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Jeopardy!is subject to be, well, in jeopardy, as former champions announce their intent to stand in solidarity with theWriters Guild of America(WGA) amid its strike for fair wages.
Former winners Ben Chan, Cris Pannullo, Hannah Wilson, Ray Lalonde and Troy Meyer — who were slated to play in the trivia game show’s annualTournament of Champions— recently announced they will not be participating if the strike goes into the fall.
In a post shared toReddit, Lalonde revealed that the game show was already “makingcontingency plansto start filming the next season of the show with old and/or recycled material if the WGA strike remains unresolved.”
Courtesy Jeopardy! Productions Inc.
Lalonde added that he hopes that hispublic declaration of solidaritywill “perhaps influence some future decision to proceed without the writers and to encourage any others in the community who feel the same way to speak out as well.”
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“A few small voices may not change any minds but we can try," he concluded.
Shortly after Lalonde’s post, Pannullo, who has won 21 games, shared his own statement in the comment section. “As I have already told Ray personally, though like all of us I am a hugeJeopardyfan 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 theWGA strike is in effect,” he wrote.
Meyer, a six-time champion of the trivia game, chimed in and stated: “I stand with Ray!"
CBS
“Ray, thank you for taking this stand. If you are out, I am out,” Chan, winner of nine games, agreed.
Wilson, who has won eight games, shared the same sentiments.“I’ll stand with you, Ray! A TOC with all recycled clues doesn’t sound like much fun to play in, anyway,” he declared.
The WGA went on strike on May 2 after failing to negotiatenew contract termsthat included higher wages and residuals from streaming and AI regulations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Earlier this month, SAG-AFTRA membersalso went on strikeover similar issues.
The formerJeopardy!winners aren’t the only ones who are standing in solidarity with Hollywood writers.
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Shortly after the WGA strike was announced,Mayim Bialiksaid that she would be stepping back from her hosting duties and walked off set in support of the ongoing strike, joining a handful of other writers, including Jim Rhine and Billy Wisse.
“Our words are on the screen every night. There is noJeopardy!without writers,” Michele Loud, a writer for the show, toldVariety. “Without us it’s just an empty blue screen.”
source: people.com
