It’s time to say goodbye to Pat Sajak
Pat Sajak's final episode of Wheel Of Fortune airs on Friday, June 7
Aux News Pat Sajak
Pat Sajak’s time on Wheel Of Fortune is finally coming to an end. On Friday, the iconic game show host will officially step down after serving as the face of the show for more than 40 years. (You can check when your local station is airing the episode here.) While his longtime partner in crime Vanna White is sticking around for the Ryan Seacrest era, Emmy winner Sajak is moving on to greener pastures. Ahead of his final bow, Variety has a preview of his last goodbye.
“Well, the time has come to say goodbye. I have a few thanks and acknowledgments before I go. And I want to start with all of you watching out there,” Sajak says. “It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes, night after night, year after year, decade after decade. And I always felt that the privilege came with the responsibility to keep this daily half-hour a safe place for family fun. No social issues. No politics. Nothing embarrassing, I hope. Just a game. But gradually it became more than that. A place where kids learned their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills. Where families came together along with friends and neighbors and entire generations. What an honor to have played even a small part of that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”
Sajak certainly did leave politics out of Wheel. Off of the television set, he posted about climate change denialism, conservative issues, and posed for pictures with Marjorie Taylor Greene. But on screen, he projected warmth and charm, affably mingling with Americans from all walks of life and bringing the same energy and humor to Wheel Of Fortune tapings for decades. There are few television personalities left like him, and that includes the ability to separate his personal views from his television persona. (YMMV whether that’s a good or bad quality to have.)
Sajak’s next gig is a staging of the Columbo mystery Prescription: Murder at the Hawaii Theater with his friend Joe Moore, KHON-TV Hawai’i newscaster, per Variety. The duo have performed there together several times in the past as a means of fundraising for the non-profit theater. And as far as follow-up jobs go, performing a play in Hawai’i with your buddy sounds like a pretty good one.
Speaking with that local news network last year, Sajak said he had “mixed emotions” about leaving Wheel and that he’s “realistic enough to know the people aren’t gonna be banging my door down.” However, in conversation with his daughter Maggie Sajak for the show he said that he’s “looking forward to whatever’s ahead,” and that he’ll be “perfectly happy if it just means that I’ll continue with my crossword puzzles and play with grandchildren. Hint hint hint. No pressure.”
64 Comments
Good for Pat Sajak, but Vanna White is my hero. The show tapes six episodes each on Thursday and Friday, every other week. That’s about 30 hours of work per month, with 25 days off.Her job requires no skills, no training, no effort and no stress. She gets paid 3 million dollars a year. She is the luckiest woman alive and has truly stuck it to The Man.
Sweet gig. With that schedule I’d still look good in a dress at 67 years old too.
I’m sure you look perfectly lovely.
All that AND she has a Weird Al song about her.
One huge facet of the job you didn’t mention that requires a lot of work and discipline is keeping herself looking that good at her age. She doesn’t look like that from walking back and forth on stage lighting up panels for 5 days a month. But I agree, she’s got a sweet gig.
That’s a good point. No doubt she works hard and deserves credit. That said, I think Americans overestimate how difficult it is to stay fit.Of course, socioeconomic conditions can make access to healthy food difficult for some, but staying fit at any age only requires you eat reasonably well and engage in regular, moderate exercise.Most of us are eating far more calories than we’d estimate and getting far much less exercise than we claim.VW’s salary and schedule certainly make it easier, but most of could stay in shape if only we made it a priority.
That’s a good point. No doubt she works hard and deserves credit. That said, I think Americans overestimate how difficult it is to stay fit.Given how few of us do, I think we are well aware that it takes much more effort than we’re willing to spend, even if it is obviously not impossible.
I think you vastly underestimate how hard it is to stay physically fit in your late 60s.
What was her job interview like?
Was Merv Griffin like, “Do you know the alphabet? If something were glowing, could you tell? Good. You start Monday.”
I don’t know how she pulled it off, it’s quite amazing really. I mean, I have to imagine the plan with the producers was to rotate new models after a few years to do the whole gig like they do with the models on The Price Is Right, but somehow she just became so popular she’s a staple of the show.
She has A GIANT FUCKING HEAD.Seriously, that’s her qualification. You can see it from space.
Was the “offscreen he was an evil Republican” aside necessary?
Yes! Here at AV Club we keep all of our celebrities in very specific baskets, with very specific labels, so we know how to feel about any of them at any one time.
Yes, we should be informed if someone we’re reading about is abhorrent and odious.
Yes.
