‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant’s family reaction to him losing $40,000 is heartbreaking to watch
There are times when ‘Wheel of Fortune’ gets its viewers to a point where they feel hype and a warm drop of sweat down the forehead, making things exciting. However, that was not the case with the family of Jeremy Nelson. The Chicago, Illinois resident, who was seen on the March 21 episode, had put many in question, not because of his gameplay but because of the reaction of his family members, who were not too enthusiastic about him. The contestant in question played against Sam Guarino, from Tustin, California, and Jack Kugel, from Jupiter, Florida.
During the initial game, Nelson guessed the first tossup “Strangers on a Train,” a move that earned him $1,000. The fortunate player then earned $2,000 following his guess of the second puzzle, “Fun for the whole family.” Moving forward during the first puzzle, Nelson then guessed “Travel Tips” and landed on a wedge for a Rail Tour. In case he solved the first puzzle, he would get the trip as well as the cash prize. However, after the bar trivia host guessed a letter, it was out of the puzzle, with the move eventually going to Guarino. The lady then guessed the letter “H” but landed on Bankrupt further in the game. After Guarino, it was Kugel’s move that landed on Bankrupt as well. As if the luck was on Nelson’s side that night, he solved “Make a checklist,” earning $7,699 and the rail trip.
Then, in the “Food and Drink” category, Kugel landed on the Express wedge. He guessed the letter “R,” after which the host, Ryan Seacrest, told him that he could keep guessing the letters until he solved the puzzle. However, the catch was, if, at all, he was wrong, he would have a total bankruptcy. In the final round, Nelson successfully guessed the puzzle, which was “Orchestra Conductor,” moving into the Bonus Round with a total of $30,148, as per TV Insider. In the Bonus Round, the host asked Nelson if he had any family members with him on the show, after which he introduced Seacrest to his mom, dad, and sister. To everyone’s intrigue, when Seacrest greeted them, they only gave him a small wave with a “Hi.” “Wish him good luck,” Seacrest asked them. Another awkward moment came when the contestant’s mother said, “Good luck, Jeremy,” but after a brief silence.
“You have to coax them sometimes,” Nelson was heard stating on the show, after which Seacrest quipped, “Are you sure that’s your family?” the Wheel gave Nelson, “R, S, T, L, N, and E,” but he picked “C, M, D, and A.” The puzzle then looked like, “_ _ LM _ _ _TA_E.” Nelson lost the puzzle, which was “Film Footage,” that could have won him an additional $40,000. Seacrest, who stepped into the shoes of Pat Sajak after his departure, is known for his jokes. A similar move was seen on the December 9 episode of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ as per Good Housekeeping, where he subtly revealed his dating status while talking to contestant Sunita Baru. asking the constant about the secret to a successful marriage, Seacrest quipped, "I'll make note if it…ever happens."
