‘Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions’ Players Boycott Show

Former Jeopardy! champions are boycotting the next tournament due to the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. Jeopardy! relies on WGA members to write its clues and questions, but with the strike on, there can be no writers on set right now. Contestants that were meant to participate in Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions explained online that they do not want to cross the picket line, nor do they want to play with “recycled materials.”

Ray Lalonde, a winner from last season, got the conversation started on Reddit. He wrote: “There are now credible reports that the producers are making contingency plans to start filming the next season of the show with old and/or recycled material if the WGA strike remains unresolved. I am a lifelong devoted fan of Jeopardy!. I am and will always be grateful for the experience I had on the show and the opportunity to participate in the TOC is beyond a dream come true for me. That being said, I believe that the show’s writers are a vital part of the show and they are justified in taking their job action to secure a fair contract for themselves and their fellow WGA members.”

Starting The Season During The WGA Strike
byu/toscenic inJeopardy

Lalonde said that he has informed the producers that he will not cross the writers’ picket line to participate in the next season, and he hopes that by sharing this publicly he can encourage other contestants to take the same stand. He hopes “to encourage any others in the community who feel the same way to speak out as well,” and at best to catch the attention of the producers and studios with their actions.

Three other contestants chimed in and threw their support behind Lalonde. Chris Pannullo wrote: “I am a huge Jeopardy fan and it was a dream to appear on the show, I fully agree with his stance and will not participate in any games comprised of recycled clues while the WGA strike is in effect.” Meanwhile, Ben Chan added simply: “If you are out, I am out.”

Contestant Luigi de Guzman agreed as well, and he appealed to fans, arguing that new episodes without writers would impact their experience as well. He wrote: “The writers make the clues; the clues make the show. The clues in the Tournament of Champions have typically been some of the best of the best clues the show has had to offer. They are at once challenging and creative.”

So far, Jeopardy! has not publicly responded to Lalonde, Pannullo, Chan and Guzman. The show is produced by Sony Pictures Television. There’s no telling when the Hollywood labor strikes may be resolved.