‘Wheel of Fortune’ player solves entire puzzle — but still loses prize over mispronounced word no one uses
'Wheel of Fortune' contestant Shauna Williams never might have dreamt of coming close to winning and then losing out because of a 'mispronunciation'. Williams successfully solved the “Same Letter” category puzzle and revealed the answer as “congenial company & clever conversation,” after guessing the missing letters on the puzzle board as 'Y' and 'G'. However, in her verbal excitement, she mispronounced the word 'congenial' and earned the ire of host Pat Sajak, as per Entertainment Weekly. The veteran host instantly denied her access to the round prize, thus leaving her embarrassed. “Uh, no,” Sajak reacted and passed on the puzzle to her opponent, Steve Sporre, who pronounced it rightly. A fan shared the viral moment on X with the caption, "No way this lady lost Wheel of Fortune with the entire puzzle solved."
No way this lady lost Wheel of Fortune with the entire puzzle solved 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/aO4A5UXbvv
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) January 4, 2024
"She said 'conjunal,' which is not even a word. Congenial also has 4 syllables! She obviously did not know the word!" a viewer pointed out. "I have to laugh at how everyone always blames Pat for this stuff. You do realize there are judges and producers off-camera that make that call and then relay it to Pat through an earpiece. And she wasn’t even close in her pronunciation," another fan defended the host's decision. "Everyone that plays the game knows the rule of proper pronunciation; it's Pat's job to enforce it. Can't blame the messenger," an X user chimed in. However, a few fans disagreed and called out the host. "Pat Sajak was cold-blooded here. "No!" a viewer reacted.
She said “conjunal” which is not even a word. Congenial also has 4 syllables! She obviously did not know the word!
— Sherry Burns (@Sherryanneburns) January 5, 2024
I have to laugh at how everyone always blames Pat for this stuff. You do realize there are judges and producers off camera that make that call and then relay it to Pat through an earpiece. And she wasn’t even close in her pronunciation.
— Mitch (@Mitchie157) January 5, 2024
Everyone that plays the game knows the rule of proper pronunciation, its Pat's job to enforce it. Can't blame the messenger.
— CowboysX5 (@waller46148) January 5, 2024
Earlier, Sajak has posted a reminder via social media to be 'nicer' to contestants who make foolish mistakes on the show and lose out on the prizes. "It always pains me when nice people come on our show to play a game and win some money and maybe fulfill a lifelong dream, and are then subject to online ridicule when they make a mistake or something goes awry," he wrote in a now-deleted tweet, as per Entertainment Weekly. Meanwhile, this is not the first time a contestant guessed the right words but lost after mispronouncing them.
Renee Durette, a Naval intelligence officer from Florida, solved the word puzzle - "Seven Swans a Swimming" but failed to secure any earnings due to her Southern accent. "That's kind of how I speak, you know, being from Florida, and I asked for the 'g' so I knew it was there," Durette told ABC News. In this case, as well, Sajak made her forfeit the $3,850 she had earned.
Enraged fans vented out their frustration on a Reddit forum. "Saw this last night and felt bad for her. And I believe if she had verbally corrected herself immediately, "Seven Swans A-Swimmin... Swimming!" They would have accepted the answer, but since she realized it but didn't say anything, it was not accepted. Even worse, not winning this round cost her a trip to the Bonus Round as she came up just a little short," a viewer complained. "That was absurd. What happens if someone with an accent is on that show? She was fucking robbed," a fan chimed in.
