What is...In the Media?

[Bastet]

Are people actually accusing him of being a scab in terms of the SAG-AFTRA strike, or only criticizing his choice not to act in solidarity (note the shitty "performative" potshot about solidarity by that podcast co-host, completely undercutting the interest I had in his thoughts even before I got to all the other insulting language) with the WGA by refusing to help producers create new content while the writers are striking?  If the former, that's ill-informed at best, since of course he's not!  Work on game shows is covered under a different SAG-AFTRA contract, not the one performers are striking over; such work by union members is explicitly allowed. 

But I think the latter is open to fair criticism (although, the internet being the internet, I can only imagine how some of it is being expressed). 

I'm not going to watch, but my beef is with the producers, not with Ken (although I do favor Mayim's position on the matter, and think if Ken had taken the same one, they'd have opted to air re-runs - which is all I think should be aired during the strike - rather than recruiting some third person to come in and host these stupid new episodes).

Edited August 31, 2023 by Bastet

[30 Helens]

22 minutes ago, Bastet said:

'm not going to watch, but my beef is with the producers, not with Ken (although I do favor Mayim's position on the matter, and think if Ken had taken the same one, they'd have opted to air re-runs - which is all I think should be aired during the strike - rather than recruiting some third person to come in and host these stupid new episodes).

I wonder if he even has an option, given that he has a contract that he is obligated to fulfill. Refusing to work could have financial repercussions regardless of how feels personally. Mayim may have the option if she happens to fall under different union contracts/rules as an actor. If that’s the case, what many see as a nobler stance could just be freedom of choice.

This is just a guess, and I know it doesn’t affect anyone’s decision about watching, but it’s something to consider. 

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

Mayim may have the option if she happens to fall under different union contracts/rules as an actor.

Any SAG-AFTRA member working on a game show is doing it under the Network Code contract between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP (which covers game shows, soap operas, and a few other things), not the contract SAG-AFTRA is striking over.  Mayim's decision is not about the SAG-AFTRA strike over the "regular" contract (the one she worked under when she was on sitcoms, in movies, etc.), but the WGA strike over its contract with AMPTP, which is why she walked off as soon as that strike was called, in solidarity, before SAG-AFTRA had called its own strike -- and, again, even now that SAG-AFTRA is also on strike, J! is not a struck production to that union, since it's governed by the Network Code contract (but it is a struck production to the WGA union).

They both have the same choices in terms of the Network Code contract between AMPAS and SAG-AFTRA.  But it's possible the terms of their respective individual contracts with Sony for hosting J! made it easier for her to walk away.  (Presumably they made their decisions based on the terms of their individual contracts, personal finances, beliefs about unions acting in solidarity with other unions, and various other considerations.)

4 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

I know it doesn’t affect anyone’s decision about watching

Right; I am not watching because of the producers' actions, period; it's a strikebreaking tactic.  It's one particular to this show, unlike any other  network/syndicator proposal for producing new content during the strike.  So unless WGA leadership makes a statement on this narrow issue, or the J! writers issue a unanimous statement, giving a reason it's okay to watch, I'm not watching.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Bastet

[HyeChaps]

Isn't Ken also a producer?  He maybe unable to divide his loyalties.

[TakomaSnark]

3 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

I wonder if he even has an option, given that he has a contract that he is obligated to fulfill. Refusing to work could have financial repercussions regardless of how feels personally. Mayim may have the option if she happens to fall under different union contracts/rules as an actor. If that’s the case, what many see as a nobler stance could just be freedom of choice.

This is just a guess, and I know it doesn’t affect anyone’s decision about watching, but it’s something to consider. 

Yes, he has an option - same as Mayim going back to her opting not to cross the WGA strike lines.

Ken chose to cross that line, which, okay - fine when the clues were already in the tank for the season. That can be hand-waved away.

This season, he's choosing to cross the line when the show is resorting to recycling clues. He's spitting on the J! writers who are picketing for a more fair contract.

And now he is letting his good buddy attack the co-host of Jeopardy, claiming her observance of the strike line is 'performative.' 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by TakomaSnark

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, HyeChaps said:

Isn't Ken also a producer? 

