Mayim Bialik Messed Up So Often, ‘Jeopardy’ Producers Had To Step In

Former Jeopardy host Mayim Bialik found it so difficult to maintain her composure on the long-running quiz show that producers had to step in and ask her to change things before she left in solidarity with the ongoing writers strike.

Mayim Bialik began hosting duties on Jeopardy in July 2022 alongside former champion Ken Jennings, with the two alternating in the original show and the Big Bang Theory actress taking charge of Celebrity Jeopardy. Both hosts had to step into an already chaotic show that has yet to right the ship since the 2020 death of longtime host and TV icon Alex Trebek.

After Trebek sadly passed away due to pancreatic cancer, the show unveiled a series of guest hosts that were widely understood to essentially be auditioning for a permanent position.

Related: “Don’t Let Her Back on Air”: Fans Celebrate as Mayim Bialik Steps Down, Replaced on ‘Jeopardy!’

After weeks of fan-favorite figures like LeVar Burton, media personalities like Katie Couric, and oddball choices like professional athlete Aaron Rodgers, the show announced an unexpected new host: producer Mike Richards.

There was immediate fan outcry and accusations that Richards had basically given himself a game show job he had no real experience in, as well as resurfaced accusations of misconduct and offensive statements. Richards stepped down after a single day of taping episodes.

Since then, both Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings have faced the ire and microscopic attention to detail of Jeopardy fans, but the former host seems to have gotten a talking-to at some point.

Mayim Bialik and ‘Jeopardy’

Mayim Bialik’s tenure as a Jeopardy host was marked by controversies and waves of fan anger, most frequently at her numerous perceived mistakes and mishandling of contestants.

At various points, Bialik was accused of changing the rules of Jeopardy mid-episode, hosting the worst episode ever, and allowing incorrect answers. As one might expect, this had a pretty severe effect on the host, who reported feeling “worthless” and isolating herself from all human contact for weeks.

It turns out, though, that the thing that made Jeopardy producers finally take her aside and have a word was not any of those gaffes but her attitude.

“Being Myself Is Actually Not What I Want To Be”

Jeopardy producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss (who has been with the show since 2001) revealed on an episode of the Inside Jeopardy podcast that Mayim Bialik had to be instructed to change her host style to not be so visibly surprised at contestants’ answers.

According to Foss, “[Bialik] is constantly impressed and often even surprised at how many things our Jeopardy contestants can recall so quickly…So it was something we talked about… That, as impressive as it is, just say, ‘Yes, correct, you got it.’ Because they are amazing, and you are going to be continually impressed by their knowledge.”

Mayim Bialik herself said (via a pre-recorded clip), “It’s hard not to get honestly starstruck by the contestants up here, and I have to remember that I can’t be exceptionally surprised when they get things right… which I used to be, I used to be: ‘Wow, yes, you got it!’ So I try to be more chill about it.’”

Many fans found this particular trait of Mayim Bialik grating and disrupting to the flow of the show, which is almost certainly why producers tried to push her away from it.

Related: ‘Jeopardy!’ Officially Rebooted With New Host, First Look Photos Emerge

It also seems certain that Bialik was aware of her need to adjust, continuing, “Well, usually, when people say ‘be yourself,’ that’s supposed to be encouraging… But here, being myself is actually not what I want to be. I want to be the best Jeopardy host I can be, which means curbing a lot of the inner monologue and, in many cases, inner criticism about the way I say things or the way I speak or the way I’m trying to facilitate what we’re doing here.”

It was recently announced that Ken Jennings will serve as the permanent and sole host of Jeopardy season 40, and while it has not been officially stated that Bialik will not return, it is said to be extremely unlikely.

What did you think of Mayim Bialik’s hosting style? Did she act too surprised at correct answers? Let us know in the comments below!