Former 'Jeopardy!' champion James Holzhauer applauds Mike Richards' firing - Fox News

Former "Jeopardy!" champ James Holzhauer revealed he's in full support of the firing of executive producer Mike Richards. 

On Tuesday, Holzhauer took to Twitter to weigh in on the scandal that's plagued the long-running game show in recent weeks.

"Do I think Mike Richards’s podcast comments were appropriate for polite society? No. But did he deserve the benefit of the doubt for the job he did running Jeopardy? Also no," Holzhauer wrote on the platform.

In a second tweet, Holzhauer seemingly solidified his approval of Richards' ousting with a "Wizard of Oz" GIF that says, "DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD!"

‘JEOPARDY!’ AND ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ EXECUTIVE PRODUCER MIKE RICHARDS FIRED

The former champ, known for a 32-game winning streak back in 2019, continued to troll Richards with a joke comparing the show's status without a permanent host to the McNear variant.

He added that his negative opinion of Richards is not solely based on the derogatory comments that recently surfaced of him demeaning women, Asians, Jews, and others from a 2013-14 podcast.

"Some judged Mike Richards solely on his podcast comments and formed a negative opinion, but I judged him by the way he treated people backstage at Jeopardy and formed a much stronger negative opinion," he tweeted.

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Suzanne Prete, EVP, business and strategy at "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" confirmed Richards' firing in a memo to Sony staffers on Tuesday.

"I’m writing to let you know that Mike will no longer be serving as EP of Wheel and Jeopardy! effective immediately.  We had hoped that when Mike stepped down from the host position at Jeopardy! it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks. That clearly has not happened.

"Michael Davies from Embassy Row has agreed to help with production on an interim basis until further notice. Michael and I will work together with all of you in the weeks ahead to ensure that production remains on schedule and we do not miss a beat as we head into the new season.

"I know this has been a challenging time for the entire team, and I want to thank you all for your cooperation and professionalism over these last few weeks. As Ravi mentioned last week, I will be more involved in the day-to-day on our shows moving forward and I am looking forward to working closely with all of you.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything."

Richards had signed an overall development deal with Sony in 2019, and became executive producer of "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune" in May 2020.

He quickly became controversial when he went from behind-the-scenes to Sony’s pick for host of "Jeopardy!'' — even before the podcast comments surfaced.

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In a statement issued to Fox News last week, Richards apologized for his past attempts at being "provocative" and vowed to do better in the future. 

Mike Richards was fired as the executive producer of "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune." (Daytime Emmy Awards 2021 via Getty Images)

"It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago," Richards said in that statement. "Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry."

Richards went on to explain the context of his comments within his podcast before acknowledging his "obligations as a role model" to do better.

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This isn't the only controversy for Richards. He previously came under fire for an incident that occurred more than a decade ago while Richards was at "The Price Is Right." He was the subject of a 2010 complaint by Brandi Cochran, a former model on the show, who claimed she was fired after becoming pregnant with twins while he served as co-executive producer. Cochran obtained more than $8.5 million in punitive damages.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Azealia Banks Calls Kanye West's Donda Album 'Wild Garbage' - XXLMAG.COM

Azealia Banks is fearless when it comes to critiquing other rappers.

On Sunday (Aug. 29), just hours after Kanye West unceremoniously released his Donda album, Banks jumped on her Instagram Story to offer her thoughts on the LP.

In a since-deleted message, the Harlem rapper wrote, “This Donda shit is wild garbage...Music for hedgefund bros.”

Later on, Banks addressed a commenter on Twitter who felt that Banks made that harsh critique about ’Ye’s 10th album because she couldn’t “get with him” and “needed help.”

“I said it because that gospel cockfest was legit depressing garbage,” Banks wrote on her IG Story.

Banks joins several people who felt that West's Donda album didn’t live up to the hype.

On Monday (Aug. 30), Power 105’s The Breakfast Club cohosts Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy were extremely critical of the project. Charlamagne felt the album was lackluster and sounded dated.

