'Jeopardy!' Potential Permanent Host Announcement Leaves LeVar Burton Frustrated?
LeVar Burton broke his silence after "Jeopardy!" unveiled the progress of their search for a permanent host.
After over a year of trying to find the perfect successor of Alex Trebek, "Jeopardy!" reached negotiations with its potential permanent host. Unfortunately for the celebrities who expressed their desire to win the spot, the show's executive producer Mike Richards outshined them all.
Following the update, Burton spoke up about Richards reaching the advanced steps after he and the other fans' favorites tried hard to nab the game master's spotlight.
Is LeVar Burton Frustrated?
Compared to the other celebrities who spearheaded the show, Burton surely is the only one who unceasingly expressed his desire to be a permanent host.
After failing to catch the "Jeopardy!" attention, he penned a statement on his social media account to reveal what he thinks about it.
On Twitter, the 64-year-old host said that he won regardless of the outcome and show's decision.
"The outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and fans alike has been incredible! If love is the ultimate blessing and I believe that it is, I am truly blessed beyond measure," he said.
Despite looking at it positively, many fans online started to question "Jeopardy!" and Sony Pictures Television's decision to choose Richards.
Some internet users thought whether Burton and others - especially Ken Jennings - ever really had a chance since they went up against the game show's executive producer. As a result, even the long-time viewers suggested that they would boycott the show thereafter.
One fan replied, "The result is just wrong. Giving it to the EP seems so planned especially since he only became the EP in 2020 when Trebek publicly announced his illness."
"I am hoping there was some chance that they leaked this info about Mike Richards as a trial balloon to see how folks react. And as we can see no one is happy. Its a profound mistake," another added.
Burton's comment and the public outrage came after Variety exclusively reported that Richards already reached advanced negotiations with Sony Pictures Television. According to a Sony Pictures spokesman, the company talked with several potential candidates.
However, the source did not name the other "potential candidates" they were referring to. Still, another insider warned that this should be taken with a grain of salt since it remains unknown whether they could close the deal soon.
