‘Wheel of Fortune’ host pranks contestant with phobia — and fans can’t decide if it’s funny or just mean
For decades, Pat Sajak has been a host on 'Wheel of Fortune' (1981-2024). During his tenure, Sajak's signature sense of humor, wit, and experience have pulled in many viewers to the show. The 78-year-old always proved that age is just a number, and he is still young at heart when it comes to interacting with the contestants and being on camera. During an episode of March 2023, Sajak showed viewers his funny side when he decided to play a prank on the contestant Ashley Laumb, who, before beginning the game, shared with the host that she has ichtyophobia, a term used to describe fear of fish.
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"You don't like fish," Sajak said. "You don't like to eat them, you don't like to swim with them," he asked, looking for confirmation. "Nothing, nothing to do with them at all," Laumb responded. "If they're on a plate or in the water, I am not going to be anywhere near it," she added. Sajak pried further, "Were you frightened by a fish as a little girl?" to which she said, "It's a long story, Pat, and we don't have time." Laumb later guessed a puzzle correctly, which led to Sajak telling her co-contestant, Shawn Ham, that he had "to go congratulate Ashley" before handing him a fake fish.
"Would you do me a favor? I don't want her to see this. Just hold on to it." Laumb laughed, turning her head away, which prompted Sajak to ask, "Ashley, you alright?" When Laumb was announced as the winner of $23,250, Sajak let Ham keep the fake fish as a souvenir. Laumb went on to win a total of $40,000 after successfully solving the bonus round puzzle, as reported by Parade.
The episode quickly went viral on social media, and fans wasted no time in flooding the Instagram post with comments, one accused Sajak of trolling the contestant on air and wrote," How would he like it if someone made a complete mess all around him since he is suffering from OCD?" While another fan of the host came to his defence and added, "That’s what he gets paid to do, in part. Run the show and make people laugh. Too many Kens and Karens around." Agreeing to the sentiment, an Instagram user said, "OMG is THIS the episode that Pat had to apologize for? He should get awards for making it funny! People need to grow up and get over themselves."
After 40 years of brilliantly hosting, he bid farewell to the show, passing the baton on to Ryan Seacrest in season 42. In his final moments on the show, he said to the viewers that he was grateful for everything and it was an "incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, decade after decade." He added, and I’ve always felt that the privilege came with a responsibility to keep this daily half-hour a safe place for family, fun, no social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing, I hope, just a game."
