'Jeopardy!' Fans Weigh in on Social Media After Game Show Confirms Replacement Host

Allison Schonter

08/11/2021 03:18 pm EDT

Jeopardy! viewers are weighing in after the long-running game show on Wednesday announced its new host. When Jeopardy! returns for Season 38, executive producer Mike Richards will be taking over the hosting role left vacant by Alex Trebek, who hosted Jeopardy! from 1984 until just days before his November 2020 death. In addition to Richards, Mayim Bialik, who guest-hosted during Season 37, will host the primetime specials and spinoff series, including the National College Championship.

Richards had been among the slew of guest hosts brought to the stage this season, with others including LeVar Burton, Savannah Guthrie, Aaron Rodgers, Dr. Oz, and more. Richards, however, had largely been considered a frontrunner for the position, with a report leaking just last week that he was set to nab the job. In making the official announcement, Ravi Ahuja, chairman of Global Television Studios and Corporate Development for Sony Pictures, said they are "thrilled to begin the next chapter of America's Favorite Quiz Show with Mike hosting our daily show and Mayim hosting new versions of Jeopardy!" Ahuja added that they "took this decision incredibly seriously" and "tremendous amount of work and deliberation has gone into it." Ahuja said it became clear "early on" that they "wanted to divide the hosting responsibilities and it became very clear that Mike and Mayim were the undeniable choices."

While fans have long been waiting to see who would take on the important role, the Wednesday announcement has largely been met with negative reactions. Many have questioned whether any of the other guest hosts were ever truly in consideration for the job, with others pointing to Richards' involvement in discrimination lawsuits. Keep scrolling to see what Jeopardy! viewers are saying.

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"I'm glad to see Mayim Bialik, but definitely was on team LeVar Burton. The two of them would've been great together," tweeted one person.

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"Mike Richards has years of experience as an EP. That's where his talent lies. He was not a great [Jeopardy!] host," wrote another viewer. "Would have been so much better to give the full-time gig to Mayim Bialik, she was outstanding. Give Richards the spinoffs, let him stay EP. They almost got it right."

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"It was a good run Jeopardy. I'm going going to stop watching with the memory of LeVar Burton as my host," added somebody else.

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"Even without the concerning history of Mike Richards, they could not have made a more boring pick," tweeted one person. "I'm sure many people that used to watch Jeopardy! will continue, but I doubt they gained interest in potential new viewers."

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"Will only watch the nights that Mayim is on," declared somebody else. "My family has watched Jeopardy every night for as long as I can remember. When I was in college, Mom would call every night to see if I got Final Jeopardy answer. Mike Richards was lame as host."

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"This decision to name Mayim Bialik as host of primetime specials and spinoffs of long-running game show Jeopardy alongside exec producer Michael Richards as main host feels like an awkward attempt to avoid criticism," wrote another fan.

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"After 36 years of watching #Jeopardy every night; after countless, dedicated fans telling you that LeVar Burton is still the best choice. [Jeopardy!] goes and blows it," tweeted one viewer. "Utterly tone deaf."

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