‘Jeopardy!’: Alex Trebek Tribute Flooded With Mike Richards Reactions

Jeopardy! tried to promote a new special about its late host Alex Trebek this week, but most of the responses were about the drama surrounding would-be host Mike Richards. Jeopardy! posted an article about a new episode of Around the World with Alex on Thursday, sharing it on all of its official social media platforms as well. Commenters were more concerned about who would be the new permanent host of the quiz show and who Richards was chosen in the first place.

Around the World with Alex highlights some of Trebek’s favorite trips that he was able to take as a part of Jeopardy! He would sometimes go to distant locations to film clue readings, which would later be presented on the show. Jeopardy! has repackaged some of those clues as a tribute to Trebek during the off-season, and they have been premiering on social media all month. The latest one finds him in Macchu Picchu, an advanced ancient site in the mountains of Peru. The article includes behind-the-scenes photos and anecdotes, as well as crew members’ fond memories of Trebek and his love of travel.

Of course, die-hard Jeopardy! fans are concerned with who will take over for Trebek, and how the hand-off became such a dramatic ordeal. Executive producer Mike Richards was originally tapped for the job, but he resigned after one filming session, saying he did not want the controversy of his presence to impact the show.

Fans still want more answers on how Richards was chosen in the first place and who will take over now. Scroll down for a look at what they’re saying under Jeopardy!‘s latest tweet about Trebek.

Misdirection

Some fans thought that Jeopardy! was trying to use this throwback clip to drum up some good publicity in the wake of all the Richards drama. In fact, the Around the World with Alex series has been going on since Aug. 16, and was obviously in the works for a while before that.

Investigation

Many fans are still calling for some kind of investigation in Richards’ on-set behavior, and the hiring process that got him in. Richards is under scrutiny for some insensitive comments on a podcast and for some alleged misogyny and abuse in the workplace. Many fans are pointing to the Anti-Defamation League’s assessment.

Missing Him

Many fans did comment on the Macchu Picchu clip itself, remarking on how much they’ve missed hearing Trebek’s reassuring voice. They were also pleased to see the show picking out clips that he was so enthusiastic about.

True Tribute

Trebek named two other TV personalities he would like to replace him in a 2018 interview with TMZ: sportscaster Alex Faust and CNN legal analyst Laura Coates. Many fans feel that to truly “honor” Trebek, the production would be better off pursuing one of these successors.

Guest Hosts

Others went back to sorting through this season’s guest hosts, picking their favorites out of the lineup to suggest. Many of them are leaving these replies under any Jeopardy! tweet, not just the Around the World with Alex videos.

Boycott

Fans also reiterated their plans to boycott the show if the wrong host was installed. Now that Richards has resigned, some of these viewers have a chance to get back on board.

No Permanent Host

Finally, some fans suggested that Jeopardy! should go for another season without a permanent host. The series did well this year with a rotating cast of hosts, all of whom put an emphasis on the game rather than themselves. Since no one can truly replace Trebek, fans thought that this approach should continue.