The annual Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions, a highly anticipated event in the world of game shows, may be missing some champions this year. Several big winners from the 2022-23 season have announced that they will not participate in the tournament due to the ongoing writers strike. Jeopardy! employs members of the Writers Guild of America, and the show plans to rely on material from previous seasons as it starts taping episodes for the upcoming season. The Tournament of Champions typically tapes in late August and September.
One of the champions who will be absent from the tournament is Ray Lalonde, a TV set builder and painter from Toronto who won an impressive $386,400 over 13 games last season. In a post on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum, Lalonde explained that he would not cross WGA picket lines to play in the tournament. As a supporter of the trade union movement and a proud union member himself, Lalonde stated that the show’s writers are vital to the success of the show, and he believes they are justified in taking job action to secure a fair contract. Lalonde’s decision not to participate in the Tournament of Champions is his way of showing solidarity with the writers.
Lalonde’s stand has inspired a number of other big winners from last season to follow suit. Chris Pannullo, Hannah Wilson, Ben Chan, Troy Meyer, Ben Goldstein, Luigi de Guzman, Suresh Krishnan, and even Celebrity Jeopardy! winner Ike Barinholtz, who is also a WGA member, have all expressed their support for Lalonde and their decision to decline their invitations to the tournament. Pannullo, Lalonde, Chan, and Wilson, who had the four highest total winnings on Jeopardy! in the 2022-23 season, are among the prominent champions who have chosen not to participate.
The Hollywood Reporter (THR) reached out to Jeopardy! producer Sony Pictures TV for comment, but there has been no response as of yet. It remains to be seen how the show will navigate the absence of these champions in the upcoming Tournament of Champions.
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The writers strike, which is affecting not only Jeopardy!, but also other shows in the industry, is a result of the ongoing negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The writers are seeking better wages and working conditions, as well as protections for streaming content and residuals. The strike has disrupted the production of numerous television shows and has now impacted Jeopardy!’s highly anticipated Tournament of Champions.
The Tournament of Champions is a beloved event among Jeopardy! fans, as it brings together the best and brightest contestants from previous seasons to compete for an even greater prize. The absence of several champions due to the writers strike is sure to have an impact on the excitement and dynamics of the tournament. However, it also highlights the importance of recognizing and supporting the contributions of all members of a television production, including the writers.
As the strike continues, it remains to be seen how long it will last and how it will ultimately be resolved. In the meantime, Jeopardy! and other affected shows will have to find creative solutions to deliver entertaining content to their viewers. The decision of these champions to stand in solidarity with the writers sends a powerful message about the importance of fair treatment and collective bargaining in the entertainment industry.
Regardless of the outcome of the strike, the courage and conviction displayed by these champions in supporting the writers are commendable. Their willingness to forgo participation in a prestigious tournament demonstrates their commitment to principles and their belief in the power of collective action. It is a reminder that behind every successful production, there are numerous individuals whose contributions deserve recognition and fair treatment.
