# Appearing on a cancelled game show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631 "2006-12-26T17:14:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/1 "2006-12-26T17:14:50Z")
Anybody here ever been on a game show that was cancelled before your episode aired? Did you win, and did you actually receive any money or prizes? ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/2 "2006-12-26T17:19:55Z")
Wow, talk about an unusual question! I’ll be interested to hear any doper feedback on this, though I doubt any dopers have actually been in this situation. – IG ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/3 "2006-12-26T17:40:05Z")
When I was on _Jeopardy!_, I didn’t receive the check until about two months after the shows aired – I believe this is standard. So, no, if you’re on a show that gets cancelled – or a pilot for a show that doesn’t get picked up – I’m guessing you don’t get paid. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/4 "2006-12-26T17:53:44Z")
I would think they’d have to pay you, if they announce the prizes. Aren’t there federal regulations about game show prizes, part of the same lot that got passed following the quiz show scandals? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/5 "2006-12-26T17:55:02Z")
I actually worked on writing a murder mystery short story revolving around this very question. I’m not sure what the answer is, but in my story, you DIDN’T get the money and that provided motive to get an innocent person arrested. Would have made a great episode of Matlock. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/6 "2006-12-26T17:56:03Z")
I would think that if you appeared on an unaired game show, you would get paid. Eventually. It might not be the producers first priority. Unless you signed some contract stating that your prize money was contingent on the show airing. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/7 "2006-12-26T17:59:02Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] I would think they’d have to pay you, if they announce the prizes. Aren’t there federal regulations about game show prizes, part of the same lot that got passed following the quiz show scandals? [/QUOTE] Announce to whom? On air? If it’s never aired? My guess is that if it were a pilot, the specific deal would be announced in advance. For a show that got cancelled – sorry, my experience is 12 years in the past, I don’t recall the details – but do recall that my getting the money was predicated on the show being aired. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/8 "2006-12-26T18:02:41Z")
Wouldn’t that stipulation be in the contract? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appearing-on-a-cancelled-game-show/385631/9 "2006-12-26T18:12:08Z")
When I was on Jeopardy the contract explicitly stated that if the show failed to air for any reason I would not receive any prizes.