"Upon first listen, it was lackluster for me upon first listen," he said. "It's an hour and 49 minutes long. So like Kanye West it can be exhausting."

Charlamagne added that if West cut at 12 songs from the LP it would be "great album."

"But 28 songs with all the part twos, an hour 48 minutes, it's too long and it drags to me. And the music sounds kinda dated," he said.

Meanwhile, DJ Envy wasn’t so kind with his feelings about Yeezy or the album.

"This is the reason I haven't listened to the album and I don't necessarily want to listen to the album," he stated. "I just don't like the way he treats people and I think he's a clown. Clown, like a circus clown with the stupid jacket and big shoes. Clown."

DJ Envy has since spoken with Kanye’s team but still stands with his opinion about Kanye.

It looks like Kanye West’s Donda album is going to be one of the most polarizing rap albums of 2021.

See the Many Times Rappers' Social Media Accounts Were Suspended

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson responds to doppelgänger in Alabama officer Eric Fields - KABC-TV

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has responded to a look-alike fan.

Days after the photo went viral, Dwayne Johnson tweeted, "wow, guy on the left is way cooler. stay safe brother and thank you for your service. one day we'll drink teremana."

Teremana is a tequila brand founded by Johnson.

Alabama law enforcement officer Eric Fields went viral after the Morgan County Sheriff's Office posted a picture of Fields on Facebook.

"It's cool that the Rock looks like the real hero, Lt. Fields!," one person wrote.

"Can he swing by my house, I need to confirm he looks like the Rock as well," one woman commented.

"He sure does, can u smell what the rock is cooking," wrote another.

According to Alabama news outlet AL.com, Lt. Fields has worked with the Morgan County Sheriff's Office for 17 years in various roles.

"I've been called The Rock and Vin Diesel's love child," Fields told AL.com. "I go along with it. It's humorous. It's flattering. It could be worse people, I guess."

CNN Wire contributed to this report.

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R. Kelly Made Girlfriends Who 'Twerked for Cake' Fight Each Other at Birthday Party, Witness Says - The Daily Beast

After R.Kelly’s girlfriends displeased him at an all-female birthday party at his studio, the singer made the women fight each other, a former assistant testified on Tuesday.

“He didn’t like that they were twerking for cake,” Suzette Mayweather, who worked as one of Kelly’s assistants for 16 months, told jurors during the singer’s sex-crimes trial in Brooklyn federal court.

As punishment for how they were acting at the Jan. 4, 2016 party, Mayweather said that Kelly “had them get on each other”—or fight. Kelly later told Mayweather that while the party only included females, he was angry that one of his girlfriend’s cousins “learned more on the masculine side,” she said.

Maywather testified that during the party she could hear the girlfriends “laughing or screaming” and “thumping” upstairs, which she believed was them fighting.

She is the fourth employee of the Grammy-winning singer to take the stand against him. So far, all the employees have detailed strict rules to which they—and Kelly’s girlfriends—had to adhere while in the singer’s orbit. If they did not follow the rules, as at least three employees testified, they would have their pay docked as punishment.

Prosecutors have argued the 54-year-old abused at least six women and girls, four of whom were minors when he first had sexual contact with them. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include racketeering based on kidnapping and sexual exploitation of children and violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits the transport of people across state lines for sex.

To prove his pattern of behavior, several witnesses have described the bizarre rules they had to follow—ranging from asking permission to use the bathroom, to wearing baggy clothing, to standing facing the elevator walls if a man entered the room.

“They did not move unless they had his permission,” Mayweather, who worked for Kelly from Oct. 2015 to Feb. 2017, told jurors on Tuesday. “If there was a male present... I interacted with the male.”

“When [Kelly’s girlfriends] walked in the elevator, when the door closed, they faced the wall,” she added.

While Mayweather described Kelly as a “brother” who she had known for decades, she did admit on the stand that she got in several arguments with him during her employment. In one jarring incident, Mayweather said Kelly made her go to the studio in the middle of the night because he wanted sweet potato pie.

When she arrived at the studio—with several frozen pies she bought from Walmart in hand—she said that Kelly told her: “I thought you were going to fail your test.”

