The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Stackertosh on December 15, 2023, 06:43:22 PM
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She just announced on instagram that she's not returning.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C05G11gPBwg/?hl=en (https://www.instagram.com/p/C05G11gPBwg/?hl=en)
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She just posted it to her Facebook feed.
No mention of whether she’ll be doing any prime time episodes.
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Wasn’t particularly blown away by her hosting job, but still sorry to see her go from the proceedings. Mazel tov, Mayim.
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The show also posted to social media, saying they wanted to "maintain continuity" for their viewers by having only one host. They did, however, say they hope to continue working with her on the primetime specials.
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Yeah, I think that a lot of the criticism of her has been overblown. Like the folks on Reddit who hated when she called the Jeopardy! round Single Jeopardy sometimes which Alex himself would do on occasion. Some folks just didn't like her from jump because she wasn't Ken and there was nothing she could have done to win them over and so every little thing they didn't like became a whole thing.
But I don't think her ratings were that much different from Ken's and that ultimately meant that it was easier just to go with one host. Did her leaving to support the strike come into play here? I bet it didn't help, but I doubt it was the main reason. I think it's more that they just wanted to have one host for continuity for the daily game. I'm betting that if ABC wants her for the next season of Celebrity J!, Sony will make a deal with her for that.
Regardless, I like Mayim and I wish her well.
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The show also posted to social media, saying they wanted to "maintain continuity" for their viewers by having only one host.
It took them that long to consider that continuity of host might be something that would make sense?
Did her leaving to support the strike come into play here? I bet it didn't help, but I doubt it was the main reason.
I think not showing up for work when you don't have a legal right not to is not going to help you remain employed.
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I don’t think that factored in, although the bosses may have figured the ratings didn’t suffer without her. But when it comes to the strike, standing in solidarity with writers is usually accepted and crossing the picket lines to host would’ve been highly frowned upon.
Ken himself got flak for still hosting. Granted it was mostly on Twitter, where everyone is performative with the activism but folks were still upset.
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The show also posted to social media, saying they wanted to "maintain continuity" for their viewers by having only one host.
It took them that long to consider that continuity of host might be something that would make sense?
Did her leaving to support the strike come into play here? I bet it didn't help, but I doubt it was the main reason.
I think not showing up for work when you don't have a legal right not to is not going to help you remain employed.
I’d say Mayim Bialk has a little more pull on her work attendance than you or I.
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I’d say Mayim Bialk has a little more pull on her work attendance than you or I.
No doubt she does, but when the ratings are not any higher when you are there, and the powers that be have come around to the idea that a single host makes sense, your work attendance (or more of it) might have had a little more pull on your longevity at the job when the axe came falling.
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Much ado about nothing, and yes, ratings differential was inconsequential. At one time there was a faction inside Sony that truly believed in having a female "name" host and effectively there was an impasse. Rather than try and force one side to cave, the decision was made to go with the dual hosts--this also helped to promote the newer primetime efforts with the strong, ABC-heavy base of stations the syndicated version offered. Her decision to support the writers was not well received by management, that's true, but hardly the reason they chose this route. In the end, what we have is effectively no different than what we saw decades ago--one host for the daytime version, one host for the nighttime version. So Mayim Bialik is the 21st century Bill Cullen. Obladi. Oblada.
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I'm astonished at how many news outlets have reported she's out as host altogether. (I just sent a correction to our local paper.) Can't anyone read a press release anymore?
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I'm astonished at how many news outlets have reported she's out as host altogether. (I just sent a correction to our local paper.) Can't anyone read a press release anymore?
Oh, heck no.
But outside of the syndicated version, what other network primetime offerings are in the offing that she could be hosting? Did I miss the part where Celebrity Jeopardy! and Jeopardy! Masters became multi-season things beyond what has already been announced to have Ken hosting?
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But outside of the syndicated version, what other network primetime offerings are in the offing that she could be hosting? Did I miss the part where Celebrity Jeopardy! and Jeopardy! Masters became multi-season things beyond what has already been announced to have Ken hosting?
Seems like at this point there's just a general feeling that ABC has a standing order for special Jeopardy! events. Whether anything is official or not, I think regular appearances of Celebrity Jeopardy! are just assumed.
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There's now some threads on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, claiming she was "forced out" due to some "antisemitic" comments she made in support of Palestinians. Clearly folks who don't follow the world of game shows.
Honestly, this two host thing was a stupid idea from the beginning and we can thank Mike Richards for causing it. It certainly didn't help that she stopped showing up to work in support of the WGA and SAG strikes when she had no legal right to do so.
