Vanna White reveals her most memorable ‘Wheel of Fortune’ moment — and yes, it involved a music legend
Many celebrities have graced the stage of 'Wheel of Fortune', including Teri Hatcher, Matt Walsh, Rainn Wilson, and Anthony Anderson (just to name a few). But only a few celebrity encounters have made a lasting impression on the host, Vanna White. In an interview with Closer Weekly, White confessed, "I was starstruck by Stevie Wonder. I was sitting in the makeup chair, and he walked into the room. And I just was like, ‘Wow, it’s Stevie Wonder.'"
Surprisingly, White didn't stop there and added more names to the list. "Another one was Mr. Rogers — he was the sweetest, sweetest man. And one more. It was Mickey Mantle," said White. But none of this would have happened if White hadn't landed this job. Though many people know her as the host of 'Wheel of Fortune,' not many know she has also appeared as a contestant on 'The Price Is Right,' competing with the other three contestants, but she didn't win. White also revealed to the outlet that she was doing modelling gigs, but the big break came when she caught the eye of media mogul and producer of 'Wheel of Fortune', Merv Griffin, who landed her on the show as a co-host with Pat Sajak.
However, sometime later, when she asked Griffin why he chose her, White shared with the aforementioned outlet that, “He said, ‘You turned the letters better than anyone else." Even after spending half of her life facing the camera, White also revealed that she isn't that glamorous in real life. “I’m a very natural person with no makeup, flip-flops, and hair in a ponytail,” White said of her off-duty looks. Stating that she might use a little bronze, she added, "Just to give me a little color because I don’t go in the sun."
Remembering American television and film actor Christopher George on his birthday (February 25, 1931 – November 28, 1983). Amongst many film and TV roles he played Sergeant Sam Troy on The Rat Patrol from 1966 to 1968. pic.twitter.com/fgM3NwuFPt
— Killer Cosmonaut (@kitschkong) February 26, 2023
Since childhood, White has always wanted her name to stand out. “My grandmother’s next-door neighbor was named Vanna. My mother named me after her,” she said during the interview. “Growing up, people pronounced my name wrong all the time. Vanya, Vana? No, it’s Vanna. The most important thing for me was having an unusual name.” While White has a charismatic personality, the 68-year-old credited her parents for who she is today. "My parents said, ‘Always be yourself. Don’t ever change.’ So, I think that grounded me."
White, who has been on the show for more than 43 years, once revealed to Parade that being on TV was her childhood dream. She told the outlet, "When I was in the third grade, I had my appendix taken out, and I was at home watching this show called 'The Rat Patrol.' My mother was in the kitchen cooking. She turned around and said, 'That's your uncle on TV.' I said, 'What? I have an uncle on TV? I want to be on TV!' So, it started in the third grade. It worked out." Even after decades, the 'Wheel of Fortune' star is showing no signs of slowing down. According to ABC 7, White has recently extended her contract with the ABC network for an additional two years, finally ending it in 2026.