Yes, and he replaced another evil Republican-to-MAGA wingnut in the “Wheel” job: Chuck Woolery.
Get a haircut ‘n get a “Wheel” job!
Can’t believe that books about Hitler’s art career mention the war and genocide. Can’t they just stick to the paintings?
Sajak truly is Hitler.
Yes. It is luke knowing what causes a company support
Yes.
As if a radical left website like this could leave that bit out. lol
You’re asking if one part of something wholly unnecessary was necessary. That reeks of bad faith.
“that includes the ability to separate his personal views from his television persona. (YMMV whether that’s a good or bad quality to have.)”I think it depends on what show the person’s on. But for something like a game show, yeah, I would definitely prefer no politics, even if I agree with them.
Thank you. Came to say the same.
Good for him and hell of a run in entertainment. Living in Hawaii will challenge that climate denialism.
No, it won’t. People that far gone could have their entire lives destroyed by the reality of climate change and still refuse to admit the truth. See, also: the state of Florida.
Time for him to finally update that ol’ CV
Good.
Those two ever bone?
Remember when Pat Sajak thought Rush Limbaugh would make a good guest host for his talk show, and members of the audience were yelling at him so much they had to clear the theater?
Every so often I remember that Limbaugh died and I get a little frisson of glee.
Hedied, and people realzed quickly how little he mattered
Me too! “Oh yeah! He’s dead! And nobody mentions him ‘cause he was the fucking worst! Wow, today’s a good day.”
I’d have a lot more glee if he hadn’t somehow lived to 70 and had decades to do irreparable damage.
But on the other hand, if he hadn’t lived as long and had done less damage, he’d be less prominent, so we wouldn’t have cared as much. So, the longer he lived, the happier we are that he’s dead; but the longer he lived, the sadder we are that he did more damage. I shall henceforth call this the Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Paradox.
Now, now, let’s all take a moment to congratulate Rush Limbaugh on 3 years of sobriety. Way to go, Rush!
what kind of fucking idiot watches wheel of fortune?
When I was younger and a big Jeopardy! fan, I too made fun of Wheel of Fortune and its fans, which I assumed were stupid in comparison to those of my chosen show. As I grow older, I realize the attraction of any game show is basically the same — looking at cases where the players miss an obvious answer and saying “I could do that” while ignoring the cases where the player actually does better than you do.
It also drives me nuts because while the contestants get to stare at the puzzle, the TV viewer often sees contestants, the wheel, etc. They should keep the puzzle inset at the bottom of the screen at all times, to be fair to the viewer.
I thought they did that.
People who like word puzzles? I mean what’s the problem with it? Did a big wheel kill your parents in Crime Alley?
This is a superhero origin story I need to see.
Don’t yuck someone else’s yum, man.
In my market Wheel airs at 7 and Jeopardy is 7:30. Wheel is a nice warmup show. Where I used to live, it was reversed, but now that I’m used to this order, I like it. You finish dinner, watch most of Wheel, get yourself settled, then you’re ready for Jeopardy. Then you get up and feed the cats.
So angry.
probably all kinds.
What kind of complete asshole cares what other game shows people watch? Answer: A massive one.
I too, feel that way. I always watched jeopardy with my dad or grandma and then when wheel came on street it felt like a show for fucking idiots. I want to say I grew out of that feeling, but everytime I’ve seen Wheel as an adult, it still feels like a show for fucking idiots
Another old white MAGA hat rides off into the wilderness with a fortune despite having few actual skills. Truly the American story.
Mediocre white men failing upwards is the American dream
Re: political views.A lefty will authentically wrlcome all people while a MAGAt will grit his teeth and pretend. It matters.
There is, of course, never a bad time to post this song.
I don’t know if he ever said anything abhorrent about gay people, but he always seemed a bit uncomfortable around queer contestants, especially the ones who would mention a same-sex spouse.
And Ed Grimly wept!
I get this reference because I too am old.
You are at just the right age, I must say!
I as well, then!
Suddenly I picture Mayim Bialik rushing from offstage, kicking Ryan Seacrest out of the way, and screaming “IT’S MINE, IT’S MINE, IT’S MINE!!!!!!”
Don’t let the door hit ya, ya Trump-voting prick.
He’s a Trumper, so fuck him. Sorry.
It will be delicious when Trump wins again and you whiny babies lose your collective minds for another 4 years. hahaha
I don’t think I’m missing anything by missing the farewell episode.I just hope he doesn’t delve full time into being a board member of Hillsdale College. Bizarre.
Fucking Seacrest is taking over? Another show to actively avoid now.