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I'm astonished at how many news outlets have reported she's out as host altogether. (I just sent a correction to our local paper.) Can't anyone read a press release anymore?
At least I can say the news organization I work for has the correct information (because I wrote the article).
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Isn’t she a member of SAG?
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Isn’t she a member of SAG?
Yes.
-Jason
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Did her leaving to support the strike come into play here? I bet it didn't help, but I doubt it was the main reason.
I think not showing up for work when you don't have a legal right not to is not going to help you remain employed.
Honestly, she was screwed from the moment Jeopardy decided to continue filming despite the strike. She was either going to upset some of the powers that be at Jeopardy, or she was going to come off looking like she crossed the picket line, even if her contract stated otherwise. For the sake of her long time employment in Hollywood, she made the right choice.
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Isn’t she a member of SAG?
Yes.
-Jason
Thanks, Jason. 🙂
Would seem pretty bad form to be a member of one union and cross a picket line when another is striking.
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Seems like at this point there's just a general feeling that ABC has a standing order for special Jeopardy! events. Whether anything is official or not, I think regular appearances of Celebrity Jeopardy! are just assumed.
Yes, I think the Jeopardy! and WOF runs have done well for ABC relative to their costs, so that's likely what people are referring to. J! Masters was already renewed for 2024, but I would imagine that would still have Ken hosting. If ABC wants Mayim to host CJ season 3 and her contract has not yet expired, then she'll host CJ again.
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More from Puck News’ “What I’m Hearing” column of industry gossip (the latest version is not yet available on the web) h/h to Reddit for the copy) :
Strike Shrapnel Hits Jeopardy!
By Matthew Belloni
December 18, 2023
Remember when I speculated back in late September that the studios may not soon forget the outsize animosity on display during the Writers Guild strike? A few readers (and many on Twitter!) said I was fearmongering. Now we see Sony Pictures Television firing Mayim Bialik as host of the syndicated Jeopardy!, duties she shared since 2022 with Ken Jennings. And while Sony insists the parting is to “maintain continuity” for viewers, Bialik’s actions during the strike were at least a contributing factor, according to three sources close to the show. Sony declined to comment beyond its statement.
Sony TV executive Suzanne Prete and executive producer Michael Davies were furious when Bialik said in May that she would step away from the final week of filming last season in solidarity with the show’s striking writers. After all, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are well-oiled machines, requiring precise timing to make the show’s five-episodes-a-day schedule. Plus, Bialik wasn’t loved on set, and Sony had switched up shooting that season to accommodate her Fox sitcom, Call Me Kat. Bialik’s reps were told that by refusing to perform, she was in breach of her contract, which began with an annual salary of $4 million (that includes her primetime Jeopardy! work), and has increased by $1 million each year. Jennings, who stepped in on those final episodes, is paid the same.
Post-strikes, Bialik had expected business as usual, but Sony recently informed her that her services won’t be needed next season. She was offered the chance to stay on for the rest of this season, but she said no thanks. Assuming the primetime Celebrity Jeopardy! and the college tournament are renewed by ABC for 2024-25 (a safe bet), she may still stay on those. But given her anger, I’ll be a bit surprised if that happens.
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Would seem pretty bad form to be a member of one union and cross a picket line when another is striking.
Ken is also a member of SAG-AFTRA.
Presumably, the technical crew on J! is members of IATSE.
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People may forget that at the time WGA struck, SAG-AFTRA had instructed their talent to honor their valid contracts. It was said that shows like The View, Wheel, and J! fell under the Network Code Agreement for SAG-AFTRA and that wasn’t struck. I don’t know if this means that Ken and Mayim were on the show as host under that agreement, but either way, Mayim
did breech her contract when she walked out which, if she was actually covered by that Network Code, would have been an illegal wildcat strike.
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Strike stuff aside, my take on Mayim is this: She was definitely one of the better guest hosts during that run, and based on those applicants, she probably deserved the gig at that time. Problem is, she never got any better, while Ken not only improved as he got more comfortable with the job, but he improved by leaps and bounds and really left Mayim in the dust. She became expendable.
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Strike stuff aside, my take on Mayim is this: She was definitely one of the better guest hosts during that run, and based on those applicants, she probably deserved the gig at that time. Problem is, she never got any better, while Ken not only improved as he got more comfortable with the job, but he improved by leaps and bounds and really left Mayim in the dust. She became expendable.
This. I think she got a little better, but to your point, Ken made huge strides.
She also didn't endear herself to the fanbase. I recall an early event where she took a minor shot at Lilly, the woman who rates contestant and host outfits on J, and, for a time, it seemed like the fan base turned on her.
