Mike Richards stepped down from his role as host of Jeopardy! on Friday amid controversy over his appointment sparked by past comments he made about women.
The Jeopardy! executive producer, whose selection as host of the game show was announced just over a week ago, said in a Friday statement that his being host would be a “distraction” for fans and that the show would be canceling production.
Richards made controversial comments during his time hosting The Randumb Show podcast between 2013 and 2014, including one segment during which he reportedly asked his assistant and co-host whether they had ever taken “booby pictures,” according to a report published Wednesday by pop culture outlet the Ringer. During another episode of the podcast, he said that one-piece swimsuits made women look “really frumpy and overweight,” the outlet added.
JEOPARDY! SELECTS MIKE RICHARDS AND MAYIM BIALIK AS NEW HOSTS
Richards also reportedly used the words “midget” and “retarded” in the show, and episodes of the podcast have since been taken down, the article added.
Richards told the outlet it was “humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago.”
“Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast, and I am deeply sorry,” he said.
His resignation was prompted by further scrutiny triggered by the report, including a call by the Anti-Defamation League for Richards to be investigated.
“It pains me that these past incidents and comments have cast such a shadow on Jeopardy! as we look to start a new chapter,” Richards said in his statement Friday.
“As I mentioned last week, I was deeply honored to be asked to host the syndicated show and was thrilled by the opportunity to expand my role,” he continued. “However, over the last several days it has become clear that moving forward as host would be too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show. As such, I will be stepping down as host effective immediately. As a result, we will be canceling production today.”
BREAKING: Mike Richards has stepped down as the host of Jeopardy! Official statement via Sony: pic.twitter.com/eJSwyBOXwN
— Claire McNear (@clairemcnear) August 20, 2021
The Friday statement added the show would resume its search for a permanent host and that it would bring back guest hosts in the meantime. A slate of guest hosts, including Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and actor LeVar Burton, had been employed following the death of longtime host Alex Trebek in November as the show sought his successor.
Richards had been selected to host the show alongside The Big Bang Theory actress Mayim Bialik, who was chosen to be an emcee. He will remain the show’s executive producer, according to USA Today.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The comments added to fodder feeding the controversy around Richards’s selection as host. He was previously involved in two lawsuits brought by former female models on The Price Is Right, where Richards was a producer. The suits alleged discrimination from the show due to the former models’ pregnancies. Both suits were settled.
“These were allegations made in employment disputes against the show. I want you all to know that the way in which my comments and actions have been characterized in these complaints does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price is Right,” Richards wrote in an internal memo to Jeopardy! employees. “I know firsthand how special it is to be a parent. It is the most important thing in the world to me. I would not say anything to disrespect anyone’s pregnancy and have always supported my colleagues on their parenting journeys.”
