show and the fact of the matter is that Harry no longer works for the show. In the immediate aftermath, someone that represents the show needs to be out in front and, even though he's new, that person is Mike Richards. He's the boss, he's earned that role and that privilege. If, down the line, they have Harry film some remarks and put it together with remarks from others that worked with Alex longer like Johnny and the Clue Crew (past and present), then that's fine. But Mike runs the show, he's not the face of it, but he is representative of it. That's like saying Bill Clinton should've delivered remarks on 9/11 instead of George Bush because Bush had only been on the job for nine months.

2. Inserting himself into the guest host spot looks like he is taking advantage of Alex's death to further his own career ambitions. If he was not EP and he got slotted in that would be one thing, but who's going to tell the boss he can't host? Maybe they are in a jam for guests hosts and he's stepping up to save the day, but it looks like just another line on his IMDb page to help him land his next gig.
See, the only reason we're talking about him this way is because we're more familiar with him. Numerous people have reportedly had their agents reach out to Jeopardy about the position. It's surprised the agents because they thought Ken was heir apparent. And because the show has to keep filming without taking much of a break, any time after Alex's death is probably a little disingenuous, but it has to happen unless production should've just been shuttered for the rest of the season (which some probably want). And yeah, I get that he's the "boss", but he has a boss too and he's not in charge of the host search. Someone else from Sony is. I forget the name, but they've been mentioned in articles.

This brings me to #2. It doesn't surprise me that Mike would take advantage of Alex's death to boost his hosting resume. Prior to last year, he had zero association with Jeopardy! and only got to know Alex for a few months. As emotional as his speech was, I can't look at him the same way without thinking he's full of it. This also confirms that Mike still has a misguided moral compass. He's had it since he allowed Jenny McCarthy to play on Price because she's "a great advocate for what she believes in".
The fact of the matter is that the timing was just terrible. Of course he had no association with Jeopardy, he didn't work for Sony. He was hired to literally run the show, so that takes his association from zero to 100% automatically, whether we may like it or not. That's how it works. Again, you can say this about first time politicians or any elected President. They had zero association with the office, but once they're installed, they now represent that office and have to make the decisions. No matter how long they've been in the post.

And setting aside the McCarthy decision, this is no indicator of his moral compass. He's someone who has more experience in hosting than *any* of the guest hosts. Like, so far, none of them to my knowledge have hosted a game show. Ken's done quizbowl, and Katie and Bill Whitaker have newsreading, but that's it. It makes total sense for Sony to turn to someone in house that they're already paying who they know has been on camera hosting a game show before to do a few weeks since things aren't as set in stone with Ken as we would've first thought.

*Somebody* has to represent and host this show and it seems like everyone's like "not Mike" because he's too new, but that's just the way it is. He was hired specifically to guide this show (and Wheel), he has to that job in this tough situation.

Also, I'm pretty sure everyone that stands behind that podium knows of the gravitas of the position and wants to make sure they honor Alex. We all loved Alex. But I'm also pretty sure they realize how impressive it will be to have hosting this program on their resume. And this is show biz, every decision everyone makes is pretty much done to pump up their credentials.
"WHO GOT BIRDS?" - Snoop Dogg
Coming on Down since Season 20!
Season 13 & 14 CSS Champion

Me: Of all of the game shows you've hosted, besides Jeopardy!, like High Rollers or Classic Concentration, which is your favorite?
Alex Trebek: I'd have to say To Tell The Truth, because it was the first time in my career that I got to sit down while I was hosting.

