With over 8000 episodes across 41 seasons, Pat Sajak’s hosting duties at ‘Wheel of Fortune’ were nothing short of magical. With his supportive and often hilarious remarks, Sajak consistently made sure to make contestants feel at home. However, there have been rare moments when the beloved host revealed a different side, one that was different from his usual self. In one such instance, Sajak was so pissed off at a contestant that he hilariously roasted him, making for a fun ‘Wheel of Fortune’ moment.
The contestant in question is Emil, who appeared in ‘Wheel of Fortune’ for the second time. After beating out fellow contestants John and Melinda with a total of $20,500, Emil advanced to the final round with a shot at the coveted $1 million prize, per The US Sun. Before the spin, Sajak explained the stakes, saying, “I’m going to put the $1 million envelope on the wheel.” When it was time to choose a category, Emil selected ‘Phrase.’
As Emil spun the wheel, Sajak watched closely and remarked, “If it lands on that $1 million wedge, you’ll skip the puzzle and win it right here.” But when the wheel narrowly missed the million-dollar wedge, stopping on a regular prize segment instead, Sajak couldn’t help but make a snarky observation, saying, “Well, that was close, but not close enough.” His tone drew some laughs, but fans couldn’t help but notice a slight edge to the host’s delivery as the bonus round continued.
During the bonus round, Emil faced the standard ‘Wheel of Fortune’ setup with the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E provided. Following the rules, he selected his own letters, consonants B, H, and D, and vowel I. After co-host Vanna White filled in the board, the correct answer became obvious to Emil. Just before the solve, Sajak had remarked, “It looks difficult,” suggesting it might stump the contestant. But Emil shocked everyone by solving the puzzle, “work out the kinks” in under three seconds, even though he had a full 10 seconds to think it over.
As the audience erupted in cheers, Sajak shook his head in disbelief, raising his hand to calm the crowd. Clearly impressed but slightly flustered, Sajak joked, “You’re starting to get on my nerves,” referring to Emil’s growing winning streak. By the end of the episode, Emil walked away with $60,500 and a brand-new car. Notably, Sajak officially announced in June 2023 that Season 41 would be his last. “Well, the time has come,” Sajak told Bloomberg News. “I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all.” He echoed the same on Twitter, writing, “If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!”
In June 2024, Sajak opened up on ‘Good Morning America’ about his decision to step down, explaining it was simply time to slow down. “It’s been a little bit wistful and all that, but I’m enjoying it and taking it all in and reflecting on the great run,” he said. “Somewhere along the line, we became more than a popular show. We became part of the popular culture. And more importantly, we became part of people’s lives. And that’s been awfully gratifying.” He further added, “This was announced a long time ago, almost a year ago. So I’ve had time to sort of get used to it.”
