Jeopardy! Post-Alex Discussion Post

[GameShowFan1987]

As someone who admittedly doesn't watch Jeopardy on any sort of regular basis, I'm willing to see how Mike does as the new permanent host. Would he have been my choice? No, but it does make sense. He has prior game show hosting experience, he's been a successful executive producer of game shows, and he clearly has a passion for them. It's pretty clear to me that he's wanted to host his own show for quite some time considering he auditioned for Price back in 2007 and had a short stint with "The Pyramid" in 2012. Now he's got one and I wish him well with it. To the naysayers, I realize Mike left a bad taste in people's mouths, mine included, when he first became EP of Price because he started making changes and there was fear that the show would fail because of it. It didn't. Maybe things were a bit rocky at first but they smoothed out. Season 50 is starting in just a few weeks and, pandemic conditions aside, it's still the same show and it's still strong and that's due in no small part to Mike. The correct response: What is "Good luck, Mike."?

[imhomerjay]

I generally don’t trust TMZ, like…at all…but let’s suppose they’re right about this.

https://amp.tmz.com/2021/08/13/mayim-bialik-top-choice-jeopardy-host-sony-execs-other-commitments/?__twitter_impression=true

This adds a new wrinkle.

[Casey]

My thought through this ever since the announcement is that maybe Mike will be the syndicated host until Mayim is either able or willing to commit to hosting it, and by that time, audiences will already be familiar with her style from hosting the prime time specials and whatever else she does.

Handing the hosting baton to her from Mike would be pretty easy since she'll already be experienced by that point.

[JayC]

I generally don’t trust TMZ, like…at all…but let’s suppose they’re right about this.

https://amp.tmz.com/2021/08/13/mayim-bialik-top-choice-jeopardy-host-sony-execs-other-commitments/?__twitter_impression=true

This adds a new wrinkle.

I guess it's possible, though it just seems like something that is too convenient of a story given the reaction to Mike ultimately getting the job.

[imhomerjay]

There is enough wiggle room in the sourcing and description to drive a big rig through. That’s one reason to be very dubious. But if, big if, it’s true…well….

Ok, let’s play it out. They wanted her, she can’t add the full time commitment. Who could you hire and potentially replace in a few years? None of the “big names” are leaving a cushy gig (if they even can) for a short term slot, especially if they see some else is going to be doing ancillary shows. It would read like a stopgap. Even doing that to a Ken or Buzzy with the potential to change course in the not too distant future…not a good route. Push the EP aside in a couple of years? Not as in fired but back to being EP to focus on the two shows or some such thing.

It’s pure speculation and by no means would I take this kind of thing from TMZ as gospel. But it’s interesting to contemplate if even a smidge of the story is right.

[Axl]

It’s pure speculation and by no means would I take this kind of thing from TMZ as gospel. But it’s interesting to contemplate if even a smidge of the story is right.

The fact that they are publicizing this as "two new hosts" (even though it's not really) suggests that they want to leave open the option of making Mayim full-time at some point, whether she was really their first choice or not.

[PatrickRox80]

A lot to assume at this point. Mayim seemed to have been caught off guard by the news, given that she had prior commitments that were preventing her from hosting.

Jack Barry started hosting The Joker's Wild 14 years after the quiz show scandals. CBS left that open for the viewers to decide, and they continued letting him host when he wasn't getting complaints. It's a different story with Sony letting Mike host even with all the baggage associated with him. We'll have to see how the ratings will treat him. It's too bad that story is getting more headlines than a superchamp making a huge run. So much for it being about the contestants.

[Punchboard91]

This is the first host change in 38 years. We’ve had various runs over the years, of course the host of Jeopardy! is going to get news. It’s not like Matt’s run is being ignored, there’s plenty of coverage on it.

[bigblue999]

I’ve added a poll for favorite guest host(s).

Note: You can select more than one host.

[tpirguyMN]

As much as I dislike Joe Buck on sports commentary, I believe he did a reasonable job here.  He seemed genuinely excited to be there and treated the contestants well.

However my picks were between Faber and Bialik.  They had a knack of emphasizing the clues in the correct locations and seemed to make the show be solely about the contestants.

With that said, I have no problem with Richards hosting, so I wish him and Bialik nothing but luck moving forward.

[BonusShell]

David Faber saying he’d take the job ignores perhaps that his employer has something to say about that under contract. But more broadly, people chose to read things into the guest hosting rotation that were never there.

Well, there are reasons why a decent number of people are choosing to read things into the guest hosting rotation that may or may not have been there. Simply put, there are numerous unanswered questions surrounding this process:

*Back in May, Richards himself made the comment that "We aren't looking for a three-year host, we're looking for a ten-year or a 20-year host...Stability is one of the show's strengths, so we need to consider who's got a 20-year horizon and who can focus on the show and make it great over that time."

https://www.vulture.com/2021/08/mike-richards-in-talks-to-become-new-host-of-jeopardy.html

So, if the powers that be were looking for somebody who could host the show for decades, why then give auditions to people like Dr. Oz (61 years old), LeVar Burton (64 years old), and Bill Whitaker (69 years old)?

