Mike Richards OUT as host

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Bamaman
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by Bamaman »

Roberts, Faber, and Buck each did five shows in one day with the same editing process and all three were fantastic. I would be fine with any of them as the new host.

And they only had one week. Don’t give Burton another appearance.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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CailinGaoilge wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:38 pm Some very interesting comments from show sources in CNN's Brian Stelter's newsletter:

https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messag ... 01a664/raw
I thought this was the mot juste: -- "And so, ultimately, the Jeopardy host search failed because the questions came after the answer," Andrew Samson wrote...
LucarioSnooperVixey wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:58 pm This is a bummer.....Commiserations to those scheduled to tape today.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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CailinGaoilge wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:38 pm Some very interesting comments from show sources in CNN's Brian Stelter's newsletter:

https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messag ... 01a664/raw
I thought one of the most interesting implications in this is that Richards may have rigged the entire field of guest hosts, leaving out people who really wanted the job vs. a lineup of mostly newspeople who were unlikely to accept the position no matter how high their ratings were.

That said, I find it hard to believe they will run a whole new host search with a bunch of new faces at this point.
Last edited by Leander on Sat Aug 21, 2021 9:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by CailinGaoilge »

This Is Kirk! wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 12:54 am
georgespelvin wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 9:50 pm
CailinGaoilge wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 5:47 pm I see the LeVar promotion machine is out again in full force. If his legions of fans love him so much and want him as host, where were they during his week of episodes? Surely someone with that many fans would have had the highest viewership? Odd... :roll:
I've been seeing a bunch of people on Facebook all day saying that they should just hire LeVar Burton. To every single one of these people I have asked both specifically and in a general Facebook post of my own "did you actually watch the games Burton hosted?" If not, they do not have all of the information to make a reasoned opinion on the subject. Only one person told me that she had and that she thought that Burton would grow with experience. I thanked her and told her that I respect her opinion because at least she has the information to reasonably make one.
Yes, I don't understand this take that Burton deserves it and will "grow into it." He had his shot and he just wasn't very good. Why does he then deserve the job over others who actually nailed it? Since we're apparently going to get another round of guest hosts I'm all for giving him another shots, but not sure why he somehow deserves the job over everyone else who did much better.
Yes, it's that blatant entitlement that really pisses me off. I had nothing against Burton other than his poor performance, but now I don't want the guy anywhere near the permanent position.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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CailinGaoilge wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 10:26 am
This Is Kirk! wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 12:54 am
georgespelvin wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 9:50 pm
CailinGaoilge wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 5:47 pm I see the LeVar promotion machine is out again in full force. If his legions of fans love him so much and want him as host, where were they during his week of episodes? Surely someone with that many fans would have had the highest viewership? Odd... :roll:
I've been seeing a bunch of people on Facebook all day saying that they should just hire LeVar Burton. To every single one of these people I have asked both specifically and in a general Facebook post of my own "did you actually watch the games Burton hosted?" If not, they do not have all of the information to make a reasoned opinion on the subject. Only one person told me that she had and that she thought that Burton would grow with experience. I thanked her and told her that I respect her opinion because at least she has the information to reasonably make one.
Yes, I don't understand this take that Burton deserves it and will "grow into it." He had his shot and he just wasn't very good. Why does he then deserve the job over others who actually nailed it? Since we're apparently going to get another round of guest hosts I'm all for giving him another shots, but not sure why he somehow deserves the job over everyone else who did much better.
Yes, it's that blatant entitlement that really pisses me off. I had nothing against Burton other than his poor performance, but now I don't want the guy anywhere near the permanent position.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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Bamaman wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 2:26 am Roberts, Faber, and Buck each did five shows in one day with the same editing process and all three were fantastic. I would be fine with any of them as the new host.

And they only had one week. Don’t give Burton another appearance.
I agree. But the Twitterverse wants Burton, badly. Sony execs already have shown they're not all that interested in conducting this search in a sentient manner. I'm afraid this week's internal discussions are focused on Burton and quieting the masses rather than focusing on putting out the best product.

We should prepare for Burton, soon. Hopefully the rumors are true (and they seem ridiculous, but the Twitterverse has latched on) and Richards personally gave Burton instructions to perform as he did in order to sabotage a selection process that was allegedly rigged in Richards' favor anyway. In addition to being a Howard Stern wannabe, Richards is apparently Machiavelli as well.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by Bamaman »

Given Burton’s huge following, I could see someone trying to sabotage his appearance.


