ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

Pat Sajak’s real height leaves fans wondering why he always looked much shorter next to Vanna White

While fans have debated the topic a lot, Sajak addressed the issue long before his retirement.
PUBLISHED MAR 3, 2025
Screenshot showing Sajak on The Wheel Of Fortune (Cover image source: YouTube/The Wheel Of Fortune)
Screenshot showing Sajak on The Wheel Of Fortune (Cover image source: YouTube/The Wheel Of Fortune)

Pat Sajak will always be remembered by "Wheel of Fortune" fans as a friendly host who engaged in banter with fans. He has been replaced by Ryan Seacrest, who was recently called too short for the role by viewers loyal to Sajak. But it's not like Sajak himself didn't face the issue. It went so far that the host had to talk about his height as he clarified why he looked short on screen.

Screenshot showing Pat Sajak making the savage comment (Image soure: YouTube/The Wheel Of Fortune)
Screenshot showing Pat Sajak making the savage comment (Image soure: YouTube/The Wheel Of Fortune)

The Daytime Emmy-winning host stands about 5 feet 10 inches tall, which puts him just above the national average for men in the United States. However, looking at him on the show, Sajak seems to be shoulder-to-shoulder with most contestants and his co-host Vanna White. According to reports, White is 5 feet 6 inches tall, but she regularly wears heels on the show, which is one of the reasons why Sajak appears smaller while standing next to her. Furthermore, a production oversight in the initial years of the show added to the height discrepancy.

Screenshot showing Vanna White and Pat Sajak hugging on stage (
Screenshot showing Vanna White and Pat Sajak hugging on stage (Image source: YouTube/The Wheel Of Fortune)

According to ScreenRant, back then, producers made the shorter contestants stand on boxes to help them get a better view of the podium and spin the wheel freely. As a result, the contestants who may have been shorter than Sajak, towered over the host when he came over to speak to them. The very same comments were made by Sajak in a 2015 interview with WLKY.  “When the show first started, we would put shorter players on boxes, but [the] problem is, I would walk next to a great-grandmother on the show, and I would walk next to her, and people thought I was a jockey," Sajak told the publication. 



 

“So now we are on risers, and when they go up, I go up, and we stay about the same size. But it got engrained in people that I was about 4 feet 3," Sajak further added. Nevertheless, Sajak no longer has to deal with the issue as his hosting days are behind him. Now, Ryan Seacrest has come under the scanner for the same reason.



 

IMDB reports that Seacrest is about 5 feet 8 inches tall, which makes him a tad bit shorter than Sajak. While it has nothing to do with his hosting skills, a bunch of viewers have pointed it out as a problem on social media. In a post shared on the show's unofficial Reddit forum, some fans shamed him for being short after his debut. “I know Ryan is not a giant but come on… He could definitely use some heels in this episode. Literally every single contestant was at least an inch or two taller than he is," @Upstate_Gooner_1972 complained.

At the same time, there were viewers who came forward to defend Seacrest. "Let's not body shame. He's personable, nice to contestants, and keeps the show moving at a good pace. If you don't like him, watch something else. 🙄," wrote @cancer_beater.

"People find the weirdest reasons to hate on Ryan….I guess that means he’s doing a good job if this is the complaint you have," @Salty-Director-7560 added.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The entrepreneur was called a clever negotiator by all sharks although most of them dropped out.
46 minutes ago
The guest was in tears after learning that her family's prized possession was worth over $100,000.
2 hours ago
The guest got incredibly lucky to find a Benny Andrews painting while looking at junk.
4 hours ago
The guest was shocked to learn that someone would pay $20,000 for Queen Victoria's undergarments.
1 day ago
The guest's family heirloom turned out to be exactly as valuable as he thought.
1 day ago
The guest who assumed it was an ancient Chinese artifact said it felt like 'a stab to the heart'
1 day ago
While all the sharks burned calories, most were unwilling to burn their money.
2 days ago
In an interview with CNET's Patrick Colin, Harrison showed off his vintage tech items.
2 days ago
The item, which didn't seem too useful as a cup, turned out to be a significant piece of history.
2 days ago
The player had everyone on the edge of their seats as time was running out.
2 days ago
The member complained that the store had half-eaten boxes of food on the shelves for customers.
3 days ago
The owner of Michael Jordan's three rookie cards from 1986 to 1987, who got them for $12, was hoping to get $1,000 for the set.
3 days ago
The ring with a rare Kashmir Sapphire turned out to be worth a lot more than the guest anticipated.
3 days ago
The host once again got candid to open up about one of his greatest fears.
3 days ago
The guest's $1,500 investment went up by nearly 10 times in value.
4 days ago
The expert appraised all designs based on which celebrity wore them and when.
4 days ago
After winning a new home gym, the contestant went all out with his celebration.
5 days ago
When Harrison came across the 'uber cool' Hollywood prop, he knew he had to buy it.
5 days ago
Seacrest kept teasing the player and the fans about finally crowining a million dollar winner.
5 days ago
While the seller came in with a huge asking price, there was one big problem with the collection.
5 days ago