Pat Sajak, the 76-year-old host of the popular TV game show Wheel of Fortune, surprised viewers in a bizarre moment with a contestant during Tuesday’s episode (21 March).
The episode’s star player, Fred, who is a professional wrestler, revealed his talents and that he likes wrestling “for the fun.”
It was a successful night for Fred as he won numerous rounds, with Sajak jokingly calling him a “brute” for doing so well.
Fred’s clean sweep meant he was able to progress to the final round with $5,700 in the bank.
In keeping with his promise to the two other guests, Sajak grabs and tries to tackle Fred in a hilarious moment that had the audience applauding. Before being humorously tackled, Fred flexed his biceps happily after guessing the final phrase “His mind is wandering” and took home an extra $40,000, bringing his total earnings to $75,800.
“Why didn’t he body slam Pat?” one fan quipped in the comments. While another viewer shared: “That was a good one!! The end was so funny.”
Wheel of Fortune has announced that it will host a WWE week from 27th-31st March.
It was business as usual for Sajak, who has hosted the show since 1981, until things took an unexpected turn when he decided to get physical with Fred. Sajak’s remark “Just because he’s a professional wrestler… You want me to body slam him for you? I can do that.” was just a joke, but he followed through with it later in the show.
Fred shared that he gets paid “very little” to take part in wrestling, and it is merely a hobby for him.
However, his father, who joined him onstage shortly after his final winning moment, did not seem to appreciate Sajak’s physicality, standing by as his son was tackled from behind.
The Wheel of Fortune host has been a beloved figure in American television for decades. Sajak, who was born in Chicago, has won three Emmy awards and a People’s Choice Award during his career. In addition to hosting Wheel of Fortune, Sajak has appeared in various television shows and movies, including Airplane II: The Sequel and The King of Queens.
Sajak’s on-air personality is one of the reasons for his immense popularity. He is known for his wit and sarcasm and is often seen teasing contestants and making jokes during the show. The host is a master at keeping the contestants and the audience engaged throughout the game show.
Although Sajak’s physical interaction with Fred during the game show may have come as a surprise to viewers, it was all in good fun. Sajak’s hosting style and humor are part of the charm that has kept Wheel of Fortune going for over four decades.
