Contestants Surrendering Game Show Winnings

[Timsterino]

[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 05:38 PM\'] 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?   [/quote]
 John,

I believe in appeared they mean first appearance/airing. But I am not sure myself. You do bring up an interesting point.

Tim :-)

[scully24]

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.

The rule for most syndicated shows is you can't have appeared on another game show for one year previous to the date of your audition.  Some draw a distinction between game shows and other reality or talk shows, and they may have the rule that it has to be one year since doing a game show, but only six months since doing a reality/talk show.

That means one year (or six months) from the initial air date of the previous show to your audition for the next game show.

And then, once you're selected as a contestant, you must further agree not to appear on another game or reality show for three or six months, depending on the show.  The relevant dates here would always be the initial air date.

[MikeK]

Let me take this a step farther.  What would happen if you taped a show which never aired but you still received the prizes?  The Hardball Hot Seat finals never aired but everybody got their prizes.  Even though it's not technically a game show, I should still be eligible for any game show (specifically Jeopardy!), right?  My first appearance on Hardball was almost 18 months ago, so we can disregard that appearance.

[scully24]

From everything I've heard, if your show does not air, it doesn't count as a previous appearance.  The whole thing they're concerned about is whether your mug shows up on too many shows too close together.  If you're never seen on TV, they don't count it as an appearance.

Also, if you are on multiple days of a show, such as a regular game, and then come back for a championship, or if you just play over several days, the clock starts counting from the first air date of the last episode you appeared in.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Little Big Brother\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 04:35 PM\']

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. [/quote]
 You guys are searching for loopholes that I promise you the Sony lawyers have closed.  

I agree not to appear on any other game show until six (6) months after the initial broadcast of my appearance on the program.  I have not taped an appearance on any other television game show which has been (or may be) aired within one year of my appearance on this program.

I believe most of you know by now why I happen to have that quote in my possession.

You sign that agreement the morning you tape.  From that point on, no more game shows for a while.  It's that simple.  

Tony Kim violated the agreement that he signed.  He had his reasons, and we don't necessarily know what they are.  He may have even gotten clearance from Sony, we don't even know that for sure.  But please stop inventing goofy excuses and justifications as if you're better at this than the Sony lawyers.  Because you're really, really not.

[thgames65]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 08:22 PM\']
I agree not to appear on any other game show until six (6) months after the initial broadcast of my appearance on the program.  I have not taped an appearance on any other television game show which has been (or may be) aired within one year of my appearance on this program.[/b]

I believe most of you know by now why I happen to have that quote in my possession.

You sign that agreement the morning you tape.  From that point on, no more game shows for a while.  It's that simple. 

Tony Kim violated the agreement that he signed.  He had his reasons, and we don't necessarily know what they are.  He may have even gotten clearance from Sony, we don't even know that for sure.  But please stop inventing goofy excuses and justifications as if you're better at this than the Sony lawyers.  Because you're really, really not.[/quote]
As long as the agreement doesn't call for any penalties for violating it, Todd probably comes out way ahead based on what probable Jeopardy! winnings he may have to forfeit.  Obviously, he knew how much he may be risking (small or huge J! prize), but this has to be a unique case of risking what you have in hand for what's behind door #2!

[Little Big Brother]

You guys are searching for loopholes that I promise you the Sony lawyers have closed.

I agree not to appear on any other game show until six (6) months after the initial broadcast of my appearance on the program. I have not taped an appearance on any other television game show which has been (or may be) aired within one year of my appearance on this program.

And

But please stop inventing goofy excuses and justifications as if you're better at this than the Sony lawyers. Because you're really, really not.

With the actual wording now available, it is now clear how the rule should be interpreted.  But in defense of the "goofy excuses and justifications", based on the information previously available there was quite a bit of room to have varied interpretations of the eligibility rules.

[chris319]

You guys are searching for loopholes that I promise you the Sony lawyers have closed.

I agree not to appear on any other game show until six (6) months after the initial broadcast of my appearance on the program. I have not taped an appearance on any other television game show which has been (or may be) aired within one year of my appearance on this program.

That's all boilerplate game show legalese. The post-scandal, videotape era of TV game shows is over four decades old, plenty of time for this stuff to be figured out by lawyers at the three networks, where that boilerplate language probably came from. As Matt says, this was all reduced to a science years and years ago.

[bttritle]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 09:04 AM\'] [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. [/quote]
 Obvious arguments and disagreements notwithstanding, there is more than a slight possibility that Steve Beverly did his homework and checked the Jeopardy website, complete with Todd Kim's photo and "hometown howdy", that indicated he was going to play this week.

Ben T.

[Craig Karlberg]

Ben does have a good point there.  The least Todd can "surrender" is $1,000 on Jeopardy! for after all, the sky's the limit on that show now.  If he appears today or tomorrow, there'll be certain ramifications on his winnings if any penalties do occur.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Little Big Brother\' date=\'Mar 17 2004, 10:55 PM\'] With the actual wording now available, it is now clear how the rule should be interpreted.  But in defense of the "goofy excuses and justifications", based on the information previously available there was quite a bit of room to have varied interpretations of the eligibility rules. [/quote]
 I guess my point is that it shouldn't have taken seeing the exact language in print for you to figure that the Sony legal team would know what they're doing.

[goongas]

Do the Jeopardy! rules state what they can do to you if you break their contract other than withhold your winnings?  Can they sue you, for instance?  If he had won any significant money, he would not have even tried to get on Super Millioinaire.  He, as a lawyer, certainly understands the ramifications of a contract if his law degree means anything.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Mar 18 2004, 12:52 PM\']Do the Jeopardy! rules state what they can do to you if you break their contract other than withhold your winnings?  Can they sue you, for instance?  If he had won any significant money, he would not have even tried to get on Super Millioinaire.  He, as a lawyer, certainly understands the ramifications of a contract if his law degree means anything.[/quote]
All that I think Sony needs to do to withhold the winnings.  It's the other guy's perogative to take it any farther--and if he did, he wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Mar 18 2004, 04:22 PM\']
All that I think Sony needs to do to withhold the winnings.  It's the other guy's perogative to take it any farther--and if he did, he wouldn't have a leg to stand on. [/quote]
 ANother possible point to ponder: He'll win the SUper Millionaire monies over 10 years IIRC: $100K in the next few weeks(if he hasn't received it already) plus $40K a year for the next 10 years. Maybe DIsney will withhold some or all of the future monies from the annuity prize he won.

[Jimmy Owen]

If he has to forfeit the money, he could always try to win it back on "64 Grand Slam."