Cedric Doesn't Want to Be a Millionaire Host

[TimK2003]

Cedric got canned, plain and simple, and both he and the show put a "positive spin" on the development by describing the split as amicable.

JD   

Do you know this for sure? Regardless of whether Cedric quit or was canned, if I were the producer, I'd be calling Al Roker and Tom Bergeron, who both live on the East Coast, and try to lure one of them for the job.

Bergeron would get my vote as the new host of Millionaire:  The show's new home would practically be in his back yard, he has a great long-term relationship with Disney, and he would easily double the current ratings just on name recognition alone.

[TLEberle]

and he would easily double the current ratings just on name recognition alone.

I very doubt that this is the case.

[Johnissoevil]

Whether we like it or not, the days when game show hosts who didn't go way over the top got the nod to host a show are over.  Enjoy Pat and Alex while they're still there, because their replacements will most likely be the next Steve Harvey.  Well, save for Drew Carey.  Say what you will about his hosting, but at least he isn't making penis jokes about every other pricing game.

[Matt Ottinger]

Enjoy Pat and Alex while they're still there, because their replacements will most likely be the next Steve Harvey. 

Very interesting that neither Pat nor Alex got Emmy nominations today, while three of the four nominees (including Steve Harvey) were comedians hosting game shows.  Even the organization that purports to recognize excellence in the industry sees where the future is going.

[tvwxman]

The whole idea that it shouldn't matter the location is particularly misleading too. Not very many planes serve Connecticut from California, so that is problem one.

Incorrect. If you're living in Fairfield County CT, which is where 90% of the money (and TV/Film Production) is , you're flying out of Westchester, on a private plane, and you're off to CA. Otherwise, you're going to LaGuardia or JFK, which is also...not a problem.

Spoken like someone who lives here.

[BrandonFG]

How far of a drive is it from Fairfield to NY?

/On a "good day"

[PYLdude]

How far of a drive is it from Fairfield to NY?

/On a "good day"

The most direct way from me is to take I 95.

Horrendously congested in the rush hours.

Which is why I see Cedric's point. Like I said, I don't know when he was required to be in studio but the production day is quite long. And it starts early, like before 7 am. So it wouldn't surprise me if there's a lot of production staff turnover too.

Keep in mind I'm very limited as to my knowledge of the highways in CT though. 95, 91, and 84's about it. Matt S. probably knows of other ways. So while I do concede he has better perspective being there, I also can see why it might be a hassle.

[tvwxman]

How far of a drive is it from Fairfield to NY?

/On a "good day"

It's the first stop on the Metro North Express - and that takes 50 minutes. 40 if you're driving , and there's no traffic. On a regular day, 3 hours.

The point is, to think that this move to the suburbs is too much for a 'star' to get to gig  - is ludicrous. Plenty , and I mean, PLENTY of celebs live in F'field Cty and work daily in the city.

That's not why he's not coming back.

[PYLdude]

Why is it so hard to believe that it's possible that he bit off a lot more than he could chew?

I'd think if it really was a termination, the announcement would've come a lot sooner- like right after production wrapped.

[clemon79]

I'd think if it really was a termination, the announcement would've come a lot sooner- like right after production wrapped.

Why would you do something like that when his shows were still airing? If I'm the production, the last thing I want to do is call out that there's a dead man walking in my current product.

[PYLdude]

I'd think if it really was a termination, the announcement would've come a lot sooner- like right after production wrapped.

Why would you do something like that when his shows were still airing? If I'm the production, the last thing I want to do is call out that there's a dead man walking in my current product.

Millionaire's still in first run now, no? And wasn't Meredith's departure announced right after production wrapped?

I understand what you're saying but if this really was Cedric getting fired instead of him just leaving, IMO they wouldn't have waited until now to release the news. It would've happened earlier.

[clemon79]

IMO they wouldn't have waited until now to release the news. It would've happened earlier.

That is indeed YO. I think I'll come down on the side of the guy who actually works in the industry.

[colonial]

Looking over the language of Cedric's statement as to why he's leaving the show, I still stand by my thinking that Cedric's "decision" wasn't truly his.   Moving the show an hour away from NYC shouldn't cause such a disruption in his schedule, especially with a show that only tapes 3-4 months out of the year -- there would still be time for him to do acting, comedy shows, etc. 

I could see the show essentially "asking" Cedric to take a pay cut for next season.  He balked, and now he's gone.  These situations happen all the time in business -- recently happened at my former employer (50 employees canned as of June, but most may be hired back at reduced salaries).

If he has been tapped as the new host, Terry Crews will likely be paid less than Cedric.  He has a home in Connecticut, so the show saves on housing (and probably transportation) costs.  The bean counters at WWTBAM will be quite pleased with that.

I wonder if the show may offer bus trips from NYC for audience members to attend tapings.  Some of the CT-based talk shows do that (Povich, Springer), and it might be worth an effort to at least try that.

JD



 

[PYLdude]

I'm not denying that you guys have points, but I at the same time would like some proof. That's all.

And I really don't see why things just can't be black and white sometimes. Gray areas don't always exist.

[TLEberle]

You also don't seem to have any proof, either. Sometimes gray areas don't exist except when they do.