IMDb lists him as a consulting producer - so, probably not a member of AMPTP - on J! from 2020-2022.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Bastet
I wrote AMPAS instead for some reason

[shapeshifter]

I am still somewhat confused about who does and who does not belong to which part of which union and what the strike rules are, but when I saw 47 Down in the Saturday NYTXW puzzle, I thought of our discussion:

[illdoc]

I have no idea where to put this, so I'm putting it here. The "Season 37 Second Chance Tournament" begins Monday, Sep 11. Here are the players (but not the reason why they are here) https://www.jeopardy.com/track/2023/second-chance-s37

Apparently, it's 3 games (M, T, W) with a two-game final (Th, F) each week (the players for week 2 (Sep 18) & week 3 (Sep 25) are also listed (click the appropriate tab)). The 3 winners from the finals advance to a wildcard (the "bracket" is listed at the bottom).

[Trey]

Why are they calling it Season 37 Second Chance?  Were the contestants chosen from that season?

[illdoc]

6 minutes ago, Trey said:

Were the contestants chosen from that season?

I believe so. The (first) Second Chance tourney featured players from Season 38, so this one is season 37.

[j5cochran]

I'm ready and waiting for the Season 35 Second Chance Tourney!!!

 

😁

[Cotypubby]

Hopefully I can find the episodes each night on YouTube before they get taken down. Because of the Spectrum/Disney fight I no longer get ABC. Most viewers in New York and Los Angeles won’t be able to watch.

[opus]

1 hour ago, Cotypubby said:

Hopefully I can find the episodes each night on YouTube before they get taken down. Because of the Spectrum/Disney fight I no longer get ABC. Most viewers in New York and Los Angeles won’t be able to watch.

That's me too. I can still pull it in with an antenna, or a free trial of a streaming service (I refuse to pay to get something I'm already paying to get). But with the controversy of these episodes airing during the writers strike, maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.

[Shrek]

18 hours ago, opus said:

That's me too. I can still pull it in with an antenna, or a free trial of a streaming service (I refuse to pay to get something I'm already paying to get). But with the controversy of these episodes airing during the writers strike, maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.

I don't think it's available on any streaming service anyway. I tried to find it when my local ABC channel was pulled over a payment dispute a year or two ago and never did manage to watch it on any of them. YouTube is your best bet but it doesn't appear there for long either.

[opus]

2 hours ago, Shrek said:

I don't think it's available on any streaming service anyway. I tried to find it when my local ABC channel was pulled over a payment dispute a year or two ago and never did manage to watch it on any of them. YouTube is your best bet but it doesn't appear there for long either.

I signed up for a free trial of YouTubeTV (mainly for the ESPN networks) which is supposed to include local ABC, so Monday I can check and see if Jeopardy’s there.

[opus]

6 hours ago, opus said:

I signed up for a free trial of YouTubeTV (mainly for the ESPN networks) which is supposed to include local ABC, so Monday I can check and see if Jeopardy’s there.

I just did a quick peek on tonight’s rerun, and Jeopardy is there.

[HyeChaps]

On Monday, September 11, in the plaza at the Today show, one of the contestants who was on while Savannah Guthrie was hosting showed up to say hello to Savannah.

[Bastet]

I can't recognize any of them from the pictures, but some former contestants joined the writers in picketing this "make new episodes out of our old clues" shit on the first day of filming:

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Bastet

[blueray]

I didn't even realize the "new season" started. I think they should have waiting and just aired reruns. I'm against using old clues, as it takes away from the writers. What stops them from going, well that was easy lets just do this instead.

As for Ken Jennings (I assume he's been hosting?) I'm not sure if he is in the writers guild, but you'd think he would be. I was hoping he would support them, as he obviously worked heavily with them either way. I guess he could be pressured as he is also a producer...

[shapeshifter]

17 hours ago, blueray said:

As for Ken Jennings (I assume he's been hosting?) I'm not sure if he is in the writers guild, but you'd think he would be. I was hoping he would support them, as he obviously worked heavily with them either way. I guess he could be pressured as he is also a producer...

Ken Jennings is not a member of the striking unions.
I’m not clear about his being a “producer” or not. 

[Bastet]

12 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Ken Jennings is not a member of the striking unions.
I’m not clear about his being a “producer” or not. 

If IMDb is accurate - which it generally is - he was credited as a consulting producer on J! from 2020-2022.  The AMPTP consists of member companies (think studios, and now Amazon and Apple as well).  Of course, those companies are represented by people -- top executives.  It is a notoriously opaque and byzantine organization, but with that title and tenure, it is extremely unlikely Ken is regarded or thinks of himself as a "member" of AMPTP in any sense.

