MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

'Wheel of Fortune' player embarrasses Pat Sajak with her bold, unexpected moves after winning Bonus Round

"I know she probably did it innocently, but uhm, no ma'am. Do NOT do this to a married man who is not your husband," a fan reacted.

Veteran host Pat Sajak was left red-faced after an enthusiastic contestant made NSFW gestures during a 2023 episode of 'Wheel of Fortune' while celebrating her Bonus Round win. Jamie McMahon Carrillo couldn't contain her excitement after winning a brand-new Mazda by solving the Bonus Round puzzle with ease. She then twerked repeatedly on the podium and even rubbed her backside on Sajak multiple times. The seasoned host appeared visibly uncomfortable, asking, “Did she just butt-bump me?” as he stepped away. “I did!” Carrillo shamelessly shot back. 

As per The Sun, the moment went viral, and the game show’s official X (formerly Twitter) account shared the clip with the caption, “When you're so excited you decide to butt bump Pat Sajak,” followed by a skull emoji. Some fans expressed outrage and disgust. "Please pull this tweet. I know she probably did it innocently, but, uhm, no ma'am. Do NOT do this to a married man who is not your husband. Especially mine, k thanks," a viewer condemned. "If a dude did that to Vanna White, the show would've never aired it. He would be called misogynistic, a rapist, and a sex offender. Thrown in jail and sued," a fan raged. 

"I'm not so sure it was initially intentional, but the twerking definitely was!!! In the moment, she definitely wasn't thinking straight! He is married. Pat was a good sport about it, though!!!" an X user pointed out. However, a few fans differed in perspective and found her act amusing: "I thought she was adorable and one of the most entertaining contestants I've ever seen. Lol. Loved her sense of humor/quirkiness. She wasn't trying to 'hit' on Pat. She was funny!" an online user commented in jest. "Loved seeing this. Should happen more often! Keep Pat on his toes...LOL," another fan chimed in. 

Earlier in the episode, Carrillo built an early winning streak and advanced to the Bonus Round, where she competed for $100,000 and a new sedan. The contestant chose “Place” as her category. The board revealed the standard letters — R, S, T, L, and E — and Carrillo selected G, H, B, and I as her additional picks, according to Market Realist. Carrillo hit a jackpot with the letters; the blank spaces on the puzzle board were now partially filled, almost revealing the answer. She couldn't risk losing now when the final puzzle read, "_ _ I E T N E I G H B _ R H _ _ _." Carrillo was beaming even before the timer could go off; as soon as her time started, she blurted out the right answer, "QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD," and swiftly won the new ride. 

Sajak then redirected Carrillo's jubilant energy toward her new car and playfully cautioned his co-host, Vanna White. "There she comes! Vanna, look out–she's dangerous!" he said as the contestant excitedly reacted to her brand-new car. However, despite her playful reactions, many viewers felt her behavior was inappropriate for a family show.