Alex Carson
You’ve seen him spin the wheel for over four decades, but how well do you know Pat Sajak? The charming host of Wheel of Fortune may seem like a friendly and professional guy, but he’s hiding a dark secret that will shock you.
Pat Sajak has a long history of being rude, mocking, and belittling to contestants on his popular game show. He’s not afraid to “dunk on” anyone who makes a mistake or gives a wrong answer.
In this video, we’ll reveal some of the most outrageous examples of Pat Sajak’s mean streak and how he’s gotten away with it for so long.
Pat Sajak was born in Chicago in 1941 and started his career as a weatherman before landing the gig of hosting Wheel of Fortune in 1981. He quickly became one of America’s favorite game show hosts, winning three Emmy Awards and earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He’s also a producer, actor, helicopter pilot, and lifelong Republican. But behind his smile and charisma lies a sarcastic and snarky personality that often comes out when dealing with contestants.
Most people probably think that Pat Sajak is a nice guy who wants everyone to win big prizes and have fun. But if you watch closely, you’ll notice that he sometimes makes fun of contestants’ answers, intelligence, or appearance. He also likes to tease them about their personal lives or hobbies.
Sometimes he does it subtly, with a raised eyebrow or a smirk. Other times he does it openly, with a witty remark or a cutting jab. Either way, he doesn’t seem to care about hurting anyone’s feelings or making them feel uncomfortable.
If you don’t believe us, just keep watching. We’ve compiled some of the most shocking instances of Pat Sajak’s rudeness on Wheel of Fortune. You won’t believe what he said to these poor contestants!
Facts Verse Presents: Pat Sajak Finally Confirmed What We’ve All Been Thinking
Mood Killer
One of the most cringeworthy moments of Pat Sajak’s rudeness happened on Wednesday, February 15, 2023’s episode of Wheel of Fortune, during the Sweetheart’s Special week.
Mark and Debi, a married couple of 42 years, had just won the game and were about to spin the bonus round wheel when they decided to celebrate their victory with a quick kiss on the lips. The audience seemed to be enthralled by the touching moment, but Pat was clearly not amused. He interrupted their romantic moment with a snarky remark that made everyone uncomfortable.
“I have a personal question to ask you…” he began, then noticed their smooch.”As soon as you’re through,” he added awkwardly. He then proceeded to ask them about Debi’s mom, Dorothy, as if nothing had happened. The couple tried to laugh it off, but it was clear that Pat had killed the vibe.
Impatient Pat
Another time that Pat Sajak showed his rudeness was on Monday, February 20, 2023, when he may have pressured one contestant into rushing a critical decision, costing her the game. The contestant, named Kelly, had just solved a puzzle and was about to choose a prize from the Express Wedge. This wedge allows contestants to keep calling letters and adding money to their total until they either solve the puzzle or hit a Bankrupt.
Pat explained the rules to Kelly and asked her if she wanted to hop on board the Express. Kelly hesitated for a moment, then said yes. Pat then asked her to pick a letter. Kelly said “N”, but there was no N in the puzzle. Pat immediately declared her Bankrupt and took away all of her money.
Kelly looked stunned and disappointed by her loss. She had over $10,000 in cash and prizes before she chose the Express Wedge. Some fans wondered if Pat had influenced her decision by asking her quickly and not giving her enough time to think.
One fan tweeted: “Pat Sajak is so rude! He pressured that poor girl into taking the express wedge and then she lost everything!” Another fan wrote: “Kelly should have said no to the express wedge. Pat Sajak was too pushy with her.” A third fan commented: “I feel bad for Kelly. She was doing so well until Pat Sajak rushed her into a bad choice.”
Pat Sajak may not have intended to pressure Kelly, but he certainly did not show any sympathy or compassion for her after she lost. He did not apologize or console her, but simply moved on to the next contestant.
Lack Of Empathy
If you thought that was bad, wait until you hear this! Pat Sajak was rude to Upland, California improv teacher Scott Ingwersen on the March 9, 2022 taping of Wheel, when he dismissed the contestant’s heartfelt personal story as “pointless”.
Scott had an interesting anecdote about losing part of his toe in a bike accident when he was 12. Seeing his appearance on the program as an opportunity to express gratitude, he wanted to take a moment to personally thank the paramedics who helped him and reattached his toe.
Pat seemed uninterested in Scott’s story from the start. He asked him why he was telling it and interrupted him several times. When Scott finished his story, Pat said: “That may have been the most pointless story ever told. And you told it, Scott. Congratulations to you”. He then moved on to the next contestant without any sympathy or appreciation.
