Mike Richards has finally spoken — but without really saying anything. In a memo to staff, the executive producer of Jeopardy! addressed the controversy that has swirled around him since last week’s reports that he had become a frontrunner for the coveted gig. If you find yourself asking who exactly Richards is, you’re not alone. After a months-long trial process to find the right person to replace the late and beloved Alex Trebek, news broke last week that Richards, who would presumably be involved in the hiring process as an executive of the show itself, was apparently in “advanced negotiations” with Sony to take the job himself.
The report was not only met with heartbreak for some within the show’s loyal fanbase, particularly those who had been campaigning hard for LeVar Burton’s candidacy (Burton himself has been perhaps the most public of all about his desire to become host), but also with queasiness and incredulity at the entire situation around Richards’s running.