[ProudMary]

An update on the WGA strike negotiations from The Hollywood Reporter. 

Studio CEOs Attend Latest Writers Guild Bargaining Session

Disney CEO Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and NBCUniversal Studio Group chairman and chief content officer Donna Langley were all present at the meeting that began around 10 a.m. PT, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. It’s highly unusual for the industry bargaining representative, the AMPTP, to include CEOs directly in bargaining sessions, which are usually led on the studio and streamer side by labor relations representatives and top AMPTP staffers. But the industry-wide crisis resulting from the ongoing writers and actors strikes has pushed company leaders to become more directly involved in talks.

The meeting concluded in the late afternoon, with talks set to resume again on Thursday with all four CEOs present, according to a studio-side source.

 

[ProudMary]

 

[Bastet]

"Are they endangered?" 😄

[ProudMary]

The WGA and the AMPTP are meeting again on Sunday after four consecutive days of negotiations. This sounds hopeful.

From Variety: 

WGA, AMPTP to Meet Sunday After Guild Presented With ‘Best and Final’ Offer

Saturday’s focus was finalizing the fine print of language for complicated and cutting-edge contract issues. The stakes in this negotiation have been unusually high, and reflective of the pace of change across the broader media and entertainment industry. Guild negotiators have grappled with how to regulate the use of generative artificial intelligence and other groundbreaking elements for the WGA’s minimum basic agreement, such as a formula for a minimum staff guarantee for episodic TV and a “success-based” residual from subscription platforms that is designed to funnel more money into the WGA’s pension and health funds.

The nitty gritty details of the terms around the AI proposal has been one of the final hurdles to overcome, multiple sources said.

“It’s mainly down to language now,” one industry insider said earlier on Saturday.

[shapeshifter]

48 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

From Variety: 

WGA, AMPTP to Meet Sunday After Guild Presented With ‘Best and Final’ Offer

Also, regarding:

Quote

…The negotiations were jumpstarted this week by the presence of four top executives — Disney’s Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley. Those four took part in three days of marathon negotiations that broke the months-long impasse between the WGA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the bargaining unit for the major studios and streamers.…

I do hope after the strike is over that we learn that there was at least a mention in the form of mea culpas/admissions of guilt in those meetings by the top executives present (and, perhaps, of some A-listers) regarding their obscenely enormous salaries in comparison to the salaries of the average industry employees.

Edited September 24, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Clanstarling]

10 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I do hope after the strike is over that we learn that there was at least a mention in the form of mea culpas/admissions of guilt in those meetings by the top executives present (and, perhaps, of some A-listers) regarding their obscenely enormous salaries in comparison to the salaries of the average industry employees.

That would be nice, but the cynic in me says executives and such have never issued mea culpas because they all believe they deserve that kind of obscene money.

[Bastet]

16 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I do hope after the strike is over that we learn that there was at least a mention in the form of mea culpas/admissions of guilt in those meetings by the top executives present (and, perhaps, of some A-listers) regarding their obscenely enormous salaries in comparison to the salaries of the average industry employees.

I will ride a unicorn - waving at Santa along the way - to the state lottery commission to collect my $100 million winnings from a game I don't even play before that ever happens.

Edited September 24, 2023 by Bastet

[ProudMary]

17 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I do hope after the strike is over that we learn that there was at least a mention in the form of mea culpas/admissions of guilt in those meetings by the top executives present (and, perhaps, of some A-listers) regarding their obscenely enormous salaries in comparison to the salaries of the average industry employees.

Sadly, not in a million years would this ever happen. 

This may have slid under the radar, but back in July when both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were already in full swing, Disney extended Bob Iger's contract AND gave him a raise!

From The Hollywood Reporter, July 12, 2023.

Disney Extends CEO Bob Iger’s Contract Through 2026

Iger, who previously led Disney as CEO from 2005-2020, had been set to receive compensation packages valued at roughly $27 million for each of the two years of his contract. However his new contract — while similar to the previous one — raises Iger’s annual target bonus from $1 million to $5 million, making his target annual compensation $31 million, dependent on performance and share price.