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recall an early event where she took a minor shot at Lilly, the woman who rates contestant and host outfits on J,
Not for nothing, but I'd take a shot at that too. That's up there with that one clown around here who would favor us with his gender tally on WOF contesti. Actually worse, since that was at least fact-based instead of passing judgement.
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Strike stuff aside, my take on Mayim is this: She was definitely one of the better guest hosts during that run, and based on those applicants, she probably deserved the gig at that time. Problem is, she never got any better, while Ken not only improved as he got more comfortable with the job, but he improved by leaps and bounds and really left Mayim in the dust. She became expendable.
This. I think she got a little better, but to your point, Ken made huge strides.
She also didn't endear herself to the fanbase. I recall an early event where she took a minor shot at Lilly, the woman who rates contestant and host outfits on J, and, for a time, it seemed like the fan base turned on her.
Sorry, but I’m confused. Is this Lilly someone affiliated with the show or is it a nitwit on social media? If it’s the later, who gives a flying fig what Lilly thinks? That’s a stupid reason to “turn on someone”.
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Not for nothing, but I'd take a shot at that too. That's up there with that one clown around here who would favor us with his gender tally on WOF contesti. Actually worse, since that was at least fact-based instead of passing judgement.
All things considered, the J Twitter community likes her posts and generally regards her as a nice lady - the judging isn't so much judging as it is pointing out nice things about everyone's outfits. YMMV, but she's harmless at worst.
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All things considered, the J Twitter community likes her posts and generally regards her as a nice lady - the judging isn't so much judging as it is pointing out nice things about everyone's outfits. YMMV, but she's harmless at worst.
If she's focusing on the positive? Sure, different animal.
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Belloni, love him or hate him, is very well-connected. And let’s just say Suzanne and Michael weren’t necessarily on board with the Mayim supporters. Mayim’s week tested atypically high, but was not controlled for whether the reason she popped was the love for her talents or the sight gimmick of Amy Farrah Fowler hosting a shoe that character arguably could have run the table on. And yes, many thought a woman needed to be in consideration. Honestly not sure where of if they aligned with the thoughts of others with a voice on that.
Here’s the bottom line: the strike support issue was an easy way to address the elephant in the room: she was at best a push with Ken with popularity and even less impactful on bringing in a different audience. I’d be surprised if anything but a sliver of CJ’s viewers aren’t also watching the mothership strip. And she didn’t come cheap.
How the Twitterati felt about her foibles and Fowler-ups didn’t help her case, but this was ultimately business not personal.
At least she did better than Rolf.
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Finding out in the This is Jeopardy podcast that Ken was set to take over for Alex on the show *before* he died entrenched my position that Ken was the gameplan from the start and should've hosted the rest of Season 37 by himself. I think he should've been the sole host after Season 38, so while I'm sad for Mayim, I do think that this is best for the show. I don't dislike Mayim and didn't think she was terrible by any means. I just think that from the standpoint of watching Alex do it in person for years and being able to relate to the contestant's experience better, Ken's the better fit for the show.
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I like her as host. It's a shame to see her go.
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Finding out in the This is Jeopardy podcast that Ken was set to take over for Alex on the show *before* he died entrenched my position that Ken was the gameplan from the start
I think someone on this podcast is trying to cover over embarrassing history.
Mike Richard's plan was always to hire Mike Richards.
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Finding out in the This is Jeopardy podcast that Ken was set to take over for Alex on the show *before* he died entrenched my position that Ken was the gameplan from the start
I think someone on this podcast is trying to cover over embarrassing history.
Mike Richard's plan was always to hire Mike Richards.
Maybe in the long term, but in this case it's true that Ken was being lined up to take over for Alex while he was alive. After Alex taped what ended up being his last show, he had planned on having a surgery that was going to sideline him for a while, so Ken was tapped to take his place temporarily. Although Alex's daughter says that after leaving the studio that last day, Alex indicated that he was probably done for good. They were in the studio the Sunday Alex died preparing to do rehearsal games for Ken when the news of Alex's passing came. Which explains why they were prepared to film a message in studio to tack onto the episode airing the following day.
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Claire McNear’s new post in The Ringer is the most deeply reported story of this whole story. Her being on the J! beat put her in the right spot to report on it.
She confirms that both Ken and Mayim are SAG-AFTRA and their hosting duties were under the unstruck Network Code contract, meaning that Wil Wheaton’s swipe at Ken being a scab were just flat out wrong. He, like Alex before him, was simply following what SAG-AFTRA advised, to honor their contract.
McNear does contradict other reporting that says Bialik was disliked by the crew.
https://www.theringer.com/tv/2023/12/27/24015707/mayim-bialik-jeopardy-main-host-history-ken-jennings-writers-strike