In the months following Alex Trebek’s death in 2020, Jeopardy! was thrown into upheaval as the powers that be worked to decide who would take on the herculean task of replacing one of the greatest game show hosts of all time. After quite a bit of controversy regarding previous lawsuits and controversial podcast comments, Mike Richards was let go from his position as executive producer and newly appointed Jeopardy! host, and two years later, he has broken his silence with words about the incredible fight he saw Trebek endure.
Alex Trebek hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons before ultimately succumbing to pancreatic cancer at age 80, and for over a year after his diagnosis, he continued to fulfill his duties to the quiz show while undergoing treatment. Mike Richards, who was the show’s executive producer at the time, recalled Trebek’s battle, telling People:
I don't think I will ever see anything like it again. I've never seen someone in that much pain or that ill in my life, let alone going out and pitching five perfect games a day.
Referring to Jeopardy! as a sport rather than a game seems like something you’d hear from its current EP Michael Davies, or even Ken Jennings, the man who ultimately landed the sole hosting position. Regardless, it’s a perfect description of what Alex Trebek was able to do in his final seasons, and Mike Richards is not the first to acknowledge Trebek’s fight.
Former contestant Yoshie Hill recalled not too long ago what it was like to compete on Alex Trebek’s final episode, which aired two months after his death on January 8, 2021. She said it was “remarkable” how professional and engaged he was, despite being so sick.
Ken Jennings has made similar comments, talking about how much pain Alex Trebek would be in backstage but then push through it once he got in front of the contestants and audience. The current host — who is also one of the biggest winners in Jeopardy! history — even recalled his last conversation with Alex Trebek, confirming that he fought until the very end and “he was still very much Alex” in his final days.
Mike Richards’ comments come over two years after he was removed as executive producer of both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. There was instant backlash about him being appointed Alex Trebek’s successor back in 2021, as it appeared “the fix was in” (as LeVar Burton put it) and none of the other guest hosts auditioning for the gig had ever had a chance.
The situation became more serious when several discrimination lawsuits from his time at The Price Is Right resurfaced, along with many offensive remarks he made on a 2013 podcast. The then-EP went on to host for just one day (one week’s worth of episodes) before stepping down, with Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings being named co-hosts.
Jeopardy! has been through a lot over the past few years, so it’s nice amidst all of that any time we can look back and remember Alex Trebek and how much the quiz show meant to him.