Even while Disney, Sony, Netflix, et.al. are claiming losses, but are unwilling to share those numbers with the Unions, they always seem to be able to squeeze out a few million more for the head honchos, who all think they deserve it. 😠

[Clanstarling]

2 hours ago, ProudMary said:

Even while Disney, Sony, Netflix, et.al. are claiming losses, but are unwilling to share those numbers with the Unions, they always seem to be able to squeeze out a few million more for the head honchos, who all think they deserve it. 😠

I tried to react to your post, but could not find one that expresses how I feel about the head honchos and studios. Just as well, an appropriate one would make our forums less polite.

[ProudMary]

Tentative deal!

Writer/Comedian Adam Conover has been one of the WGA negotiators over these past several months.

 

1 hour ago, Clanstarling said:

I tried to react to your post, but could not find one that expresses how I feel about the head honchos and studios. Just as well, an appropriate one would make our forums less polite.

FYI, I had another paragraph typed up that followed the one I posted, but I censored myself because I like being a member of these forums!

[ProudMary]

While there is not yet much detail about the new agreement, this article from The Hollywood Reporter does give a time frame on what happens next.

Writers Guild Reaches Tentative Agreement With Studios and Streamers

In its message to members, the union’s negotiating committee asked for patience on disclosing the fine print of the deal. “What remains now is for our staff to make sure everything we have agreed to is codified in final contract language. And though we are eager to share the details of what has been achieved with you, we cannot do that until the last ‘i’ is dotted,” the email stated. The deal will first go to the union’s negotiating committee for a vote, then to the WGA West’s board and the WGA East’s council for approval; both referendums are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday. If rubber-stamped by those leaders, board and council will also vote on whether to end the strike “at a certain date and time (to be determined) pending ratification,” the negotiating committee said.

Once these leadership votes have taken place, members will receive a summary of the agreement and a memorandum of agreement (a more detailed and lawyerly accounting of the provisional contract) prior to their own ratification vote. In the meantime, the WGA has suspended picketing while telling members that “no one is to return to work” until the union gives the green light.

[30 Helens]

https://www.tvinsider.com/1106394/jeopardy-introducing-big-changes-to-enhance-viewing-experience/

I’m guessing a header over the clue? I like this idea, because I always lose track of the category.
 

[ProudMary]

Ken has been very good about verbally reinforcing the category for DDs and FJ. He's been doing it more often on the regular board too. (Mayim does not. 😒) I do like the idea of having the category listed on screen too. This has become  necessary in the past few years as more and more contestants start mid-category and bounce back and forth between categories as they hunt for DDs. Back when people would start at the top and select all five clues in the same category, displaying the category name was not as important. Now, because of the way the playing style has evolved, it's almost essential. 

Also, as this change is debuting tonight, I guess I have to watch Celebrity Jeopardy! I had been on the fence.

[Prevailing Wind]

Right. I turned on CJ!. What a mess. Aren't we supposed to know Celebrities?  Anyway, a white border around the category BEFORE the clue is displayed isn't enough, show. If you happen to look away (or even blink), you miss it.

[ProudMary]

5 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

https://www.tvinsider.com/1106394/jeopardy-introducing-big-changes-to-enhance-viewing-experience/

I’m guessing a header over the clue? I like this idea, because I always lose track of the category.
 

I watched CJ just to see what they did, and it's worthless. When a contestant chooses a clue in a specific category, meaning they've JUST SAID THE CATEGORY NAME OUT LOUD, they also kind of flash-bold the category name, but then the clue appears as it always has. 

[Browncoat]

Incidentally, there is a Celebrity Jeopardy forum:

https://forums.primetimer.com/forum/5012-celebrity-jeopardy/

 

[ProudMary]

I'm aware of the Celebrity Jeopardy!  forum and I've posted there about things directly related to CJ. This info, however, fits here in the main show's media thread because they're testing out this change on Celebrity Jeopardy! first, with the potential of using it on the mothership.

[Browncoat]

Sorry!  I was just trying to be helpful!  Did not mean to offend!

[ProudMary]

17 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Sorry!  I was just trying to be helpful!  Did not mean to offend!

No offense taken. I just wanted to provide an explanation as to why I posted that particular piece of info here. Believe me, I'm someone who'd be thinking, "How many times do we have to tell people that there's a dedicated Celebrity Jeopardy! forum?!?" 😄

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, ProudMary said:

I watched CJ just to see what they did, and it's worthless. When a contestant chooses a clue in a specific category, meaning they've JUST SAID THE CATEGORY NAME OUT LOUD, they also kind of flash-bold the category name, but then the clue appears as it always has. 

