Mike Richards addresses Jeopardy! host search, says Price is Right lawsuits don't reflect "who I am"

The Hollywood Reporter

Richards sent a lengthy memo to his Jeopardy! staff this morning, five days after Variety reported he was the frontrunner for the hosting job, addressing being Alex Trebek's potential successor and the decade-old The Price is Right bias lawsuits that resurfaced as a result of the news. “It is true that I was asked if I would consider hosting the show. I was humbled and deeply honored," Richards wrote in the memo. "No final decisions have been made and discussions with me and other potential hosts are still ongoing. I know I have mentioned this to you all before, but the choice on this is not my decision and never has been. Throughout this search, Sony’s top priority has always been to continue the incredible legacy you and Alex built.  As you know, Alex always believed the game itself and the contestants are the most important aspects of the show, and that will continue to be the guiding principle as the decision is finalized." As for being named in two ex-models' lawsuits against The Price is Right when he was producer -- his name was later removed from one of the suits before a settlement -- Richards wrote: “These were allegations made in employment disputes against the show. I want you all to know that the way in which my comments and actions have been characterized in these complaints does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price is Right."