Poor Pat Sajak. The game show host is ramping up his final season leading Wheel of Fortune before he retires, but a recent run-in with a contestant might make him tap out early.
Contestant Laryn Nelson, an elementary school principal from Atlanta, let the excitement get to her after failing to solve the final puzzle. She incorrectly guessed, “Pitching my goals,” when the answer was actually, “Obtaining my goals.”
“All right,” she said once the answer was revealed. “That’s okay. I’m going to do that one day, though. Obtaining my goals.”
“All right,” Sajak responded. He paused as the audience laughed, before adding, “There’s really no need for a host on this show. Just let them do it.”
Nelson laughed, but the comedic moment was soon interrupted when Sajak opened the cards in his hand to reveal the prize she would have won had she guessed the final puzzle correctly. Nelson suddenly shrieked, causing Sajak to jump and drop his cards.
Sajak definitely looked spooked, but he composed himself and smoothed out his tie as Nelson came back and apologized.
“It’s all right, I’ll be fine,” Sajak replied.
If she had guessed that final puzzle correctly, Nelson would be the proud new owner of a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. But she did manage to walk away with $24,250 in winnings and a tour of Rome and London worth $10,000.
So far, Season 41 has gotten off on the wrong foot since it premiered this past Monday. None of the final contestants this week have been able to guess the $100k bonus round puzzle just yet.
This is officially Sajak’s final season hosting the show, after which he will retire and hand the baton over to Ryan Seacrest in 2024. However, it’s still unclear if Vanna White will continue turning letters on the show; she has been reportedly going through contentious wage negotiations with Sony.
White has already signed a new contract for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, but there’s no telling if Sony will budge on raising her pay for Wheel of Fortune. The longtime television personality reportedly hasn’t gotten a raise in 18 years.
Wheel of Fortune airs on weeknights at 7:30/6:30c. Find your local listings on the Wheel of Fortune website.