Travel company bankruptcy causes 'Wheel of Fortune' prize spinout
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Ripoffs and Scams, Travel
Promotion Consideration is a group that sets up prizes for the big TV game shows. According to Travel Weekly, a travel trade publication, Promotion Consideration is considering joining a list of companies that want to get some recompense from Joystar/TravelStar, a travel seller that is being forced by creditors to go into liquidation under Chapter 7.
Wheel But No Fortune
A jeweler inspects a watch at the Nacional Monte de Piedad, the city's non-profit pawn shop, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. The store, which opened in 1775, always sees a rise in activity in early January, as Mexicans come to pay for their holiday spending or pawn unwanted gifts for cash. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
AP
People wait in line to sell items to the Nacional Monte de Piedad, the city's non-profit pawn shop, as worker inspects a watch in Mexico City, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. The store, which opened in 1775, always sees a rise in activity in early January, as Mexicans come to pay for their holiday spending or pawn unwanted gifts for cash. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
AP
Pawnbroker Levi Touger looks over some jewelry that Marvin and Beverly Hoffman have brought into his Royal Palm Beach Fla., pawn shop on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008. Touger's Royal Pawn & Jewelry has made loans to some of the well-heeled Palm Beach investors caught in the $50 billion Madoff scam, turning his business into a bit of a media sensation. The Hoffmans, who are not involved in the Madoff scheme, are friends of Palm Beach resident Bob Lappin, whose foundation pays to send Jewish youth to Israel. The foundation had to lay off its employees in the wake of the Madoff scandal. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
AP
Jordan Tabach-Bank, CEO of Beverly Loan Company, displays some of the valuables his client have left in his upscale Beverly Hills, California pawn shop December 10, 2008. Whether it's a Tiffany diamond or a three-year-old lawnmower, more and more Americans from all social classes are pawning their possessions to make ends meet. Pawn shop owners see strong business across the country, even in unexpected locales like Beverly Hills, the mecca of luxury living and shopping. Picture taken December 10, 2008. To match feature FINANCIAL/PAWNSHOPS REUTERS/Sue Zeidler (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Luxury watches and jewellery are shown on display at Beverly Loan Company, an upscale pawn shop in Beverly Hills, California December 10, 2008. Whether it's a Tiffany diamond or a three-year-old lawnmower, more and more Americans from all social classes are pawning their possessions to make ends meet. Pawn shop owners see strong business across the country, even in unexpected locales like Beverly Hills, the mecca of luxury living and shopping. Picture taken December 10, 2008. To match feature FINANCIAL/PAWNSHOPS REUTERS/Sue Zeidler (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
TO GO WITH AFP STORY IN FRENCH BY ELISA SANTAFE A man brings a computer on December 3, 2008 to a store selling second-hand goods in Madrid. Strapped for cash, many Spaniards are resorting to going to pawn shops and second-hand stores to sell unecessary items to tie themselves over. AFP PHOTO/Pedro ARMESTRE. (Photo credit should read PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
TO GO WITH AFP STORY IN FRENCH BY ELISA SANTAFE A man looks on December 3, 2008 through the shelves of a store selling second-hand goods in Madrid. Strapped for cash, many Spaniards are resorting to going to pawn shops and second-hand stores to sell unecessary items to tie themselves over. AFP PHOTO/Pedro ARMESTRE. (Photo credit should read PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
TO GO WITH AFP STORY IN FRENCH BY ELISA SANTAFE A man rearranges on December 3, 2008 the window of a store selling second-hand goods in Madrid. Strapped for cash, many Spaniards are resorting to going to pawn shops and second-hand stores to sell unecessary items to tie themselves over. AFP PHOTO/Pedro ARMESTRE. (Photo credit should read PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
TO GO WITH AFP STORY IN FRENCH BY ELISA SANTAFE People look on December 3, 2008 at the window of a store selling second-hand goods in Madrid. Strapped for cash, many Spaniards are resorting to going to pawn shops and second-hand stores to sell unecessary items to tie themselves over. AFP PHOTO/Pedro ARMESTRE. (Photo credit should read PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
TO GO WITH AFP STORY IN FRENCH BY ELISA SANTAFE A man exits on December 3, 2008 a store selling second-hand goods in Madrid. Strapped for cash, many Spaniards are resorting to going to pawn shops and second-hand stores to sell unecessary items to tie themselves over. AFP PHOTO/Pedro ARMESTRE. (Photo credit should read PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
TV game show prizes are not always directly funded out of advertising income, and rarely are they orchestrated by the producers themselves. As Wheel's predicament illustrates, fulfillment of those awards often goes through a web of connections and partnerships. In some cases of shows with extremely high payouts that are not often awarded, the jackpot may even be funded (at least in part) by an insurance company. Fortunately for the winners, ethics and the prevailing rules are solidly against failing to hand over prizes, or at least an agreed-upon equivalent. Shows can get in a heap of trouble with the federal government if they default. Last September, the equivalent prize problem belonged to CBS's Big Brother, which awarded runner-up Memphis a 1969 Camaro it didn't actually have the title to. Despite the fact the contestant won the vehicle in a lavish televised competition, viewers weren't told the car wasn't his after all. Off camera, Memphis ended up agreeing to take a check instead.
