Thought/question about contestant names

[GoodStrategy]

I recall from word-of-mouth several years ago that on the show they make you go by (and have on your nametag) your legal first name (as shown on your ID) and do not allow nicknames, your middle name, a name you prefer to go by, etc.

If that's still the policy, I got to thinking the producers may be at odds with California's anti-transgender-discrimination laws if they try and apply that policy in a case where a transperson goes by a preferred name (associated with the gender they identify and present as) but haven't legally changed it. (I don't know if law targeted to cases of employment/education would apply on a game show or not, but if it does it looks like TPiR would have to change their policy - at least in the case of a pre-name-change transgender contestant.)

[COINBOYNYC]

I recall from word-of-mouth several years ago that on the show they make you go by (and have on your nametag) your legal first name (as shown on your ID) and do not allow nicknames, your middle name, a name you prefer to go by, etc.

At the risk of hijacking the purpose of your question, I wonder why they would be so insistent on putting, say, "Archibald" on your tag if you always refer to yourself as "Archie" and everyone calls you that.

[TPIRighteous]

At the risk of hijacking the purpose of your question, I wonder why they would be so insistent on putting, say, "Archibald" on your tag if you always refer to yourself as "Archie" and everyone calls you that.

Because it's a slippery slope between allowing simple nicknames and allowing people to have whatever goofy thing they want written on their name tags. It's much easier to just draw the line at people's legal names.

This issue is an interesting one though. If the law requires use of the preferred name, even if it's not legally changed, that's an area where they might have to make an exception.

[Ton80]

If the law requires use of the preferred name, even if it's not legally changed, that's an area where they might have to make an exception.

It's safe to speculate that the reasons for using a legal name have to do with taxes and such.  When someone with a unique gender self-identity does their taxes, they are still required to use their legal name, regardless of what their gender identity and preferred nickname is.

Otherwise, you just open the door to the risk of "John Smith" insisting that he/she has unique gender that requires him/her to be called "Flying Spaghetti Monster". 

Since taxes are a possibility, legal names have to be used for the paperwork, and it's fair to extend that practice to the contestants' name tags.

[GoodStrategy]

It's safe to speculate that the reasons for using a legal name have to do with taxes and such.  When someone with a unique gender self-identity does their taxes, they are still required to use their legal name, regardless of what their gender identity and preferred nickname is.

I can't post links, but if you search for and look at the regulations on the California DFEH site it says that legal names can still be used for tax, etc. purposes, but an employer (as I said I don't know if being a game show contestant is the same as employment for this law) must allow you to go by your preferred name in all "unofficial" contexts, which on TPiR would include your nametag/"Come On Down" call. (The regulations mention name usage along with pronouns, etc., but normally a non-transgender person does not ask to go by pronouns, salutations, etc. not consistent with their gender while people frequently go by a name different than their legal first name for a variety of reasons.)

My opinion is that transgender people should have the right to request a "preferred name" IF non-transgender people can do the same, but a company should not be forced to create an exception for them (when said policy exists for a valid business reason and not an attempt to misgender transpeople, as is the case for TPiR). Just like everyone else you can legally change your name (which most transgender people eventually do anyway). (I think the better solution would be to create a more streamlined way to do the name change if done in conjunction with gender reassignment, similar to how a name change is done with marriage, so time/cost would be less of an issue - and not to force others to create an exception so transgender people can be called with the name in line with their identified gender.)

[Season36Fan]

You guys are forgetting something.... the show is far more "engineered" than it used to be.


Who goes on stage and how the program is cut is strictly up to the personal judgement of various staff members.   If your name is Joseph, and you want "Joe" on your nametag, or if your name is William and you want "Anna" on your name tag, so long as that doesn't present an image they don't want to display, they could easily allow that.   If you want "Zorbo, Master of Silliness" on your nametag, the easiest thing for them to do is put "Zorbo" on your nametag, seat you in the back, keep you out of any camera close ups, and not call you up on stage, all of which are their legal right to do, and as part of the conditions of attending the taping, things you simply have to accept.  If you make a scene, they kick you out, no questions asked, and they could even ban you from ever returning. Now, whether they operate that way or not, I don't know.... but they COULD, with no legal (or moral, for that matter) wrong done in any way, and no one could sue them successfully because they wouldn't be able to prove any harm.   The show could easily argue that seating and selection are entirely based on who they think would make a good contestant, and 300 other people weren't called either, and 75 of them were in "bad seats," and that many people have attended multiple takings without being called because selection simply isn't random.

[Teddy]

This reminds me of an episode years ago where a contestant named Robert Barker appeared on the show, and he went by Bob, which the host himself had a field day with ("I'm Bob Barker, you're Bob Barker"), and at one point, he told the viewers not to be confused because Bob Barker (the contestant) was going to bid first. I wonder if that other Bob Barker ever got out of Contestant's Row? I don't know for sure because I never saw the episode in its entirety, but I know the host had lots of fun that day.

[DYC]

There were 300 "Pat"'s in the audience a couple years ago on a Halloween Special. If the theory fits, what kind of tax issues do you think those winning contestants experienced?

[bduddy]

It's safe to speculate that the reasons for using a legal name have to do with taxes and such.  When someone with a unique gender self-identity does their taxes, they are still required to use their legal name, regardless of what their gender identity and preferred nickname is.

Otherwise, you just open the door to the risk of "John Smith" insisting that he/she has unique gender that requires him/her to be called "Flying Spaghetti Monster". 

Since taxes are a possibility, legal names have to be used for the paperwork, and it's fair to extend that practice to the contestants' name tags.

Somehow I doubt a TPIR nametag is in any way legally equivalent to a tax form.

[Ton80]

Somehow I doubt a TPIR nametag is in any way legally equivalent to a tax form.

My point wasn't that the nametag was equivalent to a tax form.  My point was that the show was putting legal names on the name tags based on the presumption that any winnings would require paperwork, which would require legal names.

There were 300 "Pat"'s in the audience a couple years ago on a Halloween Special. If the theory fits, what kind of tax issues do you think those winning contestants experienced?

My theory doesn't factor in that show - which I believe was actually an April Fool's Day show.

So if not for tax purposes, maybe the show requires legal names on the name tag because they don't want to open the Pandora's Box of problems that would arise if they allowed nicknames.  Where do you draw the line?  Someone might have a perfectly legitimate nickname, but might also be quite offensive to someone else.  Alternately, some clown might claim his/her nickname is something absurd just to try to attract attention. 
"Can you put my nickname on the nametag?  It's 'No Toes'.  Really!  All my friends call me that!  I swear!"

By requiring legal names on the nametags, Price can avoid that entire mess. 
"Your license says your name is 'Frankenberry', so that's what we're putting on your nametag.  End of discussion."

The whole "Pat" nonsense was concocted by the show's producers, and EVERYONE had that name tag, so the show at least maintained control of the nametags, and the nicknames as used for that one gag.

[William]

Well now I’m a bit curious to know what would happen if I was on the show, because I go by my middle name in everyday life and always have.

Few people know or call me by my first name (even my own mother forgets it for legal purposes sometimes and I have to remind her), so I wouldn’t really want it to be on my name tag.

[Ton80]

Well now I’m a bit curious to know what would happen if I was on the show, because I go by my middle name in everyday life and always have.

Few people know or call me by my first name (even my own mother forgets it for legal purposes sometimes and I have to remind her), so I wouldn’t really want it to be on my name tag.

I'll do you one better.  I'm 47 years old, and I've NEVER gone by any part of my legal name.  I've literally gone by my nickname since birth.  Apparently, my parents thought it would be awesome to give me two legal names, then call me something completely different.