'Wheel of Fortune' viewers point out a detail about Ryan Seacrest ‘they never noticed’ with Pat Sajak

The long-time host of "Wheel of Fortune," Pat Sajak is as iconic a personality as the show he hosted for decades. Sajak who led the show for more than 41 seasons left fans emotional after bidding farewell to the show last year. Thus, when it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would be his successor, it was clear that the former American Idol host had some big shoes to fill. While things are going great for Seacrest, fans have noticed a few differences between Sajak and him.

Ryan Seacrest has been doing a good job leading "Wheel of Fortune," since September 2024. He has helped push the show's ratings to new heights and has gelled in well with veteran co-host Vanna White. However, not everyone is happy with how Seacrest looks on the show. Fans have taken to social media to point out a stark difference between Sajak and him, that is jarring to look at.

Taking to Reddit one fan suggested that Seacrest falls a 'little short' on the show. "He could definitely use some heels in this episode. Literally every single contestant was at least an inch or two taller than he is," the user wrote in the post. 

According to The US Sun, Seacrest stands 5'8" tall while Sajak is 5'10". Thus, the user explained that Pat wasn't a lot taller but the difference never seemed so "stark" before. The opinion divided fellow fans of the show. While some agreed, many suggested that it wasn't a problem. "Haha we noticed that at my house too tonight," @Guccibandanaa commented.

People on the other side thought the haters of Seacrest were just finding excuses to put him down. "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 asserted. 

Thus, the original poster had to explain, "The jury is still out for me on Ryan (actually, he's doing better than I thought he would) but some things just rub me the wrong way." The new host's height isn't the only thing that the die-hard fans of "Wheel of Fortune," dislike about Seacrest. Many have also complained about his hosting style and the harshness to players. 

Seacrest previously came under fire after he denied a contestant a  $2,000 puzzle. In the episode, two contestants failed to guess a puzzle under the 'Food and Drink' category of the triple toss-up round. Thus, the third player Jenn Walker was the only one left to answer. “Take your time, and don’t let it fill out,” Seacrest told her. The player went on to solve the puzzle “Well-Balanced Meal,” correctly.

However, she did not ring the buzzer before answering, so Seacrest had to throw out the $2,000 puzzle. Fans took to social media complaining that it wouldn't have happened if Sajak was leading the show. On the show's forum, one user shared a side-by-side video of Seacrest’s ruling and a similar ruling from Sajak.

In the video, it could be seen that when another player failed to ring before answering, Sajak still accepted the answer and awarded the money. “Alicia didn’t actually ring in. You were the only one left. It’s all fine, all clear. We’re not going to jail or anything," Sajak said at the time.

Thus, viewers in the comments expressed shock that Seacrest ruled more harshly than Sajak, demanding Jenn to be invited back to the show on technicality.