Other guests have full time jobs at the top of their profession they aren’t likely to give up. NFL quarterback, Today/GMA/60 Minutes host. Top NFL announcer. Prime time CNN show host. Heart surgeon. All unlikely to quit their job despite how prestigious the Jeopardy job is.

But an unemployed actor who actively campaigned for it is a serious rival.

I just don’t see how he can have any credibility as an EP going forward.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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ElendilPickle wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 1:48 am I watched his shows; having to shoot them all in one day must have been difficult. The editing didn't do him any favors, either. I'd like to see Burton do a two-week stint as guest host so he gets a chance to settle into the role.
Burton is 64 years old. Was the story "We're looking for a younger host who can give us a 20-year run or more, like Alex?" just another lie concocted by the 46-year-old Richards? Or does it help explain why 45-year-old Bialik got her slot? If the age preference isn't just another Richards lie (as well as being all kinds of illegal if litigated by the right attorneys), then wouldn't the 47-year-old Jennings or even the 57-year-old Faber be light years as well as calendar years ahead of Burton as far as studio preference? Or 36-year-old Buzzy Cohen? And let's not forget 37-year-old Aaron Rodgers.

Yes, if there will be another rotating wheel of guest hosts, it's harmless to give the prior one-week guests another week or two. But if Burton is on anyone's short list of potential permanent hosts, they're not thinking clearly... which may be all the proof we need that Sony execs are thinking seriously about hiring him! :cry:
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by triviawayne »

The conspiracy theories surrounding Levar need to stop.

If they wanted him to look bad, why go through all the trouble of editing his poor performance to give us a performance less poor, but still terrible?
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by CailinGaoilge »

A piece in the Atlantic with broader critical comments on J! execs' decision-making:

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/arc ... ny/619849/
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by This Is Kirk! »

Anachronism wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:31 am I agree. But the Twitterverse wants Burton, badly.
Big deal. The Twitterverse doesn't reflect the viewing demographic, which we know skews older. I have a feeling most of those advocating for Burton remember him on Reading Rainbow, so we're talking about people in their 40s and younger for the most part. And perhaps J! does need to cater to the younger viewers, but it's not like LeVar Burton is some young hotshot who's going to make the show "cool."
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by CailinGaoilge »

This Is Kirk! wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 12:08 pm
Anachronism wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:31 am I agree. But the Twitterverse wants Burton, badly.
Big deal. The Twitterverse doesn't reflect the viewing demographic, which we know skews older. I have a feeling most of those advocating for Burton remember him on Reading Rainbow, so we're talking about people in their 40s and younger for the most part. And perhaps J! does need to cater to the younger viewers, but it's not like LeVar Burton is some young hotshot who's going to make the show "cool."
Came back to add a link to an article in Slate, which is timely as it addresses exactly this point.

https://slate.com/culture/2021/08/jeopa ... ssion=true
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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Bamaman wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:43 am Given Burton’s huge following, I could see someone trying to sabotage his appearance.
Let's say Richards is Machiavelli and was working every angle here (personally, I think it was more Sony management is a pack of bros in suits who simply let their bro Richards insert himself and name himself because they probably haven't ever watched an episode of Jeopardy themselves).

I can't say I know how Burton approached Reading Rainbow. I haven't ever watched it. I watched all of TNG, so I'm familiar with his voice and speech patterns. And I've seen him in other works (Roots) so I know he's a good actor. The sabotage angle implies that Burton's knowledge of Jeopardy is very poor, so he didn't immediately recognize the instructions as sabotage.

If you look at Burton's remarks during the week his shows aired, you can see he was delighted with the results. If he was sabotaged, he might have been more silent, or not talked about bringing "as much LeVar to the moment as I could" or accepted the fawning praise from his fans.

The problem is he that he didn't see what was wrong with his performance. He thought the job focused on a great reading of the clues. So he brought as much LeVar to the reading as he could, and that meant an entirely different product. It wasn't for the contestants or for the Jeopardy 61-clue format in 20 minutes, it was for the art of his reading. I'm sure there's an audience for that, but it's not the Jeopardy audience.

If Richards sabotaged him, it was only in recognizing that what Burton is very skilled at doing does not translate very well to the Jeopardy format. But "just be yourself" is pretty much what any EP is going to tell a guest host. It's up to the host to watch the show, understand the format, and best use his talents.