*In regards to why a person's preferred choice didn't get the job, a common response I've read on social media (including message boards) is that Guest Host X might have had contractual obligations that prevented him or her from being the full-time Jeopardy! host. Perhaps that is true for a small subset of the guest hosts, but who really believes that this was the case for the lion's share of the 16 people who auditioned? (Unless, of course, a lot of what was going on weren't genuine auditions to begin with.)

*I've already mentioned some of the flaws apparent with the "Mike Richards' shows scored the second-highest Nielsen ratings, so let's hire him" argument (which, of course, automatically assumes that Ken Jennings was either unable to unwilling to take the permanent hosting position). But this argument becomes even more spurious when one sees that Mayim Bialik's shows most definitely did not have the third-highest Nielsen ratings:

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/entertainment/tv/2021/08/11/jeopardy-hosts-ratings-ken-jennings-aaron-rodgers-were-fan-faves/5512542001/

*It's not hard to see how suspicions pertaining to Mike Richards gaming the system could lead people to read things into the guest hosting rotation that may or may not have been there.

*To echo something else I previously wrote about, would a truly open audition process end by having a flood of rumors come out the week David Faber hosts, followed by the official announcement being made the week Joe Buck is at the helm?

*Finally, all this new gossip over Mayim Bialik only adds fuel to the fire. Did she get her new gig as a way to quell those who were upset over the Richards' sexual harassment allegations and/or upset that a white man was chosen as permanent host? Was Bialik the person Sony really wanted but couldn't get on a permanent basis (because she was unavailable)? Or is the recent press release put out by Sony to be believed as the gospel truth?

P.S. I thought that I might as well take this opportunity to state that my choices in the above poll were David Faber and Ken Jennings. Faber was my first choice, though Jennings ranks a solid second.

[imhomerjay]

Of course they weren’t all auditions. It was never once said they were.

Let’s look at some of the people—Cooper, Guthrie, Whitaker, Buck, Oz, Roberts, Faber, Stephanapolous and even Byalik with regard to full time hosting all have existing jobs. I may be forgetting some, but the lion’s share aren’t otherwise committed? That’s just not accurate. And any reasonable person knew Rodgers wasn’t retiring from the NFL yet, and that the production schedule was not going to work.

[SeaBreeze341]

Even the morons out there knew that Rodgers wasn't retiring from the NFL this season LOL!


While we may never know "the truth" about the entire process, I feel that Sony picked the best people based on a lot of things.  From one's age to one's availability, as mentioned, it probably wasn't a difficult decision.  IMO, I don't think Sony cares about offending anyone when it comes to race and gender.  I'm not saying that they're prejudice at all; I'm saying that they're goal here is the choose the best candidate (for the long haul), regardless of race and/or gender.  Based on the criteria, I really think that Jennings, Richards, and Bialik were the most qualified out of everyone else.

As mentioned, I can't crush TPTB for their call, nor can I give them a standing ovation.  As time passed over the week since the decision was made, I think Sony got it right.  Well, Ken as the successor may have been "more correct" than not, IMO.  However, I would've compared that to a most popular high school junior slated to become the class president in his or her senior year only to get upset by someone less popular (with a VP or Sec/Treas consolation prize instead).  IMO, too obvious of a selection for Ken Jennings as Alex's successor.

Outside of the stuff that occurred at the beginning of the previous decade, Mike doesn't really have a big history.  It helps that a lot of people have never heard of the guy.  Plus since the nonsense that happened, he's pretty much moved into a positive direction, both from hosting and producing.  With Mayim, having her as the exclusive host for (primetime) specials is fair enough.  It's sorta like Baldwin, Strahan, and Banks hosting primetime gameshows that are seasonal but not year-round.  All of them are busy doing a ton of other stuff.  Sure Mike Richards could've hosted the specials, but as mentioned, he's relatively unknown, sorta boring, and really business like.  In time, he could host those; after several years of hosting Jeopardy, he'll feel more at ease.  At the end of the day, several people watch for the game itself & every-so-often, a super champ

[BonusShell]

Of course they weren’t all auditions. It was never once said they were.

Let’s look at some of the people—Cooper, Guthrie, Whitaker, Buck, Oz, Roberts, Faber, Stephanapolous and even Byalik with regard to full time hosting all have existing jobs. I may be forgetting some, but the lion’s share aren’t otherwise committed? That’s just not accurate. And any reasonable person knew Rodgers wasn’t retiring from the NFL yet, and that the production schedule was not going to work.

Yes, it was never officially stated that these were all auditions. But it's not hard to see how John or Jane Q. Public could conclude otherwise, especially with all of them being referred to as "guest hosts."

