‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant reveals Pat Sajak’s warm side once the cameras cut: 'Extremely good at...'
Pat Sajak was known for his satirical and dry sense of humor on ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ He never missed an opportunity to deliver sarcastic yet witty remarks on contestants and their follies while maintaining his serious demeanor. However, a former contestant has spilled the beans that Sajak was a sweetheart once the cameras stopped rolling. A Reddit thread on the 'Wheel of Fortune' forum asked former contestants, “What was Pat Sajak like off-camera?” Many former contestants responded to the thread and, surprisingly, had kind things to say.
“Pat was very nice. Before the bonus round, he said I was a really good player, that he was impressed with my gameplay, and he specifically called out one thing I did,” one Reddit user and ex-contestant wrote. The same user said Sajak cracked jokes between rounds and described him as “enjoyable” to be around. “Kind, professional, extremely good at his job,” another internet user added. “He made a couple digs at me that were extremely lighthearted and fun, and I responded in kind, and we had a fun time with it,” the user wrote.
A third fan agreed that Sajak maintains a great rapport with contestants when the show is not filming. “Pat was great with us on my taping day. He was cracking jokes during breaks with others. As for me personally, I definitely had a fun time chatting hockey with him,” the fan/ex-contestant revealed. While hosting 'Wheel of Fortune,' Sajak didn’t hesitate to call out contestants for awkward guesses or odd behavior. His blunt, unfiltered persona became a signature part of the show that fans came to expect. The show has featured many iconic Pat Sajak moments.
In a December 2020 episode, Sajak sternly warned a contestant who repeatedly interrupted him. “Never interrupt me. Never, never interrupt a plug. You can do anything else, but don’t interrupt,” he said, but later laughed it off. In March 2022, a contestant shared a story about having his toe reattached after a bike accident, but Sajak found the anecdote amusing. “That may have been the most pointless story ever told,” he mockingly reacted. “Very good at his job of hosting, kept things moving, a steady hand who kept things going very smoothly,” another Reddit user wrote. The same user hailed Sajak as the “perfect” host for the show.
Well, the time has come. 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. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) June 12, 2023
In 2023, Sajak took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce his retirement from the show after nearly 4 decades of hosting it. He gave a heartfelt goodbye on his last 'Wheel of Fortune' episode. “It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade,” he said. He tried to create the set as a safe space for family fun with “no social issues, no politics, and nothing embarrassing, I hope. Just a game.” ‘American Idol’ veteran host Ryan Seacrest was brought in as the replacement for Sajak in 2024. Since they were big shoes to fill, Seacrest received mixed reviews from the start. However, it seems like he’s slowly getting the hang of it now!