Mayim Bialik speaks out after Mike Richards exits Jeopardy!
It was announced in August that The Big **** Theory star Jopardi! Mike would host the daily show while Mayim took over primetime and spin-off specials.
Mike stepped down as the new host of the long-running game show after his previous abusive comments surfaced again.
Mayim shares her thoughts on the controversy in a new essay published in Newsweek.
“I didn’t immediately know who the other host was going to be, and after Mike Richards was announced as permanent host, a couple more weeks passed and then everything changed and Mike stepped down,” she wrote.
She continued, “I think everyone who works with me will say that, as a person who has been acting since I was a kid, I go where I’m pointed and I do the job I’m told to do. I do what’s in front of me. I don’t really follow the news aspect of my industry too much. That’s how I approached what was going on.”
“Of course I was in touch with Mike as he was my boss at that time, and I don’t wish ill on him, or anyone,” Mayim added. “But the complexity of these situations is not something that can be summed up easily.
“My first response, when all of this went down, was to say to the Jeopardy! team: ‘How can I help?’ Because I am part of this family.”
Despite all the controversy, Mayim said she was “honoured” to be asked to step into the quiz show as a host.
“I feel very honored to have been given the responsibility and the opportunity to step up into this hosting position. It’s been as dreamy as it was for the two days that I guest hosted,” she said. “I work very long days, but they fly by. We shoot five episodes a day and I get to meet fascinating people from all walks of life. Of course, I am grateful and honored to carve out so much of my time on behalf of Jeopardy!, because I feel very connected to the show, the legacy and everything that Alex and the team behind the scenes have built.”