If the prize is promised, then it (or something very similar) has to be handed over if it was won fair and square. But as partnerships and insurance companies sour, shows will increasingly find themselves holding the poke to make sure those promised prizes are delivered.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
1-13-2009 @ 4:03PM
Jane said...
I am an agent with Joystar and none of us have gotten commissions since September. Many of us are owed thousands of dollars and have joined in a lawsuit to sue Joystar/Travelstar.
Reply
1-14-2009 @ 8:20AM
hal said...
""ditto I joined the lawsuit today
1-13-2009 @ 4:40PM
john said...
Who the fuck cares about this shit?!! I just want O'Bama, the Irish Jig, to send me my check!!
Reply
1-13-2009 @ 6:09PM
Candace said...
If you don't care, then why did you access this story and why did you take the time to comment? Sounds like you have nothing better to do, john. Get a life and quit sitting around at your computer all day and bitchin' about something, anything, and everything.
1-13-2009 @ 7:09PM
CINDY said...
IS IT ME OR DOES ANYONE ELSE THINK 'JOHN' (NOT HIS REAL NAME I'M SURE), IS A TRUE J-E-R-K?
1-17-2009 @ 5:32PM
Stanly said...
And I dont want a $500.00 check like has been said.....I want more $$$$$$$$$$$$
1-17-2009 @ 8:03PM
sharp shooter obama yyo mama said...
hey cindie
i want the irish gig to send me my check jus lick his promises to get elected
lets hold the bstard to at least his promises
you stupid biach
1-13-2009 @ 4:55PM
Debera said...
That really is unfortunate that in this case what you see or also told isn't real. As for the employees of JoystarTravelstar, hope you get your pay cheques. So many employers are running a scam, file chap. 7 and don't pay your employees rename your selves and life goes on with the exception of those employees you had left behind.
Reply
1-13-2009 @ 5:17PM
dj said...
doyoucare.info
Reply
1-13-2009 @ 6:21PM
ZAK said...
Wheel of Fortune should have been cancelled many years ago. It is just "worn out". Vanna's "job" is just plain silly and the old-fashioned wheel is annoying. How about something NEW!!
Reply
1-13-2009 @ 11:52PM
Cheryl said...
I'm sorry you feel that way Zak, but I really enjoy the show.
1-17-2009 @ 5:50PM
Katie said...
if this is true that it is "worn out" then why do so many people watch it??? and they do have a lot of new shows just look around!
1-13-2009 @ 7:16PM
Victor said...
I read and listen to the news everyday and think of how everything that is going on in the world is effecting us all and wonder why so many act towards other the way that they do when there is no way for any one person to do everything themselves. Are you tired of all the negativity as I am. We all have to pitch in and help fix the wrongs that have been done and punish those that have stolen from us all, caring only about themselves. When are people going to wake up and return to our forefather's values and pick ourselves up and get on the right path again? I sure hope it is soon!
Reply
1-13-2009 @ 9:26PM
kevin said...
of course everyone cares about only themselves.
this is the internet.
anyone that;s going on about "OH MY, THESE PEOPLE ARE SO RUDE HOW CAN ANYONE ACT LIKE THIS" are clearly not familiar with trolling.
protip: if someone seems ridiculously rude/out of line on the internet, 9 times out of 10 they're trolling. and if you respond to those posts, you got trolled.
1-18-2009 @ 6:29PM
sylva` said...
Spoken like a true patriot. I too am sick to death of everybody sitting around with their hand out. Get out and do something good for your country and yourselves!
1-14-2009 @ 9:27AM
Duke said...
Wheel of Fortune still on? Dang, that is so old school and wack. One thing though is there are more and more crooks, and shady businesses being exposed in this economic down turn.
Reply
1-13-2009 @ 7:45PM
Marie said...
I just hope IRS doesn't expect those people to pay taxes on a prize they lost. The IRS works in mysterious ways. What should make sense to a normal person doesn't work in tax land.
Reply
1-13-2009 @ 9:59PM
mls said...
I am a tax accountant and NO these people will not have to pay taxes on the prizes they dont receive. Taxpayers only get taxed on income items that they actually receive and would get a 1099 for- such as game show winnings (be it trips or cash-the trips being accounted for at fair market value). The company can only give the 1099's to people they actually end up paying money to or giving the prizes to. Issuing a 1099 without ever handing out the prize would cause HUGE problems with the game show companys tax return, not to mention the person receiving the 1099 could get them in a lot of trouble too. I hope this helped answer your post!
1-13-2009 @ 8:01PM
Savannah said...
Ok. I know this isn't relevant to this story but to "John" and EVERYONE else who has gotten this idea in their head..(from where I have NO clue b/c not ONCE has it ever been mentioned) THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE A CHECK FROM OBAMA!
No one is getting a check. HE NEVER said he was giving another stimulus check. He said he is working on a stimulus PLAN. A stimulus PACKAGE to include creating jobs and extending unemployment. NOT A CHECK. Do some research people!! Geez.
Reply
1-13-2009 @ 8:56PM
tese42s said...
Tell it like it is Candace and Cindy.
Reply