Jeopardy! Begins Filming as Sony Stands by Host Mike Richards Despite Offensive Comments

The future of Jeopardy! has been speculated about quite a lot in recent weeks, after a rotating array of guest hosts indicated possible new status quos for the series following the passing of Alex Trebek. Last week, audiences got their answer of who would permanently be taking over as Jeopardy! host, with series executive producer Mike Richards set to host the syndicated episodes of the series. That all got complicated earlier this week after offensive remarks made by Richards on a podcast resurfaced online, with some fans calling for him to be removed from the new post. According to a new report, the recent controversy has not stopped Richards’ tenure as host, with The Hollywood Reporter confirming that he began filming the new season of the series as planned on Thursday.

Late Thursday afternoon, the Anti-Defamation League released a statement condemning Richards for his comments, and calling on those involved with the series to investigate the matter.

The comments originated from The Randumb Show, a behind-the-scenes podcast for The Price Is Right that Richards hosted from 2013 to 2014 while an executive producer on the series. The Ringer reported a comprehensive analysis of all 41 episodes of the series, and concluded that Richards used sexist and racist language, particularly with regards to the Jewish and Asian community. Richards released a statement soon after, apologizing for the comments.

“It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago,” Richards’ statement reads. “Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry. The podcast was intended to be a series of irreverent conversations between longtime friends who had a history of joking around. Even with the passage of time, it’s more than clear that my attempts to be funny and provocative were not acceptable, and I have removed the episodes. My responsibilities today as a father, husband, and a public personality who speaks to many people through my role on television means I have substantial and serious obligations as a role model, and I intend to live up to them.”

This is just the latest example of Richards recently coming under fire, after former Price Is Right models filed complaints against the producer for pregnancy discrimination.