Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune Just Got a Big Discrimination Lawsuit (But It Looks Like It Was Before Ryan Seacrest’s Time)

Despite being two of the The best game shows of all time., Danger! and wheel of fortune They are not without controversy. It was only a few years ago that Mike Richards was fired as executive producer of the series after problematic past behavior resurfaced when he named himself the new Danger! host following The death of Alex Trebek.. Now Sony Productions’ game shows are facing major complaints from two former employees, who say they experienced discriminatory behavior and were fired for speaking out.

Shelley Ballance Ellis and Monique Diaz were fired from Sony Pictures Entertainment in April after working on wheel of fortune and Danger! for 26 and 23 years, respectively, USA TODAY information. While the problems reported to the California Department of Civil Rights occurred before Ryan Seacrest made his wheel of fortune debuthad started filming promos with Vanna White at least in February of this year, so it’s possible that the new host has, in fact, crossed paths with Ballance Ellis and Díaz.

As head of the shows’ clearance and licensing department, and reportedly the highest-ranking black production executive on staff, Shelley Balance Ellis said in court papers:

The truth is that Sony attacked other people and me because we opposed discrimination.

The former employee detailed a 2020 wheel of fortune production meeting as an example, where colleagues allegedly joked that a black woman’s hairstyle reminded them of the film The elephant manto which Shelley Ballance Ellis allegedly asked them what part of the “joke” was funny.

He also reported that he had expressed concern about bias Danger! tracks and advocated for “more inclusive and nuanced tracks about people from diverse backgrounds.” The former executive said she was not considered for promotions despite taking on extra work after three other producers left. He expressed concerns in 2023, according to the complaint, which said:

I explained to her that I believe I had faced a glass ceiling at Sony as a black woman, rejecting my colleagues’ assertion that having white women in leadership positions meant there was no glass ceiling for people of color or women. black like me

Shelley Ballance Ellis reported other actions she experienced that affected her and other employees, including wheel of fortune“Southern Charm Week” 2017, in which Pat Sajak and Vanna Blanco They were shown in front of a plantation and two slave reenactors dressed in antebellum costumes. The show reportedly apologized at the time.

Meanwhile, Monique Diaz detailed other behavior she allegedly witnessed, including the way contestants of color were treated compared to their white counterparts. Comedian Leslie Jones, for example, was mocked by a production supervisor for requesting to bring her own hairstylist to Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.

Employees’ concerns about racial bias were reportedly ignored, such as when Diaz, who is Latina, learned she made about $50,000 a year less than a new employee who was white and did the same job. No action was taken after she filed a human resources complaint, so Shelley Ballance Ellis, who was Diaz’s supervisor, contacted Sony’s chief diversity officer. Diaz’s salary was adjusted, but he reportedly still earned $15,000 less than his new colleague.

Sony responded to the complaints, telling USA TODAY that Sony’s leadership team wheel of fortune and Danger! are “dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusion and respect.” The statement continues:

Sony Pictures Entertainment takes all allegations of discrimination very seriously. Earlier this year there was an extensive reorganization of our game show group that resulted in the elimination of several roles to address layoffs and the changing business needs of a 40+ year old operation. Those eliminations were business efficiency decisions and not retaliation.

We’ll have to wait and see if anything comes of these discrimination complaints, including if and how the game features relatively new announcers. Ken Jennings and Ryan Seacrest – will be affected. In the meantime, check your local listings to see when the games are broadcast in your area.

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