Jeopardy! EP Michael Davies is speaking out for the first time about Mayim Bialik’s controversial departure as co-host in December. Speaking to reporters Saturday at the Television Critics As…
The TLDR is she left abruptly in the season to support the writers strike and Ken scabbed in. The strike went on too long and Sony just let Ken have it.
A rep for SAG-AFTRA confirmed to TheWrap on Monday that since the quiz show is a Network Television Code show, it is not part of the TV/Theatrical/Streaming contract and is “not struck.” Source - The Wrap
Bialik had been MIA from her $4 million-a-year Jeopardy! gig since last May, when she abruptly bowed out of Season 39’s final weeks in a public display of solidarity with the show’s striking writers, leading Jennings to step in and close out the season.
As the Big Bang Theory vet’s absence dragged on through the summer, questions began to swirl around her future with the franchise. The speculation intensified on Aug. 18 when Jeopardy! released via its official social handles a new poster celebrating the syndicated show’s 39th season that featured Jennings but not Bialik. At the time, Sony declined to comment on the decision to exclude Bialik from the now-deleted artwork. Days later, ABC announced Jennings as the new primary host of primetime offshoot Celebrity Jeopardy!, replacing Bialik.
Despite your gratuitous use of bold text, the relevant part of that article was SAG-AFTRA confirming he was a not part of the strike. He was already the co-host of the show. Mayim dropped out in solidarity but he wasn’t “scabbing in” just because you want to believe he was. He kept working because he - and the show weren’t part of the strike. You can argue until you’re blue in the face but SAG-AFTRA doesn’t support your claim, bro.
However, executive producer Michael Davies recently revealed at the 2024 Television Critics Association’s winter press tour “Unscripted Storytellers” panel that Jeopardy Productions was already looking into bringing back Mayim Bialik for some version of the show.
Despite the firing, Davies defended the former host (per Variety), saying, “Mayim is a superb host. We hope to continue working with her on primetime versions — this conversation is ongoing.”
While Davies did not give any specifics as to when Mayim Bialik might return to host Jeopardy, it is striking that a “conversation” is happening at all, considering the storm of controversy that surrounded her entire tenure on the show.
The TLDR is she left abruptly in the season to support the writers strike and Ken scabbed in. The strike went on too long and Sony just let Ken have it.
Nope. That’s not what happened.
Lmao read your own clickbait article bro:
Despite your gratuitous use of bold text, the relevant part of that article was SAG-AFTRA confirming he was a not part of the strike. He was already the co-host of the show. Mayim dropped out in solidarity but he wasn’t “scabbing in” just because you want to believe he was. He kept working because he - and the show weren’t part of the strike. You can argue until you’re blue in the face but SAG-AFTRA doesn’t support your claim, bro.
Well yeah, if you go on strike when your union says you shouldn’t, you’re going to lose your job.
https://insidethemagic.net/2024/02/jeopardy-reveals-the-return-of-mayim-bialik-nk1/
Interesting turn of events!