Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions Faces Challenges as Winners Decline Participation amid Writers Strike
The highly anticipated Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions is facing a setback as several big winners from the 2022-23 season have declined to participate due to the ongoing writers strike. Jeopardy! relies on Writers Guild of America (WGA) members for its content, and with the strike in full swing, the show plans to utilize material from prior seasons as it tapes shows for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
According to sources from The Hollywood Reporter, the Tournament of Champions usually takes place in late August and September. However, with the absence of some of the biggest winners, the event may face difficulties in delivering the same level of excitement and competition.
One of the champions, Ray Lalonde, a TV set builder and painter from Toronto who won an impressive $386,400 over 13 games last season, expressed his support for the striking writers. Lalonde wrote in a post on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum that he would not cross WGA picket lines to participate in the tournament. Lalonde stated, “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.”
Lalonde’s decision has resonated with other winners from last season, including Chris Pannullo, Hannah Wilson, Ben Chan, Troy Meyer, Ben Goldstein, Luigi de Guzman, and Suresh Krishnan. These champions have either expressed their support for Lalonde’s stance or announced their own decision to decline participation. Furthermore, even celebrity winner Ike Barinholtz, who was slated to be part of the Tournament of Champions, has chosen not to participate as a WGA member in solidarity with the striking writers.
Pannullo, Lalonde, Chan, and Wilson, who had the four highest total winnings on Jeopardy! in the 2022-23 season, are among the notable champions opting out of the tournament. Their absence raises concerns about the competition’s intensity and the potential impact on viewership.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Jeopardy! producer Sony Pictures TV for comment but has not received a response as of yet. Updates on the situation will be provided as soon as more information becomes available.
The writers strike poses a significant challenge to the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions, impacting the lineup of top winners and potentially affecting the overall success of the event. As fans eagerly await Jeopardy!’s response to the situation, it remains uncertain how the show will navigate these obstacles and deliver an unforgettable Tournament of Champions experience.