Myeshia Mizuno is the first Black woman to run a network game show, having taken over the regular and celebrity versions of Family Feud.
Growing up in the 1970s, Mizuno watched the Richard Dawson version of “Family Feud” at home. She told Variety, “I grew up watching game shows, everyone watched game shows. They have traditionally been run by white males. So, to be the first Black woman to run a primetime network game show is huge. And not just any game show, but an iconic franchise at that! I’m very appreciative of it. I don’t know why it has taken such a long time, but I’m happy to know that it’s now a genre that has been cracked open for someone like me to be a part of it.”
The trailblazer stated that now that she is in charge of “Feud,” she understands that her most essential job is to ensure that the show runs smoothly. She disclosed that she intended to switch the car giveaway in the syndicated version out for a trip package.
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Per ABC, Mizuno began her career in advertising before pursuing a career in TV, producing unscripted content for outlets such as MTV, Fox, NBC, GSN, BET, BBC, and producers like Telepictures and Endemol. She also produced two seasons of “Judge Judy” and was a member of the original team that launched My Network TV, which produced daily, English-language telenovelas for a short time.
She later played roles in ABC’s primetime relaunch of “Supermarket Sweep,” as well as the NBC syndie talker “Trisha” and CNBC’s “Money Court.” After relocating to Atlanta, she was nominated for several Daytime Emmy Awards and won one for “Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court.” Inspired by that success, she created two more courtroom programs, “Personal Injury Court” and “Couples Court with The Cutlers.”
After seeing Mizuno’s success in the daytime court scene, renowned actor-host Steve Harvey got interested in developing his legal franchise. Together, the two created ABC’s “Judge Steve Harvey,” which Mizuno executive produces.
The show received an Emmy nomination in its first season, so when the executive producer position opened up on “Family Feud,” it seemed logical to bring Mizuno on board.
She said of Harvey, “I’m very blessed because we have a very good working relationship. I understand him, I get him. What little bit of directive I have to give or direction he picks up immediately. ‘Judge Steve Harvey’ to me is very special, because he had the idea and I developed it. And then now to have this progression is wonderful. Me coming into a show that he’s been doing for 15 years has been even easier because he knows it. There’s not a lot I have to do regarding him.”
Harvey, who expressed surprise upon learning that Mizuno is the first woman of color to host a game show on a network, praised Mizuno’s work on “Judge Steve Harvey” and described her as “smart.”
He stated, “That’s crazy. But when I said pick the absolute best person for it, they really did. But for her to make history like that, I think it’s important. This show is iconic. It’s a juggernaut. You don’t want to come in and mess it up. You can’t drop the ball. Because trust me, she’s under a lot of pressure. All eyes are on her. Nothing can happen to this little franchise. I can only imagine what that is like for her. But I think she’s held up. She’s done really, really well.”
The new season of Celebrity Family Feud got Megan Thee Stallion to compete against Ne-Yo, and NFL players to face Olympic athletes. Other matchups include Meghan Trainor vs. Tori Kelly, “Golden Bachelor” stars vs. other “Bachelor Nation” participants, Robin Thicke vs. Anthony Anderson, and Walker Hayes vs. Rachel Bilson.
