'Wheel of Fortune' contestants lose out on $75,000 prize just after Ryan Seacrest teased them
"Wheel of Fortune" host Ryan Seacrest has been blamed for losses of contestants on multiple occasions, but that doesn't stop him from getting involved in their games. During a special episode of the "Girlfriend Getaways" week, he decided to get chatty as best friends Kelli Mullen and Emma Paulson competed to win big. In the Bonus Round, the pair tried to be mindful, whispering their strategy to pick letters. However, Seacrest overheard them and teased them before they took on the puzzle. The fun ended shortly after on a tragic note as they couldn't solve the final puzzle worth $75,000.
The best friends of 23 years who met in sixth grade while taking figure skating lessons had a rough start to the game. However, they made a steady comeback through the rounds and ended up winning in the Express Round after bagging an exotic trip to Barbados worth $9,680, as per Andy Nguyen's blog. In the end, Mullen and Paulson emerged as the big winners of the show with a total of $19,530 in cash and the trip.
Advancing to the Bonus Round, the pair selected the tricky “What Are You Doing?” category for their final puzzle. They joined Seacrest at the wheel, and after picking out their Golden Envelope, they were faced with a long two-word puzzle. With the show's standard letters, “R, S, T, L, N, and E,” on the board, Mullen and Paulson deliberated on their letter picks. As they whispered and debated their choices, Seacrest overheard them and said, "I can hear you whispering there".
The two players then finalised on the additional letters, "C, D, F, and A", and with everything filled in, their puzzle read, “A_ _L_ _N_ _ _SELF.”
After wishing them good luck, Seacrest kicked off the ten-second timer. Unfortunately, it seemed like none of the contestants had an answer to share. As the time ran out, Seacrest said, “You needed a little bit more up there,” before revealing the answer, "Applying Myself." To add to their misery, the host went on to flip the prize envelope, which had $75,000 in it. Nevertheless, the best friends still had a lot to cheer about as they took home nearly $20,000 and the exotic trip to Barbados.
While the Bonus Round yielded an unfortunate loss, fans, too, had something to talk about in the comments section of the show's YouTube clip. "That was painful, but not the worst painful missing out on 75k 'P's' would've done it," suggested another fan, @jacobwilson6192. "I like how Ryan says, 'I can hear you.' When they’re whispering lol," wrote a viewer, @gabeandfriends3128. Meanwhile, at a time when Seacrest's approval ratings as the host are arguably at an all-time high, he is set to make his "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" debut in September, much to everyone's delight.
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