Alex Carson
Are you perfect? No, of course not. No one is.
We all have our breaking point. There’s only so much any of us can put up with before we lose our cool. Wheel of Fortune’s Pat Sajak is no different, and to be honest, we applaud him for hosting the show for so many years without snapping on some kind of smart-alack, wise-mouthed contestant. I think some of us wouldn’t fair very well in his position.
Patience can only be stretched so thin, and Mr. Sajak’s seemed to reach that inevitable snapping point back on November 25th when contestant Darin McBain challenged the celebrated host on one of the puzzle answers.
GASP! How dare he? Didn’t he know who he was talking to? That’s Pat Flippin’ Sajak! He’s been hosting Wheel for almost 40 years now. He’s practically game show royalty!
So, you might be wondering what exactly he said that set Sajak off. Well, Darin, whose mother was actually a three-day champion on the show back in the early 80s, was presented with a puzzle where he had to guess phrases that started with the word “kitchen”. Even though he correctly answered “cabinet”, “towels”, “sink”, and “oven”, he protested the last phrase.
“Kitchen oven? What was that? Who calls it a kitchen oven.” Darin snarked.
Did he just? Oh no he didn’t! Oh yes he did.
Pat’s comeback was priceless. Although he retorted with a chuckle, you could tell that Darin actually got underneath his skin.
“Don’t! You Won! Don’t argue, Darin! You got the puzzle! Ungrateful players. I’ve had it!” Sajak yelled.
At the end of the game, he did apologize for raising his voice, but the damage was already done. Sajak later admitted that he wasn’t just joking. After 39 years he had apparently ‘finally snapped’. And some viewers watching at home thought that Pat had actually come close to losing it on the contestant while others saw the tiff as more of a playful exchange.
“Pat was trying to be funny! He didn’t mean to sound condescending.” one regular Wheel watcher Tweeted. Others pointed out that it’s not uncommon for Pat to joke around with contestants.
Sajak did, however, get the chance to have the last word. He saved perhaps his best line for the end. “I don’t remember your mother giving us trouble like you did.”
And just like that order was restored to the world – well, that is until Wheel of Fortune fans expressed their growing concern for Sajak’s stability on social media. But are his detractors justified in their criticism or are they being a tad bit too sensitive? Obviously, that’s not a question that is easily answered, but what we can do is see if there are any more warning signs that Pat’s displayed in recent times by weighing that against who he is when he isn’t carrying out his host duties.
Hopefully, after watching this video you’ll have a fuller idea of who the real Pat Sajak is and what hosting a game show is really like. Pardon the pun, but it’s not all fun and games.
Sajak Might Be Running Out Of Steam
Very few people really love their jobs. To a lot of people, their work is just a means to an end. Pat’s been with Wheel of Fortune for literally decades now, and while it seems like for the most part he’s been fairly happy with his position as host, you can’t really judge the guy for wearing thin every now and then. After all, are you always on your A-game?
After the Darin incident, concerned fans pointed out that Sajak got a little testy once again with a contestant named Greg. Pat was caught giving him a rather sassy displeased look on one episode and then on another recent episode, Pat lost his cool when an impatient contestant named Sheryl tried to take her next spin while Pat was still promoting Dick’s Sporting Goods.
“Never interrupt me” Pat quipped with ire in his eyes “Never, never interrupt a plug.”
Sheryl certainly seemed embarrassed and was entirely apologetic for her hasty move. Pat seemed to take a step back with a little remorse for his cold response and added with a smile “You can do anything else but just don’t interrupt me. I’m sorry, what did you want to do?”.
Some Wheel fans have taken these most recent outbursts as a sign that something might be bothering Sajak. Others have even speculated that he might be suffering from some kind of physical or psychological ailment. Still yet, some viewers have condemned his behavior while urging him to be kinder to his contestants.
Those that have come to Pat’s side in defense have pointed out that his job isn’t one for the faint of heart. Folks these days can be loud and rude and it’s admirable that Pat can moderate those situations wittily while keeping the show lighthearted, interesting, and humorous. Like we already mentioned, it certainly can’t be an easy job. There is so much going on to keep track of.
