“Jeopardy!” champion James Holzhauer weighed in on Mike Richards’ departure from the show as host and executive producer and said he strongly supported it.
“Do I think Mike Richards’s podcast comments were appropriate for polite society? No,” the former “Jeopardy” winner tweeted following news Richards was out as an executive producer of both “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.” The ouster came amid criticism of alleged past comments.
The comments were noted by the “Today” show in a piece published Wednesday.
Do I think Mike Richards’s podcast comments were appropriate for polite society? No. But did he deserve the benefit of the doubt for the job he did running Jeopardy? Also no
— James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) August 31, 2021
“But did he deserve the benefit of the doubt for the job he did running Jeopardy?” he added. “Also no.” (RELATED: Report: Aaron Rodgers’ ‘Jeopardy!’ Guest Hosting Gave Show A Huge Spike In Ratings)
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Holzhauer later tweeted he had formed a strong “negative opinion” about the man formerly named to take over hosting duties for the late Alex Trebek following his passing in November. (RELATED: LeVar Burton Confirms He Has His Sights Set On Being The Next Host Of ‘Jeopardy!’)
“Some judged Mike Richards solely on his podcast comments and formed a negative opinion, but I judged him by the way he treated people backstage at Jeopardy and formed a much stronger negative opinion,” the past winner wrote.
Some judged Mike Richards solely on his podcast comments and formed a negative opinion, but I judged him by the way he treated people backstage at Jeopardy and formed a much stronger negative opinion https://t.co/mebtz0Tgc3
— James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) September 1, 2021
Sony previously announced Richards would be the daily host of the popular game show with actress Mayim Bialik picked to host “Jeopardy!” prime-time specials.
Reports later surfaced Richards had stepped down from the job following criticism from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) about alleged “disparaging remarks” he made in the past “about Jews, women & Asians.”
Later, the company announced Bialik would fill in as a guest host on the game show and start taping, 15 episodes in all, The New York Times reported.
The search for a permanent daily host has resumed.