I am sorry I wasn’t paying attention.
Next time?

But it sounds like the Jeopardy! upgraders could literally buy a vowel clue from The Wheel.
See the nice little spot reserved for the Category? In this case, “Title.”

[30 Helens]

I haven’t seen it yet, but damn. Sounds like I’m going to be disappointed.

[Clanstarling]

15 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

Right. I turned on CJ!. What a mess. Aren't we supposed to know Celebrities?  Anyway, a white border around the category BEFORE the clue is displayed isn't enough, show. If you happen to look away (or even blink), you miss it.

I have heard of all the contestants - Emily is from Schitt's Creek, Utkarsch from Ghosts, and Mark Duplass from tons of things (though to be fair, I only recognize him when he's named, because his face doesn't stick with me).

Since they were in shows I've watched, they are familiar to me. I didn't recognize a number of celebrities last year because I didn't watch their shows or weren't interested in the areas in which they were celebrities (sports, etc.)

So like all things Jeopardy, I think mileage varies.

Edited September 28, 2023 by Clanstarling

[illdoc]

Article on when J! will return to "normal". https://tvline.com/news/jeopardy-season-40-update-new-material-timeline-strike-date-1235054456/

Short version: The "Wildcard" will continue until Dec 18, then (assuming they don't fill in with reruns) will be the "post season"--Season 39 Second Chance (which I thought we already had, so maybe a second Second Chance Tourney), Season 39 Wildcard and ToC. The bad news, apparently Mayim will be back Dec 19 (assuming she (a) is still with the show and (b) doesn't consider this something she can't do due to the actors' strike). Which means she would host the ToC. Of course, December is a long ways away. A lot can change.

[Bastet]

8 hours ago, illdoc said:

(b) doesn't consider this something she can't do due to the actors' strike

J! has never been a struck production by SAG-AFTRA, only WGA; she left in solidarity with the writers.  With them back on the job, now that their strike has resulted in a new contract (I know, they haven't ratified it yet, but they certainly will since their terms were met, and people are already back in writers rooms), she could come back any time, even with the SAG-AFTRA strike still going, since J! (and all game shows, plus soaps and a few other things) is covered by the Network Code contract, not the "regular" contract actors are striking over.  She could still choose not to, of course, if she feels there should be no production, period, until the strike is resolved.

I will be watching as of 12/19 (or January, if they wait to air these until after the holidays), no matter who's hosting, because as soon as the episodes currently being written by the returned writers start airing, I will start watching again.  So far away, but at least they're coming!

8 hours ago, illdoc said:

Season 39 Second Chance (which I thought we already had, so maybe a second Second Chance Tourney),

I don't think the season 39 contestants have had a second chance tournament yet.  The one going on now features contestants from season 37 (or maybe 37 and 38?) and the one they did last year featured contestants from season 38.

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Bastet

[SomeTameGazelle]

6 hours ago, illdoc said:

Short version: The "Wildcard" will continue until Dec 18, then (assuming they don't fill in with reruns) will be the "post season"--Season 39 Second Chance (which I thought we already had, so maybe a second Second Chance Tourney), Season 39 Wildcard and ToC. 

My rage at the term "post-season" continues unabated. What makes the season 39 Second Chance post-season and not the Second Chance that started on September 11th? Will there ever be "season" again? In order for "post-season" to mean anything, there needs to be a sensible definition of "season" and I am not.feeling.it. 

[opus]

I don’t think it’ll fully feel like Jeopardy to me till I see Lucas Partridge again.

[chessiegal]

1 minute ago, opus said:

I don’t think it’ll fully feel like Jeopardy to me till I see Lucas Partridge again.

Mee too. How long will he have to wait from his last appearance - almost a year?

[illdoc]

11 hours ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

What makes the season 39 Second Chance post-season and not the Second Chance that started on September 11th?

Because it is after the end of the regular Season 39 games (games would have started off Season 40 if not for the strike). The Sept 11 Second Chance was for Season 37 contestants, so not considered "Season 39 post-season". 

[illdoc]

For those who saw Brendan's interview on Thursday's J!---so did Katie Couric: https://tvline.com/news/jeopardy-katie-couric-brendan-sargent-selfie-second-chance-season-37-photo-1235055871/