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 He has been replaced by Ryan Seacrest, who was recently called too short for the role by viewers loyal to Sajak.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
According to the expert, personal letters and a signature from Tolkien himself added to the value of the book.
8 hours ago
Chistina and Katie Currie won over $88,000 in cash and two exotic vacations with their stunning performance.
9 hours ago
After everyone backed out, the billionaire Shark stepped up to help the founder of Diaper Dust.
1 day ago
Sun kept repeating the incorrect phrase but couldn't identify the error in time.
1 day ago
After almost closing a deal with Mr Wonderful, the founder of 'Simply Good Jars' pivoted hard.
1 day ago
The host thought it was the "worst possible answer" to give even as the team felt it was good enough.
2 days ago
Adding to the controversy, the owner of Dr. Mudd's lapdesk asked Harrison for $100,000.
2 days ago
With just milliseconds to spare, Sarah LaPilusa pulled off an incredible Bonus Round win.
2 days ago
Ozark Trail 64 oz Water Bottles were recalled after the lids of faulty bottles forcefully ejected.
3 days ago
The player laughed and giggled her way through the puzzles to win prizes worth over $57,000.
3 days ago
Scott Riccardi placed an unbelievable wager during Final Jeopardy! to win a massive amount in a day!
3 days ago
The guest got a 200% return on investment on her sculpture that she bought from Macy's.
3 days ago
Jennings had a record-setting winning streak as a contestant before he became the host.
4 days ago
The player, Ron Wheeler, tragically got no clues after his letter picks for the final puzzle.
4 days ago
The former kids champion, Skyler Hornback knew what was coming.
4 days ago
The fans took issue with the clue being too tough and unnecessary for the contestants.
5 days ago
Cuban wanted to strike a deal with the founder of Coconut Girl and gave her an ultimatum.
5 days ago
Although the word did make a lot of difference, some fans felt that the decision was ridiculous.
5 days ago
The guest, who found the item online, didn't think it was the real deal until he heard its value.
6 days ago
The player Samantha secured the first big win of Ryan Seacrest's run on the show.
6 days ago