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‘Wheel of Fortune’ gets spooky as host jokes about summoning Candyman — and he may have actually done it

'Wheel of Fortune is playing a dangerous game tonight,' a viewer wrote on X

Horror fans know that repeating "Candyman" five times is practically a death wish, just like conjuring "Bloody Mary" in front of a mirror. During a 'Wheel of Fortune' Halloween special, all was fun and games until a contestant spookily summoned the entity attached to an urban legend portrayed in the 1992 cult classic film, 'Candyman.' Jordan rightly guessed the name of the film when he chose the Movie Quote category, albeit four times in a row: "Candyman Candyman Candyman Candyman." Former host Pat Sajak repeated the name for the fifth time, saying, “That, by the way, for those of you that don’t know, is from a film called Candyman. And I said it a fifth time, which means he appears, isn’t that the way it works? Maybe he’s under the wheel,” Sajak joked. 

“Absolutely. We should be terrified,” Jordan added in jest. However, fans didn't take their camaraderie lightly and expressed terror on X. "Wheel of Fortune just tricked me into saying 'Candyman' four times, so there’s that," one netizen wrote. "Wheel of Fortune is playing a dangerous game tonight," another cautioned. On the other hand, some viewers were not impressed by the superstition. "You do know that was a movie, and not real, right?" one wrote. "Good grief, it is from a movie that is FICTION," a second added. 

Ironically, the spooky puzzle proved lucky, and Jordan ended up finishing the game with $40,000 in winnings. Similarly, current host Ryan Seacrest recently fell victim to a blood-curdling prank during the Halloween week on 'Wheel of Fortune'. Seacrest sounded cheerful when he welcomed Mallory Rosetti, a pediatric emergency nurse, to the Bonus Round, and didn't have the slightest idea that he was going to have a mini heart attack soon. As per tradition, Rosetti spun the wheel, and it landed on the "I" wedge. Seacrest then reached for the envelope, and right at that exact moment, a sinister "meow" echoed through the set. 

Caught off guard, Seacrest waved the cue card over his head, cutting through the air in an attempt to ward off anything invisible or evil. “Woah!” he exclaimed. “Watch out!” Rosetti warned. “I was not expecting that myself,” he confessed, visibly shaken. “Alright,” he added, trying to sound normal as he focused back on the game. “You chose ‘Thing.'” He continued calmly, "We're going to give you the R S T L N and the E. And then it is your turn." The nurse then selected the letters “D, B, M, A,” and the puzzle board read as: “_ _ BEAT” “M_ S_ _.”

Rosetti guessed the answer in an instant, and just when the buzzer sounded, she blurted out, "UPBEAT MUSIC”. She ended up winning the Bonus Round and took home the $40,000 cash prize. In total, she walked away with a staggering $81,248. Fans enjoyed the spooky-themed episode, with many praising Seacrest for being a good sport. "Loved the meow. I know that Ryan wasn't expecting that. Congrats to her," a viewer wrote. "The cat noise was hilarious, as was Ryan's reaction to it," another said.