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Danger! Executive producer and former guest host Mike Richards is now responding to reports old and new about his career.
Last week, Variety published an exclusive article that revealed that Sony Pictures Television was in « advanced negotiations » with Mike for the new permanent one Host of Jeopardy! to become. Shortly thereafter, discrimination and harassment lawsuits were filed against CBS and FremantleMedia while Mike was co-executive producer on The Price Is Right.
While Mike was on The Price Is Right a decade ago, a former model named Brandi alleged Cochran that she was fired from the game show after becoming pregnant with twins.
Brandi also claimed that Mike « hasn’t spoken to her as often as before. Unlike other colleagues, he didn’t congratulate her on her pregnancy. »
Brandi received $ 8.5 million Dollars in punitive damages even though the case was settled on appeal. Another model also filed a separate lawsuit, which was also settled. In the end, Mike was only named defendant in the second lawsuit and was later removed on notice.
To address the controversy, Mike sent a memo to the Jeopardy! staff. In the memo received by many outlets, Mike reportedly wrote:
Mike went on to claim that the team at The Price Is Right « hugged » and « embraced » each pregnancy and birth of its employees « in front of and behind the camera » celebrated « .
In the same memo, Mike also went into the latest news regarding the search for a new permanent host. He acknowledged that he had indeed been asked to « consider » Alex Trebek’s position at the lectern and felt « humble and deeply honored. » Hosts are still running, « he continued. « I know I’ve mentioned this before, but the decision is not and never was my decision. »
For the past few months, Jeopardy! has auditioned a number of guest presenters – including Mayim Bialik, LeVar Burton, Robin Roberts, Aaron Rodgers and Ken Jennings – for the permanent position. Earlier this year, Mike spoke on the Wall Street Journal’s The Journal podcast, hinting that a new host would be named this summer. He also said the show’s team would consider many metrics before naming a new host.
« You want to make an informed decision, » Mike told The Journal. « We want to do this with real analysis and real testing and not just say, ‘Hey, how about this guy?’ Which is kind of so much of these decisions have been made historically. »
This week the Fox tries Sports broadcaster Joe Buck to host the popular quiz show as a guest who is believed to be the final innkeeper before a new permanent host is officially announced.
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