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 almost touched a 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant's face making her visibly uncomfortable

He got too close to the contestant but she played along while the audience laughed awkwardly.
PUBLISHED FEB 8, 2025
Screenshot showing Pat Sajak and the contestant (Image source: YouTube/ABC/The US Sun)
Screenshot showing Pat Sajak and the contestant (Image source: YouTube/ABC/The US Sun)

In the more than 40 years that Pat Sajak led "Wheel of Fortune," he was known to be a friendly, fun, and respectful host. But since he was around for a long time, Sajak also had his fair share of controversial moments. One such incident was witnessed back in 2023 when Sajak took a joke too far and overstepped into a contestant's personal space.



 

The unfortunate contestant was Jen, a resident of Florida who appeared on the show. As usual, Sajak was introducing the players when Jen revealed that she is a proud aunt with seven God-children and is happily married. However, the host was more interested in one particular detail that Jen mentioned in her application for the show. “Let’s talk about your eyelash," he said to the player in the middle of her intro.

Screenshot showing Jen on Wheel Of Fortune  (Image soure: The US Sun)
Screenshot showing Jen on Wheel Of Fortune (Image source: The US Sun)

Jen responded by saying, “So I don’t know why this is occurring, but I have a recurring grey eyelash that has followed me throughout my life. And I just think I’m gonna name it and keep it forever.”

While it was just a strange but minor thing to share, Sajak nearly made a big deal out of it. “It’s a grey eyelash?” he asked, and after Jen confirmed, he went up to Jen at the podium and extended his hand towards the player's face. With his hands just inches away from her eyes, Sajak asked “Is it there? Wait a minute hold on." He then made a plucking motion suggesting that he had just solved the grey eyelash problem for the contestant. 

Screenshot showing Sajak pretending to pluck the eyelash  (Image soure: The US Sun)
Screenshot showing Sajak pretending to pluck the eyelash (Image soure: The US Sun)

While the crowd nervously laughed at the host's joke, Jen said, “Thanks so much.” Pat wasn't done with his act as he responded with “Feeling better?" Jen too played along saying, it was a “little painful,” but she felt A-okay. You can watch the video here.

It tuned out to be the only 'hairy moment' for Jen in the show as she went on to dominate all the rounds to beat fellow contestants Ani and Scot, according to The US Sun. Going into the Bonus Round, Jen had collected more than $13,000 in prize money. Unfortunately, the final puzzle of the show turned out to be too tough for her to solve and she lost out on an extra $50,000. This wasn't the first time that Sajak faced backlash over his treatment of contestants. While Jen's encounter with the host seemed awkward, in one instance, Sajak was called out for being outright rude.

In the episode, a contestant named Angela was excited after solving a puzzle and overwhelmed as she had won over $11,000. However, when Sajak went up to her at the podium, he didn't seem to share the same excitement. 



 

As seen in the YouTube clip Sajak appeared a little annoyed at Angela's loud celebrations. Eventually, before moving on to the next player, Sajak abruptly yelled, "Shut Up" looking at the player. While he brushed it off as a joke by laughing, viewers took offense.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) fans complained that Sajak was out of line. "I don't watch @WheelofFortune very often but Pat Sajak didn't seem very happy this nice woman just won. She was excited and he told her to shut up????" @reidrosenthal1 wrote.



 

However, many genuinely believed that Sajak was only joking and he didn't really mean to offend anyone.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The contestant kept trying to reassure Harvey as he tried to collect his thoughts.
10 hours ago
She became the fourth player in the show's history to win so much in the Bonus Round.
15 hours ago
The guest who had absolutely no idea about her family heirloom's origins, couldn't control her emotions.
16 hours ago
The game host couldn't believe his ears when the young participant exhibited her unintelligent side with Easter around the corner.
1 day ago
Even the games are designed for twins to play as a team in line with the theme of the episode.
1 day ago
Harvey was hoping some racy answers weren't on the board but was also disappointed.
1 day ago
White said that she has an active lifestyle and wants to continue working on the show.
1 day ago
The guest was shocked to find out that the previous appraisal of the items was off by a long shot.
1 day ago
The host did it effortlessly even though he had suffered an injury and wasn't at his best.
2 days ago
The expert also told the guest to get the ring insured for an amount twice that of her appraisal.
2 days ago
The host played along with the moves and fans also enjoyed the bizarre celebration.
2 days ago
Harvey couldn't distinguish the participant's answer because of her heavy Italian accent and ended up being embarrassed.
2 days ago
Even old fans of the show were gobsmacked by what goes on behind the scenes on the show.
3 days ago
Harvey ended things on a lighter note despite seeming frustrated at a point on the show.
3 days ago
The sample was actually apple cider vinegar which is healthy but tastes terrible.
3 days ago
The painting was later put on display at a museum in Delaware owing to its significance.
3 days ago
Isabella, who wore a t-shirt that read, "It's My 16th Birthday" was joined by her mother on the set.
3 days ago
Fans also praised Seacrest for his quick wit and charm, calling him a warm and kind host.
3 days ago
Sahil Patel, Co-Founder/CEO of BollyX demonstrated a fun workout session with groovy dance moves combined with cardio exercise.
3 days ago
Carey proved that the show is more than just about winning prizes and celebrating cars or trips.
4 days ago