Backlash Over Mayim Bialik’s Unearthed Vaccine Remarks Intensifies as She’s Chosen to Guest Host Jeopardy!
The trouble over at Jeopardy! may not be over yet.
Following news that controversial choice Mike Richards resigned from the position due to mounting scandals, Mayim Bialik, set to serve as the show’s first guest host, is facing a backlash of her own.
Past remarks Bialik made on vaccines, along with a 2017 New York Times op-ed she penned — and later apologized for — titled Being a Feminist in Harvey Weinstein’s World, were quickly unearthed by social media users following news of her latest gig.
Bialik was first put in the spotlight after news broke that she would host Jeopardy’s primetime and spinoff series on ABC next year, prompting a spokesperson to clarify that “She has been fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus and is not at all an anti-vaxxer,” in a statement to The Wrap.
In 2009, Bialik told People magazine that she was part of a “non-vaccinating family,” and in 2012 she penned a rather defensive article titled “Vaccinations, and Other Things I Don’t Want to Discuss” for the website Kveller.
While she has since clarified that she is not an anti-vaxxer, saying in a 2015 tweet that her children were vaccinated, she posted a YouTube video in October 2020 saying that she “delayed vaccinations for reasons you don’t necessarily get to know about.”
She went on to explain that some children have allergies to certain vaccines, and also said that she believes the United States administers “waaaaay too many vaccines.”
Later in the video, Bialik does urge viewers to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, yet later told Yahoo Life that she has “a lot of questions about the vaccine industry,” adding, “I have a lot of questions about the profits involved.”
She started to get attention once again after Richards announced his resignation on Friday, as some pushed Bialik’s ousting as well:
More on the snakeoil (Psychology Today’s word) that Bialik sells:https://t.co/wrxmI6G0vL pic.twitter.com/4ddviqkSbA
— Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) August 20, 2021
we need a clean break from richards and mayim. purge the whole operation and let Levar clean house
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 20, 2021
I support having Bialik step down. Her denials notwithstanding, she spread antivax misinformation and she’s a shill for a company selling dubious supplements. However, to be honest, as much as I like him I didn’t think LeVar Burton was very good hosting @Jeopardy. He was just OK.
— David Gorski, MD, PhD (@gorskon) August 21, 2021
Now that more people know that Mayim Bialik is a victim-blaming anti-Vaxxer and Candace Cameron is a biblical literalist tradwife, there’s never been a better time to have always felt more closely akin to the Boy-Crazy Latchkey Dirtbag Besties, Six and Kimmy Gibler.
— Alana Massey (@AlanaMassey) August 20, 2021
For those asking why folks are calling for Mayim Bialik to be ousted: https://t.co/uSPrGhNNeo
— Mekishana Pierre (@mekishana) August 20, 2021
Great, now do Mayim Bialik! https://t.co/9MVSfjZqqZ
— Mari Brighe (@MariBrighe) August 20, 2021
Can we get rid of rape apologist Mayim Bialik gone too? https://t.co/la41y3kdbl
— Wagatwe Wanjuki ?? ?? (@wagatwe) August 20, 2021
Mike Richards should be removed from his role as producer on Jeopardy and Mayim Bialik should be ousted as well. I can’t full celebrate until this happens.
— Hello, Peter. (@IWriteAllDay_) August 20, 2021
Bialik’s vaccine stance is gaining attention yet again, as Jeopardy! fans are disappointed that she is set to guest host 15 episodes of the daily syndicated show:
It goes from bad to worse. Not only should they fire the post-host EP but also the executives over him. Start over, Sony. https://t.co/OOx72h6rqn
— Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) August 23, 2021
at last a host free of controversy
[googles Mayim Bialik]
oh no https://t.co/7vycUgM3PG— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) August 23, 2021
