The whole idea of making unaired episode(s) and then giving your players a virtual kick to the crotch (strict guidelines against uploading online, banning them from being a contestant on the TV show) is really, really stupid.
For some reason, you can't seem to let this go, as if Sony's being a dick by taking down episodes. We're not talking Sajak episodes from 1984; these are recent episodes from the last season being uploaded to Youtube. If you don't understand what that's a problem for Sony, I don't know what to say.
As for the lottery game, you left out this quote from the
Wheel forum:
The game will play just like on television; however,
prizing will not include trips. Players will compete for cash and
vehicles.
So it's not like you don't play for anything...yes, it's a novelty game that won't air. But if I win a trip to L.A., and get to win some money or even a car, I'll have the time of my life doing it, and not give two brown nuggets about a) whether or not my show goes on TV, or b) being ineligible to play the real game. I'm sure the lottery winners will feel the same way. It's a fair rule, esp. since you still play for cash and/or cars. I'd love to give it a shot myself, but I'm thinking my working for a
Wheel affiliate still makes me ineligible. Sucks, but oh well.
You like to turn everything into some grand conspiracy against game show fans, and it's really not like that. At all.
