Mike Richards Steps Down As Host Of ‘Jeopardy!’ Into Reduced Role As Buzzer

CULVER CITY, CA—In the wake of a public backlash over disparaging remarks he made on his former podcast, Jeopardy! announced Friday that Mike Richards would be stepping down from his new job as host of the show and remaining on in the reduced role of podium buzzer. “After reviewing his regrettable comments, we believe it would be more appropriate if Mike Richards’ capacity to speak on Jeopardy! were limited to a gentle ‘ba-ding’ or ‘do-do-do,’” said Mara Jackson, a spokesperson for Sony Pictures Television who explained the decision to make Richards crouch inside one of the show’s three podiums and serve as the mechanism that allows a contestant to buzz in with a response. “Rest assured, Sony takes his sexist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Haitian rhetoric very seriously. However, instead of terminating Mr. Richards’ employment outright, we have chosen to reassign him to a position in which a contestant will press down upon his head and he, in turn, will flip a switch that causes the podium to light up. On occasions when the contestant selects a Daily Double, Mr. Richards will also be allowed to make the ‘Bew, bew, bew, bew! Bew, bew, bew, bew! Bew, bew, bew!’ sound.” At press time, Sony announced that Mayim Bialik would be demoted to the position of host’s lectern after the resurfacing of past comments in which she refused to denounce illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.