Contestants Surrendering Game Show Winnings

[Craig Karlberg]

Here's an intresting item from tv-gameshows.net:

Todd Kim, who won $500K on the first night of ABC's Super Millionaire, caused a stir when he appeared as a contestant at a taping for Jeopardy(presumably his appearnce is going to air this week).  Producer Freidman refused to comment on his elegibility because the shows' standards are quite diffrent from the network's.
Therefore, I'm throwing this question to any "attorneys & lawyers" in this group:

Should a contestant forgo any earnings on one show because he won money on another show where the elegibility standards differ?

Here's my argument for the player:  As long as he  played on one show(like Jeopardy!) long BEFORE he went on another show(like Super Millionaire) without regard to any elegibility restrictions placed on BOTH shows.  If he's sworn to secrecy as far as any money won, any elegibility restrictions in place may or may not be a liability factor in the court of law.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 06:40 AM\'] Here's my argument for the player:  As long as he  played on one show(like Jeopardy!) long BEFORE he went on another show(like Super Millionaire) without regard to any elegibility restrictions placed on BOTH shows.  If he's sworn to secrecy as far as any money won, any elegibility restrictions in place may or may not be a liability factor in the court of law. [/quote]
 "May or may not"?  Well, that was certainly a wasted sentence.

I'm no lawyer (I'm not sure we have any here) but if you signed a contract with somebody, you're pretty much required to abide by their rules.  And I can assure you that these shows DO have lawyers.

Millionaire doesn't seem to have too many restrictions in place, so the real issue would appear to be Jeopardy.  If Kim's J! appearance is airing this week, then he probably taped it a few months ago.  He knew at the taping when the show would air, and he also knew that he signed a contract with Jeopardy saying that he couldn't be on any other game shows for six months after the airing of his Jeopardy appearance.

Knowing all that, he still tried to get on Super Millionaire anyway.  (It's not like they picked him out of the blue.)  That's just a flagrant disregard for Jeopardy, their rules and his signed contract, so they have every reason in the world to withhold his winnings.  Of course, that's probably the limit of Jeopardy's options too.  My guess is that he didn't do all that well on Jeopardy and he figured the potential larger payouts of Super Millionaire were worth the risk of forfeiting his Jeopardy money.  With $500,000 in his pocket, that probably turned out to be a good choice.  I doubt he'll see a dime from Jeopardy.

[gameshowguy2000]

I'll back up that argument: Take a look at Jason Block. He appeared on Millionaire AND Jeopardy. Did he have to surrender any of his J! winnings or Millionaire winnings? No.

[petek66]

His episode was taped Wednesday, 12/10. My girlfriend Ellie just
appeared on Jeopardy Monday so we were in the studio for the
first 3 shows of this week. We didn't see him play, but she called
me 5 minutes into Super Millionaire yelling "I KNOW THAT GUY!!"

[Brandon Brooks]

[quote name=\'gameshowguy2000\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 11:31 AM\'] I'll back up that argument: Take a look at Jason Block. He appeared on Millionaire AND Jeopardy. Did he have to surrender any of his J! winnings or Millionaire winnings? No. [/quote]
Have you ever thought that the reason his appearances was not an issue because did not tape the shows within six months of each other?  Or do you ever think before you type?

Brandon Brooks

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'petek66\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 11:55 AM\'] His episode was taped Wednesday, 12/10. My girlfriend Ellie just
appeared on Jeopardy Monday so we were in the studio for the
first 3 shows of this week. We didn't see him play, but she called
me 5 minutes into Super Millionaire yelling "I KNOW THAT GUY!!" [/quote]
 Congrats to Miss Ellie, she lit up the screen with her appearance. I'll take your word for it Pete before I'll take Professor SB's word.

[scully24]

Like Jeopardy, Pyramid was a Sony Pictures Television show, and the agreement I just signed for that show stated that I would not appear on another nationally televised game show within three months of the original AIRDATE of my Pyramid appearance.  

So if the rules for Jeopardy were the same, he was not to appear on any other shows until late June, at the cost of forfeiting his Jeopardy winnings.  

Incidentally, Pyramid pays out almost four months after a show's airdate, so they have plenty of time window in which to enforce this clause and revoke the prize.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'gameshowguy2000\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 11:31 AM\'] I'll back up that argument: Take a look at Jason Block. He appeared on Millionaire AND Jeopardy. Did he have to surrender any of his J! winnings or Millionaire winnings? No. [/quote]
 Maybe it's because his Millionaire appearance was in Jan. 2000, and his J! appearance was in Jun. 2001. I think he taped for J! in early 2001, around Jan. or Feb.

[Timsterino]

[quote name=\'gameshowguy2000\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 12:31 PM\'] I'll back up that argument: Take a look at Jason Block. He appeared on Millionaire AND Jeopardy. Did he have to surrender any of his J! winnings or Millionaire winnings? No. [/quote]
First of all, Jason appeared on both shows over a year apart. That is totally in line with both show's rules. So that argument is null and void.

Second, Prime-Time Millionaire does not care about syndicated game show appearances. It is written in the rules. The only concern they had was that you had not appeared on another prime time network game show in the last year.

Todd did not violate any Millionaire rules, now with Jeopardy! I have no idea.

Tim :-)

[Clay Zambo]

[quote name=\'Timsterino\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 02:34 PM\'] Second, Prime-Time Millionaire does not care about syndicated game show appearances. It is written in the rules. The only concern they had was that you had not appeared on another prime time network game show in the last year. [/quote]
 Which, sadly, at the moment, narrows the field considerably.  Or would The Apprentice count?  

[Clay Zambo]

[quote name=\'Timsterino\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 02:34 PM\']Second, Prime-Time Millionaire does not care about syndicated game show appearances. It is written in the rules. The only concern they had was that you had not appeared on another prime time network game show in the last year.[/quote]
Which, sadly, at the moment, narrows the field considerably.  Or would The Apprentice count?  

[Peter Sarrett]

[quote name=\'Timsterino\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 02:34 PM\'] Second, Prime-Time Millionaire does not care about syndicated game show appearances. [/quote]
 Well, except for the syndicated version of Millionaire itself.  Unfortunately.

[Little Big Brother]

He knew at the taping when the show would air, and he also knew that he signed a contract with Jeopardy saying that he couldn't be on any other game shows for six months after the airing of his Jeopardy appearance.

Just a question to clarify:  He is not allowed to appear on another show six months after the airing of the Jeopardy! episode?  (I realize the quoted section above answers my question, but if the quoted section is inaccurate, I want to make sure the correct info is being used).

If this is the case, then it seems that there would not be an eligibility issue since he appeared on SM before the airing of his Jeopardy! episode.  If a contestant is not allowed to appear on a show six months after auditioning or taping for J!, then there is a problem.

[ClockGameJohn]

An interesting point is what do you consider the timeframe.  From taping or airing?

My TPiR Contestant release states "May not have appeared on any television game shows within the last year."

Appeared?   Hell, I taped in January, aired in February, and reaired in August due to a pre-emption.  What does appeared mean?  

[Timsterino]

[quote name=\'Peter Sarrett\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 04:18 PM\'] [quote name=\'Timsterino\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 02:34 PM\'] Second, Prime-Time Millionaire does not care about syndicated game show appearances. [/quote]
Well, except for the syndicated version of Millionaire itself.  Unfortunately. [/quote]
 Correct. Hey, I wish I could get back in the hotseat again too. But you know. :-)

Tim :-)