My understanding is that the decision was made by Sony Television executives, so it was not up to Mike Richards to decide.
This is why the, “they went with the safe choice for their old, white viewership” argument doesn’t wash with me. Jennings would have ticked every box for that demographic. And as you note he has a deep history with the show that long-time fans would appreciate.
The whole thing reminds me (oddly) of when Dubya was initially running for President and tasked Dick Cheney to conduct his search for a running mate. And wouldn’t you know it, after vetting all the candidates, it turned out the best possible running mate was Cheney himself! Whodda thunk it?!?
Ken Jennings did an okay job, but he is not a smooth, professional TV host, like Richards and many of the other guest hosts. His voice, in particular, is somewhat rough, compared to the pros. I mentioned this after his first few shows:
And while I got more used to him over the course of his run, he still lacked a certain polish.
These are factors that wouldn’t bother many fans, but may have been more important to TPTB.
Yep, and that was the joke in SNL’s Celebrity Jeopardy. Trebek was like the parent, calmly trying to deal with toddler like contestants.
I agree with all this (and am sorry to be learning about Bialik’s anti-vaxx positions, too, which I would consider disqualifying for the public face of a show about knowledge).
\
Any chance that Mike Richards, sharp-elbowed operator that he apparently is, has been able to acquire information about those executives? And that he might gently hint to them that their ‘secrets are safe with him, so long as he’s the choice for host’ or the like?
I’m not trying to start a rumor. I just think it’s possible that someone with a driving ambition might feel comfortable employing any and all tactics to get what he wants. (And Richards would surely have been in a position to acquire information about those executives.)
Sony of course did a ton of research - polls, focus groups, looking at the ratings. They decided that Richards was the best choice.I have been watching all the guest hosts like everyone else, probably would have picked Mayim. Until now when the "anti-vak"story came out.
But *oh but they made a mistake because Richards will not bring in any new viewers, like Mayim or LeVar would have done. Neither of them are going to do that.
I love Jeopardy, have been watching for years, nay decades, but the “community” has become insufferable. It is not an educational show, anymore than Who Want’s to be a Millionaire" is. I watch Jeopardy and I learn things, every time I don’t know the answer I learn something . Forget it the next day, mostly Same thing on Who Wants to Be a Millioniare. It had questions about pop culture, history, music, math, any topic you can name.
Same thing for Brain Games, or Master Minds, or a dozen others , like my favorite, as a former NYC resident, Cash Cab.
People don’t watch to learn things. They watch to test their knowledge (me) or to see amazing streaks like Holzhauer or Jennings, the ratings went way up when they were on.
It is a fucking game show. And for this one, the most boring host is the best choice.
For decades I was blissfully unaware that there was a “community”. A community that obsesses over contestants, nitpicks their clothes and their hair style, debates their politics, personalites and their smarts.
The thought that anyone would CARE boggles my mind. These aren’t celebrities in the usual sense. They should be allowed their anonymity. I don’t need tens of thousands of internet jockies laughing at my shirt choice, or debating whether my laugh is an affectation or sincere.
I haven’t read what all the guest hosts have said on the subject, but I don’t think we can assume that the ones we liked most even wanted the job. I can see some like Cooper enjoying a two week run, but having no interest in the “job” above that. For all we know, Ken Jennings was in the same boat.
I’m really not familiar with her “anti-vaxx” positions, but I assume they’re more nuanced than some others. Bear in mind that Bialik is an Orthodox Jew, and she often walks a tightrope between science and her religious convictions.
This paywalled article in The New York Times today is about how the decision was made. Highlights; Ken Jennings was Alex Trebek’s preference for successor, and the show gets over eight million viewers each week (which is a big number these days) but four out of five are over 55 years old. And to those who think that Mike Richards manipulated the process to win the job (I don’t), you might find this interesting, “But as executive producer, Mr. Richards retained a key role in selecting which appearances by each prospective host would be screened for focus groups, whose reactions weighed heavily in Sony’s decision-making, according to three people familiar with the show’s internal deliberations. The other supervising ‘Jeopardy!’ producers were excluded from that process, the people said.”
She claims they are more nuanced, but nah, not so much. If you just want to take her word for it, even Robert F Kennedy, Jr. will tell you (if you choose to listen to his fucked up opinions) that he’s not anti-vax.
She’s on the advisory board of Holistic Mom’s Network, which is just as woo-filled and anti-vax as it sounds. She joins fellow members such as Peggy O’Mara and Barbara Loe Fisher who would also likely tell you that they’re not anti-vax.
She often recommends authors such as Robert Sears and Lauren Feder, and as for that popular video of hers that everyone trots out when defending her? The very first resource that she provides for further research is our favorite child-killer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
She may have gotten the COVID vaccine for her and her kids (or she could just be a big fucking liar), but she’s definitely pushing her anti-vaccine friends (who also claim to not be against vaccines) into the public eye. She can go fuck right off to Jenny-McCarthy-Land.
Don’t even get me started on her victim-blaming bullshit.
Bialik also pushes fake brain-boosting pills that have been scientifically shown not to work. And she specifically uses her past as a neuroscientist to cover them.
On the other hand, she’s the only person I know of who I saw people outside of Jeopardy fan discussions (like this one) talk about really liking. I even saw people posting about it on my Facebook wall, and my Friends are not at all the type who like to talk about Jeopardy.
And they referred to her as Amy Farrah Fowler, too–even though the article they quoted mentioned her real name. So she did well enough and has a brand where she would fit.
The Ringer has an interesting article about Richards’ background in showbusiness and his rise to host of Jeopardy. Unfortunately much of it is the “anonymous sources bitch about famous person anonymously” journalism that I hate. But it also has several clips from a podcast he hosted about a decade ago in which he made sexist remarks about his younger female cohosts and women in general. Apparently the podcast was disappeared once The Ringer started asking about it.
All right! 
Wow! So I still have a chance!
Holy cow. He didn’t even last a single Scaramucci.
Come back, LeVar or Ken! There’s still time…!
I read someplace, perhaps Variety, that he taped shows yesterday. So perhaps a week’s worth? Wonder if they’ll air those with him as host? And how long before they can restart taping?
Surely they have already started filming, right?
Any contract with Bialik should include a stipulation that she stop doing those “I have a doctorate so buy this brain candy!” advertisements.