According to civil rights complaints obtained by YSL News, top executives at “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” discriminated against employees of color and dismissed them for voicing concerns about a toxic working atmosphere. This atmosphere reportedly included derogatory comments about Black contestants made by staff.

Two former employees of Sony Pictures Entertainment stated they received fewer chances compared to their white counterparts and often experienced racially insensitive conduct, such as crew members ridiculing a Black contestant’s natural hairstyle.

Shelley Ballance Ellis, 60, who held the highest position as a Black production executive on the game shows, claimed she was overburdened with extra tasks yet overlooked for promotions throughout her 26 years at the company.

Monique Diaz, 48, a Latina who worked on the shows for 23 years, said her salary was significantly lower than that of a newly hired white colleague.

Both Ballance Ellis and Diaz reported layoffs in April, which the company attributed to a corporate restructuring.

Ballance Ellis claimed in her complaint, “The reality is that Sony targeted myself and others because we spoke out against discrimination.”

Sony has yet to provide a response to various requests for comments from YSL News.

‘Take an open, honest look’

Lawyers Peter Romer-Friedman and Hillary Benham-Baker, representing Ballance Ellis and Diaz, accused Sony of breaching California civil rights regulations.

The California Civil Rights Department examines complaints and can either sue the company, dismiss the claims, or allow employees to pursue their own legal action.

Benham-Baker informed YSL News, “What occurred with Shelley and her colleagues behind the scenes should never happen and is illegal under our civil rights laws.”

The allegations against “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” arise as conversations about the persistent lack of opportunities for diverse talent in the entertainment industry intensify.

Following George Floyd’s death at the hands of a white police officer in May 2020, major studios and networks expressed solidarity and committed significant funds to promote equality. However, many of those commitments appear to have waned.

In an exclusive discussion with YSL News, Ballance Ellis expressed that marginalized individuals are frequently ignored and undervalued in mainstream Hollywood, where predominantly white executives control hiring and promotion processes and narrative choices in film and television.

Ballance Ellis, whose family has deep ties to the entertainment industry—her grandfather was an actor and her father was a studio executive, with her grandparents owning the historic Ebony Showcase Theater in Los Angeles—feels a duty to “voice her concerns for good” in an industry where many people of color hesitate to speak out due to lack of connections.

“I hope this serves as a chance for any entertainment leader to reflect deeply and honestly,” she shared with YSL News.

Complaint details racially insensitive remarks and halted career paths

“Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” remain iconic elements of American television and significant financial assets for Sony’s entertainment division.

Ballance Ellis was in charge of the clearance and licensing department, which secures legal rights to video clips, music, and various intellectual properties featured in the shows. She noted she had a “front-row seat” to witness racial bias and insensitivity.

Her complaint claims the company allowed racially charged jokes about Black contestants to persist.

During a production meeting for “Wheel of Fortune” in 2020, a Black staff member reported overhearing colleagues comparing a Black woman’s locs hairstyle to the movie “The Elephant Man,” a film about a severely disfigured man in Victorian England.

When the show’s director dismissed the comments as mere jokes, Ballance Ellis reportedly asked, “Which part is funny?” in her complaint.

Additionally, Ballance Ellis voiced concerns over biased clues on “Jeopardy!” and advocated for more inclusive and nuanced questions regarding individuals from diverse backgrounds.

For instance, in 1999,

In the “Black History” category, the question was: “The black population of these U.S. areas, the destination of ‘white flight,’ doubled in the ’70s and ’80s.” The correct answer was “the suburbs.”

“It’s upsetting to think that individuals are leaving an area simply because Black people are moving in. That doesn’t represent Black history at all,” she said. “Many I knew felt offended, which I believe was justified. I felt ashamed to be part of a workplace where that occurred.”

According to Ballance Ellis, other actions had a significant negative impact on staff members.

In 2017, “Wheel of Fortune” had to apologize following an episode during “Southern Charm Week” where hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White appeared in front of a plantation with two actors dressed as slaves from the antebellum period.

However, last year, a Black employee was instructed to produce a shot list – which outlines each scene shot – of plantation footage being considered for Sajak’s farewell, as per Ballance Ellis. She noted that staff objections were disregarded.

Ballance Ellis shared that her experiences facing discrimination while working on “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” were painful moments in a job she otherwise cherished.

Despite being given additional duties after the departure of three producers, she mentioned that promotions were never offered to her.

In 2021, after an extensive search, Mike Richards was appointed as the permanent host, taking over from Alex Trebek, who passed away in 2020. However, Richards had to resign due to offensive comments made on an earlier podcast and his connection to previous discrimination lawsuits from his role as executive producer of “The Price Is Right.”

In response to the public backlash, Ballance Ellis reported that Sony’s senior management mandated training for diversity and inclusion.

During a gender-focused training session in 2023, Ballance Ellis spoke out about her hindered career prospects.

“I articulated my belief that I had encountered a glass ceiling at Sony as a Black woman, countering my colleagues’ assertions that having white women in leadership positions meant there was no glass ceiling for people of color or Black women like myself,” she stated in her complaint.

In reply, a supervising producer said: “Shelley believes she faced a glass ceiling, but that’s not true. The reason we didn’t promote Shelley is that she is extremely valuable in her current position.”

Earlier this year, Ballance Ellis mentioned she was pushed out of the company and her responsibilities were given to a younger white woman.

“Sony simultaneously reorganized my team of diverse members (who are over 40 years old) and replaced them with mostly younger white workers,” she noted in her complaint.

This included Diaz, who joined the clearance and licensing department back in 2011.

Diaz shared with YSL News that she valued her time working under her supervisor, Ballance Ellis, and with her team, but she became increasingly concerned about the differing treatment of nonwhite contestants compared to their white counterparts and how complaints regarding racial bias went unheard.

In 2020, Diaz recalled being present at a meeting where a production supervisor ridiculed Black comedian Leslie Jones’ request to bring her own hairstylist for her participation as a celebrity contestant on “Wheel of Fortune.” For many years, Black actors have expressed frustrations about having to do their own hair or being styled by someone unfamiliar with their hair type.

“The disappointing part is I realized early on that there were differing roles for different people, which was disheartening,” Diaz reflected.

In 2023, another employee disclosed to Diaz that a supervising producer commented on how Black people’s skin “doesn’t age as quickly as white people’s skin.”

“I found the atmosphere to be very discriminatory,” she remarked.

Diaz discovered firsthand that she was earning about $50,000 a year less than a new white coworker performing the same job. After filing a complaint with human resources, she received no response.

When Ballance Ellis sought support for equitable pay adjustments, she reported being asked: “Does she realize” she’s being paid less? To which Ballance Ellis replied: “We are aware.”

Despite her efforts, the supervising producer took no action, prompting Ballance Ellis to reach out to Sony’s chief diversity officer.

Diaz shared that she eventually received a pay increase, yet still earned $15,000 less each year than her colleague.

“We are discussing iconic American shows that are meant to be inclusive and reflective of the best of America,” Romer-Friedman stated. “Until people like Shelley and Monique are allowed to remain and prosper at ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ those programs will not truly represent the best of America.”