All-time worst replacement game show host on American television

[TMC]

This is a follow-up of my recent post concerning Game Show Garbage's Cyndi Seidelman's listing what she feels are the worst replacement game show hosts in American television history. Here's the list:

• Ed McMahon replacing Hugh Downs on Concentration
  
• Skip Lackey replacing Michael Carrington on Think Fast
  
• Mike Richards replacing Alex Trebek on Jeopardy!
  
• Robb Weller replacing Bert Convy on the nighttime version of Win, Lose or Draw
  
• Rolf Benirschke replacing Pat Sajak on the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune

[Mario500]

Originally Posted by TMC

This is a follow-up of my recent post concerning Game Show Garbage's Cyndi Seidelman's listing what she feels are the worst replacement game show hosts in American television history. Here's the list:

• Ed McMahon replacing Hugh Downs on Concentration
  
• Skip Lackey replacing Michael Carrington on Think Fast
  
• Mike Richards replacing Alex Trebek on Jeopardy!
  
• Robb Weller replacing Bert Convy on the nighttime version of Win, Lose or Draw
  
• Rolf Benirschke replacing Pat Sajak on the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune

(disagrees with this part of this list)

Originally Posted by TMC

• Mike Richards replacing Alex Trebek on Jeopardy!

(believes the "Mike Richards" mentioned in this part was treated unfairly after the "replacing" mentioned in this part and forced to quit the "Jeopardy!" mentioned in this part)

[AMackII]

Rolf was the downgrade from Pat on NBC’s WOF in Early 1989.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by AMackII

Rolf was the downgrade from Pat on NBC’s WOF in Early 1989.

Induction #93: Rolf Benirschke - Game Show Garbage

On this edition of The Games Of '90, we look at the best game show based on drawing: Win, Lose or Draw! Our main focus is on the Robb Weller season from 1989-1990, which turns into a bit of a surprise for our viewers.

[Dude111]

That guy thats on Family Feud now.....

Boo Hi$$!!!

[icecream]

Originally Posted by Dude111

That guy thats on Family Feud now.....

Boo Hi$$!!!

Richard Karn and John O'Hurley were much better hosts. GSN used to air them, not anymore once Steve Harvey became their ace.

[Dude111]

Ya that Harvey guy..... Cold and bland!

[cd637299]

Originally Posted by Dude111

That guy thats on Family Feud now.....

Boo Hi$$!!!

+1

cd

[cd637299]

Well, since this has been brought up, my 2¢—

This goes WAYYYY back, 1960 to be exact. Jack Narz was the host of “Video Village,” and from what I have read, he left the show to try to save his marriage.*

Red Rowe replaced him, and I think it lasted only 3 weeks.

This exchange at the beginning 2-3 minutes makes me feel so sorry for the new contestant, and it was obvious that Rowe was no “quizzzzz-master,” as Lou Grant would say—>

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWdUEPcnFro

I also think he was a bit maybe #MeToo worthy, shall we say? Yes I know, this was 1960.

[*Anyone feel free to correct me on this info, or anything I write!]

cd

[KurtfromPitts]

While I recall seeing Concentration in the summer of '69 for some reason Ed McMahon's stint escapes me. This was after Ed's Snap Judgment had been axed by the peacock net and replaced by It Takes Two with Vin Scully, which I do remember watching.

[cd637299]

Originally Posted by KurtfromPitts

While I recall seeing Concentration in the summer of '69 for some reason Ed McMahon's stint escapes me. This was after Ed's Snap Judgment had been axed by the peacock net and replaced by It Takes Two with Vin Scully, which I do remember watching.

Same here. I was a yuge fan of the original Concentration—I suppose McMahon hosted during school months, OR, our family was on a long vacation.

So sad that only a handful of episodes of the original have survived. Love that mechanical board….sometimes the wedges would get stuck and such!

cd

[TMC]

Richard Dawson replacing his successor on Family Feud, Ray Combs ironically enough. As this video lays it out, in the interim of Dawson's final Family Feud appearance in 1985 to his return in 1994, he had put on a lot of weight. This was presumably a side-effect of him quitting a four pack a day smoking habit following the birth of his daughter in 1990. His long-time smoking habit also consequently, left his voice much softer and raspier. It didn't help that Dawson often spoke in a hushed tone of voice, which could make it difficult to understand what he was saying.

Not only was Richard Dawson worse for wear physically by this point, but he was all in all, just a different man than he was say in 1976, when he initially started hosting Family Feud. Not only was the simple fact that he had been in retirement for almost 10 years, meant that he had been as the video states, "out of practice", his sharp wit come 1994 had dulled and his knack for family banter was no longer present.

Basically, it wasn't like Dawson had any personal motivation to make the show any good once he returned. He presumably, didn't need the money nor the clout. He was really only there because he thought that it would be fun.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Mario500

(disagrees with this part of this list)



(believes the "Mike Richards" mentioned in this part was treated unfairly after the "replacing" mentioned in this part and forced to quit the "Jeopardy!" mentioned in this part)

9 People Who Reaped What They Sowed in 2021

Mike Richards

Did anyone step on their own d*** as badly as Mike Richards this past year? The man went from a mostly unknown Executive Producer quietly working behind the scenes at hit programs like The Price Is Right and Wheel of Fortune to the dude in charge of picking the next Alex Trebek for Jeopardy!. All he had to do was pick someone charming, intelligent, and inoffensive *cough*LEVAR BURTON*cough* to fill the role and go back to making ridiculous cash while sexually harassing the women around him. Instead, Richards picked himself for the job, displaying in one grandiose gesture the overwhelming and unearned confidence of a rich white man who never faced a consequence in his life. But the universe, while disinterested in our fates, does have a sense of humor. And so shortly after announcing he would take over for Trebek his world quickly went up in flames. Reporters poured over his previously unremarked podcast and quickly discovered a trove of misogynistic and anti-Semitic material. He took it down, but the damage was already done and he was unceremoniously fired on August 31st. Michael Richards flew too close to the sun in his quest for television stardom and, like a d***ish Icarus, fell to his demise. Given the slow-motion trainwreck that was the Jeopardy! host selection process the entire hiring committee deserves to be on this list. I don’t know how you go about picking Trebek’s replacement from a group that includes at least one sexual harasser and two anti-vax idiots and actually select two of them - Richards and Bialik - but they managed it.

[cd637299]

I know I’m gonna get flamed for this, but here goes….

From what I understand, there was a public push to have LeVar Burton host the show, but it was never seriously considered. He got the audition after Jeopardy! got flooded with requests.

Richards or no Richards, what’s done be done. No LeVar.

cd

[TSMIV]

There was a public push to have LeVar Burton host the show, but it was never seriously considered. He got the audition after Jeopardy! got flooded with requests.

I never understood the push for LeVar. He was a terrible host. Ken is fine and Mike Richards was fine, but it should have gone to Aaron Rodgers if he was willing to take it. He was by far the best of the guest hosts.