Fans were outraged by Pat’s rudeness and called him out on social media. They said he was “cold-blooded”, “awkward”, “uncomfortable” and “insensitive”. They also defended Scott and praised his story as interesting and meaningful. Fans additionally insisted Pat should apologize to Scott and learn to be more respectful to contestants.
“Making Up Rules”
Pat Sajak accused a contestant of making up her own rules on January 17, 2023, when he scolded her in a wildly unprofessional manner. The contestant, named Carmen, rang in and solved the puzzle for the category “fun and games” with the answer “soccer tournament” before Pat had the chance to call on her.
Pat looked annoyed and said: “I think it’s nice when contestants make up their own rules.” He then waved his hand dismissively while looking like he was totally ‘over it’. The longtime game show hot then raise his eyebrows for a prolonged dramatic pause with the crowd in utter silence.
He then asked for the show’s announcer to ‘take it away’, thus invalidating her win. Host Jim Thorton ended up siding with Pat by saying, “Just rolling with it too, Pat” via voiceover.
Carmen ended up failing to make it to the bonus round later in the episode, but she did seem to be genuinely shocked and ever-so-pleased with herself when her score was displayed onscreen. At that point, Pat slipped in one more rude jab by saying “You’re very dramatic, Carmen”.
Seriously Pat, you didn’t need to be a jerk about it. A simple, “hold your horses” and “congratulations” would have sufficed.
Rubbing It In
It seems like at this point, Pat can get away with saying just about anything – regardless of how belittling, condescending, and cruel he might sound.
In yet another brazen display of calloused disrespect, Pat Sajak was rude to a contestant named Octavia Martin on Friday, February 9th 2023. Octavia had won over $20,000 in regular gameplay and had a chance to solve the final puzzle, which was “Autographed Copy”. However, she failed to guess the correct answer in time.
To add insult to injury, Pat Sajak reacted to her misfortune by telling her, “I thought you might be able to come up with ‘autograph’…Wasn’t gonna happen, was it?”. As if that wasn’t insulting enough, he then proceeded to rub salt in her wounds by revealing that she could have won a coveted $40,000 cash prize.
Way to go Pat! Do you kick puppies too?
Mean Spirited
Wheel of Fortune is supposed to be a fun and friendly game, but more often than he ever should, Pat Sajak can be a bit too sarcastic and snarky for his own good.
That’s what happened on Monday, February 22rd 2021, when Sajak made fun of a contestant’s speech impediment during the player introductions. The contestant, Chris Brimble, had a lisp and spoke with difficulty. He told Sajak that he was a tech salesman who helped older adults with technology. Sajak seemed to appreciate his job, but then he mocked him by saying “I thee” instead of “I see”.
The joke was not well received by many viewers who took to Twitter to express their anger and disappointment at Sajak’s insensitive remark. Some called him rude, cold-blooded, and mean-spirited. Others demanded an apology from him to Brimble. Some even compared him unfavorably to the late Alex Trebek, who was known for his kindness and respect towards contestants.
Sajak did not address the controversy or apologize for his comment. Fortunately, the contestant he mocked seemed to take the distressing situation in stride. Brimble did not seem to be bothered by Sajak’s mockery and continued to play the game with a smile. He ended up winning $12,250 in prize money but missed out on the bonus puzzle and a chance to win $40,000 more.
Ungrateful
Pat Sajak accused a contestant of being ungrateful on Wednesday, November 25th 2020. The contestant, Darin McBain, had solved a puzzle with things that begin with the word “kitchen”. He correctly guessed “cabinet, towels, oven, sink”. However, he questioned one of the answers by saying “kitchen oven?” and wondering who calls it that.
Sajak did not appreciate his remark and said “Don’t! You won! Don’t argue, Darin! … You got the puzzle. Ungrateful players! I’ve had it!” He then jokingly added “I finally snapped” and laughed it off.
Many fans were somewhat amused by Sajak’s outburst and praised him for his humor. On the other hand, some agreed with McBain that “kitchen oven” was a weird phrase. Sajak later apologized to McBain for his teasing and said he was just kidding. McBain went on to win $15,350 in prize money but lost in the bonus round.
With that, we’ll go ahead and wrap things up. In the comments, let us know what you think of Pat Sajak? Is he really as rude as everyone says, or do you think that the internet has simply taken his cynical sense of humor too seriously?
