Usually it’s the contestants on Wheel of Fortune making big mistakes that get people talking, but on Friday, it was show host Pat Sajak who made news for his prize round blunder. The longtime host of the syndicated game show accidentally ruined a surprise that usually serves as the highlight of the show, grabbing the prize envelope from the round’s mini-wheel and opening it before the puzzle was even attempted.
You can watch the video from Friday’s show above, but the trouble starts in the final round. A contestant picked a prize card from the E from ‘GAME’ in the bonus round wheel. Sajak actually sort of struggles to pull it from the slot, which perhaps is why he absentmindedly opened the wedge to reveal the prize. Usually, though, that reveal is reserved for until after the puzzle is done, whether it’s won or not.
Sajak seems to almost immediately realize his mistake, though, and quickly closes it and addresses the gaffe.
“I’m not sure why I did that,” he said, laughing and leaning against the mini prize wheel before the round started. “I know what she’s playing for, and you don’t.”
People immediately noticed Sajak’s error, and the show even tweeted out a meme image of the incident on Friday night.
Who else thought, “What is Pat doing?”
pic.twitter.com/izBO0qSwsq
— Wheel of Fortune (@WheelofFortune) February 20, 2021
Vanna White later noted that she had never seen Sajak make a mistake like that at the show’s closing credits, and the Wheel host agreed.
“There’s a first time for every mistake,” Sajak said. “Even I’m not perfect. I know that’s shocking news.”