Pat Sajak Defends 'Wheel of Fortune' Contestants After They Went Viral Trying To Solve A Puzzle

Pat Sajak is stepping up for the contestants on Wheel of Fortune.
If you missed what happened, social media roasted the three contestants on the show after failing to solve a puzzle after 10 attempts.
Now Pat, who has hosted the long-running game show for 38 seasons, is speaking out.
Click inside to read more…
Taking to social media, Pat spoke out about the now viral moment.
“It always pains me when nice people come on our show to play a game and win some money and maybe fulfill a lifelong dream, and are then subject to online ridicule when they make a mistake or something goes awry,” he wrote.
Pat went on, writing, “Last night’s ‘Feather in your cap’ puzzle was a case in point. Sitting at home, it seems incredible that they couldn’t solve it, but I knew in real time what was happening.”
“The first attempted solve was ‘Feather in your hat’ which, by the way, is how a lot of people say it. So all three players thought it was a good solve, and were stunned when I said it was wrong,” he explained. “Now imagine you’re on national TV, and you’re suddenly thrown a curve and you begin getting worried about looking stupid, and if the feather isn’t in your hat, where the heck can it be? You start flailing away looking for alternatives rather than synonyms for ‘hat.’ And, of course, when it’s solved, you want to crawl in a hole.”
“Truth is, all I want to do is help to get them through it and convince them that those things happen even to very bright people,” he said. “But mocking them online and calling them names? These are good people in a bad situation under a kind of stress that you can’t begin to appreciate from the comfort of your couch.”
Read his entire response below:
It always pains me when nice people come on our show to play a game and win some money and maybe fulfill a lifelong dream, and are then subject to online ridicule when they make a mistake or something goes awry.
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) March 2, 2022
The first attempted solve was “Feather in your hat” which, by the way, is how a lot of people say it. So all three players thought it was a good solve, and were stunned when I said it was wrong.
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) March 2, 2022
And, of course, when it’s solved, you want to crawl in a hole. I’ve been praised online for “keeping it together” and not making fun of the players. Truth is, all I want to do is help to get them through it and convince them that those things happen even to very bright people.
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) March 2, 2022
Good-natured laughter is one thing. Heck, they laughed at themselves. But, hey, cut them some slack. Unless you’re there, you have no idea how different it is in the studio.
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) March 2, 2022
After all, you may be there one day. And no one wants to be trending on Twitter.
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) March 2, 2022