'Jeopardy!': Mayim Bialik Calls out Scammers for Using Her Likeness
Current Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik is speaking out after she became the target of an internet hoax. Amid a flurry of online ads using Bialik's name and likeness to sell CBD gummies, Bialik on Monday took to social media to set the record straight, confirming in a lengthy post that the ads are nothing more than a scam using her celebrity without her permission.
Opening the Monday message, Bialik humorously wrote, "So ... awkward," before she got down to the nitty-gritty. Referencing the many ads circulating on the internet, the Big Bang Theory alum went on to write that "there are many untrue things floating around the internet about many public figures, but I want to address one about me that looks very authentic but is indeed a hoax." Bialik went on to inform her fans, "I am not selling CBD Gummies of any kind and do not plan to do so at any point in the future," adding, "I have tried to get this removed to no avail. It's not real."
According to Page Six, there have been numerous ads floating around tying Bialik to gummies, including several product pages claiming to sell Bialik's CBD gummies. A page titled Mayim Bialik CBD Gummies alleged in a Feb. 19 post that the gummies are "a fantastic product to get relief from tension, stress and anxiety, depression, persistent discomfort, arthritis pain, irregularity, and different other issues. You can consume easily to get a remedy for smoking and insomnia." The post directed viewers to a link from a company called Smilz, where they can purchase the gummies.
Meanwhile, a website based out of the U.K. and claiming to be Fox News has a headline that reads "Mayim Bialik reverses dementia solution sparks huge lawsuit pressure on Fox, she finally fights back on air." The supposed article, according to The Blast, links to Bialik's alleged "FunDrops CBD Gummies," which are alleged to reduce pain and chronic aches, relieve anxiety and stress, enhance focus and clarity, promote healthy sleep, and not show up on a drug test. The article claims the gummies are backed by Yahoo! Finance, MarketWatch, OK! Magazine, and USA Today.
The scams surrounding Bialik come amid an otherwise whirlwind past few months. Bialik in August was tapped to host primetime Jeopardy! specials and spinoffs and was later confirmed to be taking on temporary hosting duties for Jeopardy!. She began hosting the long-running game show mid-September, with her run as temporary host set to conclude on May 6, she previously confirmed.