You've listed a total of ten names (if you include Bialik) in your above post, which is over half of the total number of guest hosts. Given the nature of their day jobs, and if one assumes that each of these individuals simply could not take the hosting position if offered, then why bother having sixteen different guests hosts? Was nobody else remotely competent (and able to take over full-time hosting duties) available when Jeopardy! made its guest hosting roster? Was getting a gig as guest host seen as a status symbol which each of those selected could use as a bragging point at cocktail parties? Or was this whole thing simply a ruse on the part of Sony (and perhaps Richards as well) to cause those who are less knowledgeable about the entertainment industry into believing that each of the sixteen guest hosts were legitimate contenders?

I agree with you that all of these guest hosting gigs were not genuine auditions, though it's certainly possible (in my opinion) that at least a few of those individuals you mentioned could have found a way to fulfill permanent hosting duties. Most likely, though, I suspect that Sony was looking at about five people all along. The fact that this whole process gave the appearance of being a charade remains on of my biggest objections.

Even the morons out there knew that Rodgers wasn't retiring from the NFL this season LOL!


While we may never know "the truth" about the entire process, I feel that Sony picked the best people based on a lot of things.  From one's age to one's availability, as mentioned, it probably wasn't a difficult decision.  IMO, I don't think Sony cares about offending anyone when it comes to race and gender.  I'm not saying that they're prejudice at all; I'm saying that they're goal here is the choose the best candidate (for the long haul), regardless of race and/or gender.  Based on the criteria, I really think that Jennings, Richards, and Bialik were the most qualified out of everyone else.

As mentioned, I can't crush TPTB for their call, nor can I give them a standing ovation.  As time passed over the week since the decision was made, I think Sony got it right.  Well, Ken as the successor may have been "more correct" than not, IMO.  However, I would've compared that to a most popular high school junior slated to become the class president in his or her senior year only to get upset by someone less popular (with a VP or Sec/Treas consolation prize instead).  IMO, too obvious of a selection for Ken Jennings as Alex's successor.

Outside of the stuff that occurred at the beginning of the previous decade, Mike doesn't really have a big history.  It helps that a lot of people have never heard of the guy.  Plus since the nonsense that happened, he's pretty much moved into a positive direction, both from hosting and producing.  With Mayim, having her as the exclusive host for (primetime) specials is fair enough.  It's sorta like Baldwin, Strahan, and Banks hosting primetime gameshows that are seasonal but not year-round.  All of them are busy doing a ton of other stuff.  Sure Mike Richards could've hosted the specials, but as mentioned, he's relatively unknown, sorta boring, and really business like.  In time, he could host those; after several years of hosting Jeopardy, he'll feel more at ease.  At the end of the day, several people watch for the game itself & every-so-often, a super champ

I apologize for repeating what I just wrote, but I suspect that Sony most likely was considering five or so candidates all along. Mike Richards was probably the front-runner, but I my best guess is that Ken Jennings, Buzzy Cohen, Mayim Bialik, and LeVar Burton were the other "actual" candidates.

As I wrote before, Richards is a competent game show host. I don't believe he'll ever be a critical darling (in terms of winning daytime emmys for best game show host) the way Alex Trebek or Bob Barker were. But ratings for Jeopardy! will likely go up next year. The die-hard Richards supporters may use that as evidence that Sony made the right decision, yet Richards' detractors will be able to point out a ratings increase would be a near certainty following a year of tremendous instability. (IMO, the only way Jeopardy's ratings would not increase next year would be if its next host was either a lightning rod, a la Dr. Oz or Rosie O'Donnell, or somebody totally incompetent.) I would also venture a guess that ratings for Jeopardy's next season will also be lower than they were for Trebek's final season. But to be fair to Richards, such a comparison is unfair, given how beloved Trebek was and how much the public wanted to see him in the hosting role for as long as possible.

Richards is unlikely to be a critical darling, but if success is defined as presiding over a profitable show that generates solid ratings, he should meet the criteria. Honestly, Sony has way too much invested in Richards to see him fail, given that he's also EP of both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. It's true that, on paper, Richards would still be able to perform his EP duties if Jeopardy's rankings tank and he needs to be replaced as host. But in reality, Richards failing as host would make for a very awkward situation at Jeopardy!, to the point one would wonder if he had the necessary confidence of both his superiors and his subordinates to be a successful EP of that show. And were he forced to also step down as Jeopardy! EP, it would be an open question as to whether Sony would want him to remain as EP of Wheel.

[imhomerjay]

At what point to members of the public own their decision to read more into things than were there? And what should Sony have done about what to call them? Guest hosts seems absolutely fitting.

And I don’t think Burton was a candidate. This is harsh, but if they’re looking at someone who might have a very long run should the show be so fortunate, then they need to look a bit younger.