Offline JayC

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 5913
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #70 on: January 17, 2021, 03:34:27 PM »
The fact of the matter is that the timing was just terrible. Of course he had no association with Jeopardy, he didn't work for Sony. He was hired to literally run the show, so that takes his association from zero to 100% automatically, whether we may like it or not. That's how it works. Again, you can say this about first time politicians or any elected President. They had zero association with the office, but once they're installed, they now represent that office and have to make the decisions. No matter how long they've been in the post.
Mike Richards joined Sony in 2019 a year before taking over as EP of Jeopardy and Wheel, so he didn't come in when they resumed taping this summer completely new to Sony. Not sure if Sony had the intention of him eventually taking over for Harry Friedman after his retirement, but it's possible that and him taking over for either Alex or Pat Sajak was a reason to bring him in as well. It's also possible they needed someone between Ken and Katie Couric or whoever the next guest host was to host as a stopgap and Mike hosting was a simplest solution.

Offline pricefan18

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 1916
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #71 on: January 17, 2021, 04:10:05 PM »
Mike Richards joined Sony in 2019 a year before taking over as EP of Jeopardy and Wheel, so he didn't come in when they resumed taping this summer completely new to Sony. Not sure if Sony had the intention of him eventually taking over for Harry Friedman after his retirement, but it's possible that and him taking over for either Alex or Pat Sajak was a reason to bring him in as well. It's also possible they needed someone between Ken and Katie Couric or whoever the next guest host was to host as a stopgap and Mike hosting was a simplest solution.

This is my thinking, be it his idea or someone else's, it'd only make sense. Also as an aside, I don't think you can really compare this job transition to the Presidency. It's a vastly different thing and expectations there would be way different than here in an instance like this. I'd even suspect in a normal year, there may have even been an appearance from Harry Friedman, but who knows for sure. Coulda gone the same way even then, hard to say. I could see it at least being possible though.

Offline thepriceis_J

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 2642
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #72 on: January 17, 2021, 06:39:18 PM »
Mike Richards joined Sony in 2019 a year before taking over as EP of Jeopardy and Wheel, so he didn't come in when they resumed taping this summer completely new to Sony. Not sure if Sony had the intention of him eventually taking over for Harry Friedman after his retirement, but it's possible that and him taking over for either Alex or Pat Sajak was a reason to bring him in as well.
I suspect this was solely due to transitioning from Fremantle to Sony and whatever conditions were in his contract for either company. His hiring at Sony was specifically to take over for the outgoing Harry Friedman on Jeopardy and Wheel and announced as such not long after he started. Now, we can speculate as to why they hired him, the best bet being that they saw how he got Price back on its feet after Bob's retirement/Drew's early seasons and wanted him to do the same for J!/Wheel when the time came for Pat and Alex to retire. Because regardless of Alex's health, both were/are reaching the point where that time would come sooner rather than later.

Also as an aside, I don't think you can really compare this job transition to the Presidency. It's a vastly different thing and expectations there would be way different than here in an instance like this.
My point was to draw parallels to representation and familiarity and not specifically the importance of the jobs. In perspective, of course the positions and instances are vastly different, but there's no denying that, under normal circumstances, people would be more familiar with the outgoing person in a position than the incoming person. But the outgoing person doesn't come back and step into the spotlight just because the incoming person is so new (unless your name is Jay Leno).
"WHO GOT BIRDS?" - Snoop Dogg
Coming on Down since Season 20!
Season 13 & 14 CSS Champion

Me: Of all of the game shows you've hosted, besides Jeopardy!, like High Rollers or Classic Concentration, which is your favorite?
Alex Trebek: I'd have to say To Tell The Truth, because it was the first time in my career that I got to sit down while I was hosting.

Offline EaglesWings4500

  • In the Audience
  • **
  • Posts: 91
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #73 on: January 17, 2021, 08:55:49 PM »
What about Chuck Wolley as guest host?

Online Trevor Tuominen

  • In Contestant's Row
  • ***
  • Posts: 156
Re: Jeopardy To Resume Taping On 11/30 With Interim Guest Hosts
« Reply #74 on: January 17, 2021, 09:41:51 PM »
Yeah...no chance that ever happens. I’m assuming that’s a joke.
"Take your job seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously." - Alex Trebek, 1940-2020

Icon by Siahri!