WHEEL of Fortune viewers were left speechless over a lack of puzzle-solving skills in one of Pat Sajak’s final episodes as host.
Pat, 77, is in his final week, aptly titled “Thanks For The Memories,” but Tuesday’s game was one many wanted to forget.
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The contestants were bubbly Nece from Houston, personal trainer David and new dad CJ.
Fans have high expectations as Pat will retire this Friday after 41 years.
And yet, almost every puzzle resulted in wrong guesses or poor decision making.
A “Place” puzzle had just three blank letters when CJ made a surprising choice.
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It said “_RISTINE MOUNTAIN _A_E” and CJ guessed a “D” as the audience audibly booed.
“No D,” Pat lamented, and David instantly resolved it as “Pristine Mountain Lake.”
Pat assured: “Everything is fine” after the painful miss.
Another puzzle had just four blank letters, seeking “Getting my second wind.”
CJ pivoted instead of settling, going bankrupt, losing a trip to Tahiti and $9,000.
Then came the triple plays where the game of pain continued.
For one thing, the category was “In The Kitchen,” and David incorrectly shouted “Black Knife!” – “No,” Pat said bluntly – it was “Steak Knife.”
The third triple shot saw Nece, very hesitantly, guess a very incorrect “Steak Grinder” instead of “Salad Spinner”, and even Vanna was left laughing.
Pat joked, “Nece does some weird things in the kitchen.”
David got the highest score of $37,600 after a final high-yield puzzle and went to the bonus round, where he chose “Place” and a “CDMI”.
He guessed “Brunch…” but stopped and the timer ran out, to which Pat bluntly reminded him, “It’s a place.” The puzzle was “Bank Branch”.
‘FOOLS…’
Fans took to social media and were surprised that Wheel of Fortune didn’t pick stronger contestants for Pat last week.
“I’ve never seen so many dummies on Wheel of Fortune at the same time,” wrote one user X.
“Tonight’s Wheel of Fortune is raising my blood pressure,” wrote another.
“CJ… spinning when he should be resolving. Serving the game to David on a silver platter,” wrote a third.
“Wow, it’s going to be one of those episodes…” wrote a fourth.
“Of course Pat had one of these episodes during his last week. So many choices that don’t make sense,” wrote a fifth.
“Where do you find these people?” asked another.
One more simply had to do for Pat as he was nearing the end.
“I’m so sad it was @patsajak last week on @WheelofFortune that I won’t get to meet him if I ever get on the show…” they wrote.
‘SURPRISINGLY OK’
Pat is now in his final week as host, with just three episodes left before he steps down.
On Monday, Pat explained why he chose to leave the show on Good Morning America.
During the nearly four-minute segment, 29-year-old Maggie Sajak — social media correspondent for Wheel of Fortune — interviewed her father about his retirement.
“It feels surprisingly good,” Pat said of his time on the show ending so soon.
“This was announced a long time ago, almost a year ago,” he noted.
“So I had time to get used to it. And it’s been a little dreary and all, but I’m enjoying it, taking it all in and reflecting on what a great run it was.”
Pat, who began hosting Wheel of Fortune in 1981, recognized that the show is more than any other show on TV.
“We became part of popular culture. And most importantly, we become part of people’s lives,” he said. “And that has been very rewarding.”
Ryan Seacrest, 49, was chosen as Pat’s replacement last year, shortly after Pat announced he was leaving, and Pat stood by his decision.
“I’ve always told you, you’ve heard me say it dozens of times, ‘I’d rather leave a few years too early than a few years too late.’
“Can I still do this? Yes, I think I can for a while,” Pat told Maggie, 29.
“[But] There are also other things in life we would like to do,” Pat continued.
“I’m enjoying the past year. It’s been a wonderful 40 years. I’m looking forward to what’s to come,” he concluded.
Pat also shared that she would be happy living out her retirement, doing “crosswords and playing with her grandchildren.”
“Hint. Hint. Hint. No pressure,” he teased Maggie.
In addition to Maggie, Pat shares his son, Patrick, with his wife, Lesly Brown.
Like his sister, Patrick doesn’t have any children – but Maggie has recently started a romance with actor Ross McCall, so who knows?
Pat hugged her daughter as she wiped away her tears.
Pat will retire with the longest career hosting the same show in history, surpassing the previous record holder Bob Barker and Alex Trebek.
PAT’S LAST EPISODE
Pat’s final episode will air this Friday, June 7, 2024.
Pat’s farewell will likely not be an all-out tribute with memories through the years, but simply business as usual, with a goodbye at the end.
The episode will be a landmark on TV, as the presenter has been creating puzzles and prizes alongside Vanna since 1981 and 1982, respectively.
Vanna, Pat’s longtime Wheel of Fortune partner, will remain on the show for two years following her departure.
Vanna signed a contract extension to remain with the program through the 2025-2026 season.
When asked by TVInsider how long she thinks she will stay on the game show, Vanna responded, “I don’t know.
“When I heard Pat was retiring, I thought maybe I should retire too, but I’m not ready!”
“We’ll see at the end of these two years how I feel.
“I thank God, after all these years, that I still love my job.”
The show airs weekdays at 7:30 pm ET on ABC, so fans can watch Pat’s farewell episode on June 7 at that time.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
