Next Jeopardy! Host

[Blanquepage]

Rich Fields just posted his feelings on the subject on FB, and he didn't mince words.  Glad people are speaking up, but why is it taking so long for all of this to come out?

That same question can be perpetually asked whenever we hear about someone speaking up after no longer feeling intimidated to do so.
The first one speaks up and breaks through that seal, the rest fall into place, the offender stops evading accountability. Simple.

[beatlefreak84]

When the story broke this morning that Richards would no longer be hosting J!, so many thoughts were swirling around...

Whatever one may think about his podcasts and degrading comments toward women, just the fact that he had a hand as the EP in picking the eventual host (I will never buy anyone saying he "took himself out of the selection process") smelled a bit fishy.  I thought this even when the auditions were going on, but also figured that this whole guest host exercise was really just a "try some people out, then pick Ken anyway, like everyone expects".

That said, I did think he was a competent host and actually gave him a "STRONG" rating in my original list.  He wasn't my top choice, but he was also the only one on the list that had actual game show hosting experience.  What was surprising looking back, though, is that even with that experience, he was barely anyone's strongest candidate.

So, all in all, I'm fine that Richards is no longer the host.  Let's let those that only got a week to host have a second week if they would like.  Let Ken and Buzzy maybe get a couple more weeks each.  Maybe there's someone else that wants to audition.  All I ask is two things:

1.  Pick a host that will be a competent host that lets the game and the contestants shine.  If the person will outshine the game or the contestants (ahem Aaron Rodgers), that's a bad choice.
2.  Don't pick a host simply because Twitter wants that person to host if there are better candidates.  Sorry, LeVar Burton, I loved you in Star Trek, but I didn't love you as a Jeopardy host (too wooden).

At the very least, I'm glad that my top choice did get the hosting gig (Mayim Bialik).  Though, social media is already starting on her with the anti-vax stuff (she has clarified this) and the fact that she hawks that Neuriva supplement, all while conveniently forgetting Alex hawked Colonial Penn...

Anthony

[knagl]

I hope that Ken gets it, but I'd love to see Mark L. Walberg given a chance. He's expressed interest on his Twitter feed, but it hasn't really gotten any traction.

[BillCullen1]

Seconded for Mark L Walberg. Spectrum 1 NY news reporter Pat Kiernan also expressed an interest in the job, but he never got the chance to audition.

[Mr. Brown]

That said, I did think he was a competent host and actually gave him a "STRONG" rating in my original list.  He wasn't my top choice, but he was also the only one on the list that had actual game show hosting experience.  What was surprising looking back, though, is that even with that experience, he was barely anyone's strongest candidate.

Richards actually ranked really highly for me, in my mind, as the ideal host for Jeopardy. He had a good audition, he was low-key and didn't overshadow the contestants, and just isn't all that well known by the general public. If he was not the executive producer of the show and rigging things in his favor (in my opinion, probably the biggest sin of this whole incident), I'd be pissed at his resignation.

Instead, he is and will always be "Mikey" from TPIR, and I'm glad to see karma bite him in the ass.

[JMFabiano]

I hope that Ken gets it, but I'd love to see Mark L. Walberg given a chance. He's expressed interest on his Twitter feed, but it hasn't really gotten any traction.

A HOST?!!  Pish posh, what movies and TV shows did he ever star in? 

[JMFabiano]

Rich Fields just posted his feelings on the subject on FB, and he didn't mince words.  Glad people are speaking up, but why is it taking so long for all of this to come out?

That same question can be perpetually asked whenever we hear about someone speaking up after no longer feeling intimidated to do so.
The first one speaks up and breaks through that seal, the rest fall into place, the offender stops evading accountability. Simple.

Unfortunately, people do things when it's trendy and other people are doing it.  Even standing up to bullies.

[Jimmy Owen]

This turn of events gives Sony a chance to audition Laura Coates and Alex Faust, whom Trebek had mentioned as his suggestions.

[jjman920]

Rich Fields just posted his feelings on the subject on FB, and he didn't mince words.  Glad people are speaking up, but why is it taking so long for all of this to come out?

That same question can be perpetually asked whenever we hear about someone speaking up after no longer feeling intimidated to do so.
The first one speaks up and breaks through that seal, the rest fall into place, the offender stops evading accountability. Simple.

Unfortunately, people do things when it's trendy and other people are doing it.  Even standing up to bullies.

I also think it's worth pointing out that they'd come out and speak their peace now because uncovered facts suddenly lend credibility to their stories.

If Roger and Rich had said anything about Mike prior to all this information coming out about him, they'd probably be dismissed as bitter ex-employees. One the predecessor and one fired by him to go in a new direction. In fact, I'm pretty sure they have both been dismissed that way in the past. Now they have other people that don't like Mike saying things and it's more plausible that those bitter ravings have some truth to them.

[Jeremy Nelson]

Not to glorify him, but this has turned up:

To be perfectly honest, he wasn't polished enough to replace Barker but he's light years better than Droofus McGoofus who, it is reported, showed up for rehearsal without having bothered to learn his lines.

Objectively speaking, there's no way that Mike even looks on par with Drew. He has absolutely no personality, looks uncomfortable, and I have to agree with Roger that this looks like a college kid's interpretation of hosting a game show.

[cmjb13]

In hindsight even without this host mess, Sony was better off with Trebek retiring and doing a host transition.

I never understood why Trebek kept going while in so much pain. He had enough money, so I doubt that’s it. And I know he enjoyed doing the show. But sometimes, you just have to walk away gracefully.

It came across to me as he wouldn’t voluntary give up the show unless you pried it from his hands.

[nowhammies10]

I never understood why Trebek kept going while in so much pain.

I believe he said on more than one occasion that hosting Jeopardy! was one of the few "normal" things left in his life, and it did wonders for his mental health even as his physical health started to deteriorate more and more.

[tvwxman]

I never understood why Trebek kept going while in so much pain.

I believe he said on more than one occasion that hosting Jeopardy! was one of the few "normal" things left in his life, and it did wonders for his mental health even as his physical health started to deteriorate more and more.

This. I have seen this up close and personal from people w terminal diseases. It keeps them alive.

That said, how Sony didn't have a successor lined up before hand is just absolutely silly. They should have held Anderson Cooper to a holding deal years ago and been done with it.

[nowhammies10]

They should have held Anderson Cooper to a holding deal years ago and been done with it.

Agreed, BUT for the Trump presidency. I think a much larger swath of the game-show-viewing audience is Republican than many of us would like to believe, and their rejection of "teh LIBRUL m3dia!" since 2016 all but doomed any news personality from being seen as a credible successor.

[TLEberle]

That rejection was long before 2016.