Could Burton adapt? I don't know. But his reaction and his lack of adaptation when he had the opportunity suggests that he doesn't see it. And his fans only puff him up more. As much as I wanted Burton to be good, I don't think he should be part of this process moving forward, and I'm afraid the decision has already been made that he will be the next host.

What Jeopardy needs is a host who can look at the format and adapt to the pacing without instruction, without a fan base that will encourage him or her to emote and/or be the unquestioned star of the show.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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Anachronism wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:31 am
Bamaman wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 2:26 am Roberts, Faber, and Buck each did five shows in one day with the same editing process and all three were fantastic. I would be fine with any of them as the new host.

And they only had one week. Don’t give Burton another appearance.
I agree. But the Twitterverse wants Burton, badly. Sony execs already have shown they're not all that interested in conducting this search in a sentient manner. I'm afraid this week's internal discussions are focused on Burton and quieting the masses rather than focusing on putting out the best product.

We should prepare for Burton, soon. Hopefully the rumors are true (and they seem ridiculous, but the Twitterverse has latched on) and Richards personally gave Burton instructions to perform as he did in order to sabotage a selection process that was allegedly rigged in Richards' favor anyway. In addition to being a Howard Stern wannabe, Richards is apparently Machiavelli as well.
Remember: the Twitterverse also wanted Snakes on a Plane
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by georgespelvin »

Bamaman wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 2:26 am Roberts, Faber, and Buck each did five shows in one day with the same editing process and all three were fantastic. I would be fine with any of them as the new host.

And they only had one week. Don’t give Burton another appearance.
While I agree with this in a vacuum, LeVar Burton does have a strident, spirited and dedicated following. Considering that Burton was brought in as an apparent sop (sap?) to his fans and given just one week to host, airing during the Olympics, the optics would be better to give him another guest hosting chance. If he blows this one, most of his fans will still want him as host, but at least no one could say that he wasn't given a fair chance.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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georgespelvin wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 3:09 pm If he blows this one, most of his fans will still want him as host, but at least no one could say that he wasn't given a fair chance.
I don't mean to be too quippy, but I think you underestimate the Twitter mentality. You get 280 characters to vent whatever crosses your mind, and no one reads anything at all except media company employees and mid-level corporate managers.

He was given a fair chance. His fans, who may or may not have ever watched an episode of Jeopardy, cannot be appeased by anything short of Burton receiving the job, netting a salary somewhere north of the GDP of the state of California, and then shutting down production after one week because it's time to move on to bigger and better things.

Accepting the Twitterverse as having one shred of decency or common sense is like playing Global Thermonuclear War in War Games and expecting the computer to make the magical Turing leap and conclude that it's best simply to stop running the code it was designed to run.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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Anachronism wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 12:19 pm Sony management is a pack of bros in suits who simply let their bro Richards insert himself and name himself because they probably haven't ever watched an episode of Jeopardy themselves
100%
Anachronism wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 4:01 pm Accepting the Twitterverse as having one shred of decency or common sense is like playing Global Thermonuclear War in War Games and expecting the computer to make the magical Turing leap and conclude that it's best simply to stop running the code it was designed to run.
Also 100%
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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Anachronism wrote: Sat Aug 21, 2021 4:01 pm I don't mean to be too quippy, but I think you underestimate the Twitter mentality. You get 280 characters to vent whatever crosses your mind, and no one reads anything at all except media company employees and mid-level corporate managers.

He was given a fair chance. His fans, who may or may not have ever watched an episode of Jeopardy, cannot be appeased by anything short of Burton receiving the job, netting a salary somewhere north of the GDP of the state of California, and then shutting down production after one week because it's time to move on to bigger and better things.
While I think you’re right, and as someone who did like the idea of Burton before he actually hosted a week, I think it is fair to give him another week. Without Richards tampering with him, with a bit more room to grow into the role, he *could* still surprise. Even Alex Trebek wasn’t without his detractors when he first started — Art Fleming was one.

The Twitterverse will say what the Twitterverse will say, but Burton was a good candidate on paper long before they jumped on the bandwagon.
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

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test
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Re: Mike Richards OUT as host

Post by cinemaniax7 »

Under the circumstances, I don't see the new host — whether it's Jennings, Bialik, Burton, Cohen, or ? — wanting to work with Richards. Once Sony settles on a permanent host, I expect we'll see a new EP at the helm very shortly.
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