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And you’re going to want to stick around for the rest of the video. We’re about to see what the real Pat Sajak is like when the cameras aren’t rolling. Spoiler alert: Pat’s actually a pretty nice guy, but you can judge that for yourself.
Pat’s Much More Observant While On The Show
When hosting a game show, there are a lot of responsibilities that the host must take on that the average viewer might not be fully aware of. Not only does Pat have to read his contestant’s body language and verbal responses. But he also has to judge how they might react to certain situations while gauging what they might be thinking. All the while he is committed to running the show while being its face at the same time. He’s not simply reading off a teleprompter and putting on a smile. Hosting a game show is so much more involved than that.
There are times when he has to guide the contestants along while making small talk to make the show flow smoother. He constantly has to keep his eyes on the contestants to make sure that the flow continues as it should while making sure that everyone is pacified and content.
There are obviously times that Sajak can be a little short with some of the contestants and sometimes he is perfectly justified in his flabbergasted response to their baffling comments. But it’s pretty clear that he is doing his best to keep things moving as smoothly as possible to the best of his ability.
While he isn’t hosting Wheel, Sajak is still a very attentive person but he’s grateful that he doesn’t have to be quite as hawk-eyed when he’s not at work. He’s got to feel relieved when the cameras stop rolling and he can focus on things other than his contestants. Consider this, Sajak has literally spent years of his life on the Wheel of Fortune sound stage at this point. That’s a long time to have to focus on the needs and subtle non-verbal cues of others. That’s got to be tiring.
Off Set He’s a Much Looser Person
Sajak was a DJ for the Army back in Vietnam and in a similar manner as Robin Williams, he entertained the troops with his signature brand of humor. There was one time that he accidentally cut off an address by then-president Richard Nixon directed towards the troops and had to ride it out – which he successfully did relying heavily on his wit and charm.
Sajak has also been buddies with fellow hostess Vanna White since she joined the crew back in 1982. He’s been seen clowning around with her on set and has even been known to enjoy a drink or two with her before the show on occasion. Granted they can’t drink too much. They got to keep their wits about them if they want to keep up. Sajak may run a tight ship on the show but he also likes having fun and it sure seems like he’s been able to find the right balance between work and play.
Sajak’s Playful Rivalry With Other Game Show Hosts
Sajak and Jeopardy’s Alex Trebek – rest in peace – had a lighthearted rivalry going for quite some time. In fact both hosts even swapped roles and fronted each others shows on one occasion. But off screen they weren’t exactly what you might consider friends.
Sajak admitted that they share very little in common. They are just two different in terms of personality types and worldview but regardless of that fact they’ve kept their rivalry respectful over the years and it’s always been fun to watch. You might think that both game shows have very little in common but at the end of the day Sajak and Trebek both hosted shows where people won cash prizes and required them to constantly read their contestants while keeping the ball rolling.
Whatever people might think about Pat Sajak, he’s essentially the same person off screen as he is when he’s on. Sure he’s pretty grateful to hank up his host jacket and unwind at the end of the day, but it’s not like he transforms into a completely different person the second the cameras stop rolling and the lights turn off. After hosting the popular game show for so many years, there is very little that Sajak is capable of hiding from his viewers – in many ways, he’s the kind of person where what you see is what you get.
So before the world continues to jump all over him for occasionally losing his patience, consider the fact that he is human just as you and I are. He still bleeds red just like everyone else. Of course, he’s not always going to maintain the same exact level of self-restraint. He’s never claimed to be some kind of saint. There are going to be those times – and those contestants – that put his composure to the test.
So yeah, is it a little uncomfortable when he and some smart-alack contestant butt heads? Absolutely. But how would you react when you’ve been doing your job for almost 40 years and someone comes at you and questions your authority? Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but we think that Pat is perfectly justified whenever he feels a little irked on his own show.
What about you though? Do you think that Sajak’s little outburst with Darin was uncalled for or do you think he handled himself nicely considering the situation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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