The pair then got into an argument at the studio because Mayweather spoke to one of Kelly’s girlfriends about their relationship. Breaking down on the stand as she described the argument, Mayweather said the incident got so heated that she lied to Kelly about who initiated the conversation between her and one of his girlfriends because she “feared for her in terms of what the repercussions would be.”

One of Kelly’s rules, she noted, was that nobody could speak with the singer’s girlfriends about their relationship.

“This particular incident was the first time... that I had ever seen Rob really that upset,” she said, noting that she received a fine for breaking the rule. “It was not the tone, it was the look in his eyes.”

Tom Arnold, who said he worked for Kelly for over eight years as a studio manager, testified last week that he ultimately left his job after being docked a week’s pay for booking a male Disney World tour guide for the singer and his girlfriends.

“Nobody was available,” Arnold said about his decision to book a male guide even though one of Kelly’s rules insisted it “always had to be a female.”

He testified that the week’s “fine”—which was about $1,500—came after he was forced to book a male guide for a “very last minute” trip for the singer and some “female guests.” The booking also went against Kelly’s alleged rule that girlfriends could not be around other males, or look them in the eye if they were in the same vicinity.

Mayweather likewise testified on Tuesday that Kelly’s girlfriends could not be around other males. And Anthony Navarro, who was a low-level assistant in 2007, also testified last week about Kelly’s intense regime.

“We were all fined because someone ate his donuts,” Arnold said about another incident.

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Elaine Welteroth Exits ‘The Talk’ After One Season - Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Elaine Welteroth won’t be returning to The Talk for CBS’ daytime talk show’s upcoming season as she shifts her focus on other projects. Welteroth joins fellow co-host Carrie Ann Inaba who also recently departed the daytime talk show. Search for new hosts is underway, and I hear the hope is to have at least one new permanent co-host — expected to be a person of color —  in place when The Talk premieres its new season on Sept. 13.

“We wish Elaine all the best. We are grateful for her passion, enthusiasm, and insight she brought to the show daily,” The Talk executive produces Heather Gray and Kristin Matthews said in a statement to Deadline. “Her openness and meaningful conversations were attributes we admired and always appreciated.”

After guest-hosting multiple times in late fall 2020, Welteroth officially joined The Talk as a full-time panelist on January 4, 2021. She and Amanda Kloots became permanent panelists at the same time, replacing Marie Osmond and Eve, both of whom had departed the show earlier. Factoring in Sharon Osbourne’s abrupt exit from The Talk amid controversy this past spring, Sheryl Underwood this fall will be the only permanent The Talk co-host who also was on the show last September. She will be joined by Kloots and Jerry O’Connell, who replaced Osbourne.

“It is an absolute honor for anyone, but especially a young Black woman, to occupy space on-air where our perspectives are largely underrepresented. “It was gratifying to be able to show up as my authentic self in front of a live national audience every day in a world as divided as ours and to stay true to myself and what I stand for,” Welteroth said in a statement to Deadline.

“I came to The Talk to break out of my own echo chamber and to join a diverse cast in helping to bridge some of the divides in our world through conversation and empathy. I’m proud of how I represented myself and my community. But as I always say: when the music changes, so must your dance! I will miss my talented co-hosts and crew and I wish them the very best. Thanks to all those who tuned in every day.  I’m excited to continue these necessary conversations in my work and to share my upcoming creative projects soon.”.

Welteroth serves as a judge on Bravo’s Project Runway, which returns for its 19th season in October. Her memoir More Than Enough is currently in development as a TV series from Paramount TV Studios and Anonymous Content. She also is a Consulting Editor-at-Large for Verizon Media’s short-form video network In The Know, author of the NYT bestselling memoir More Than Enough and teaches a class on the streaming platform Master Class, on how to custom design a unique career path.

Last month, Welteroth spoke up after an audio leak of a conversation she had with Osbourne following Osbourne’s headline-making on-air exchange with Underwood. In a statement, Welteroth stood by her comments.

Here is a highlight reel of Welteroth’s time on The Talk:

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