Pat Sajak got into what appeared to be a screaming match with a Wheel of Fortune contestant this week.
During a recent episode of Wheel of Fortune, a contestant named Angela Omezie couldn’t contain her excitement.
As Pat tallied up the points she earned during her turn, Angela became overcome with elation when she realized she won the round.
Interrupting Pat while he was speaking to the studio audience, Angela screamed, “Shut up!”
Pat was taken aback by Angela’s exclamation as he turned to look around and exclaimed, “Woah!”
“You didn’t mean that personally,” he teasingly asked Angela, who answered, “No! Never!”
Pat Sajak shares playful exchange with Wheel of Fortune viewer: ‘Shut up!’
Once Pat finished his math and let Angela know she won a total of $11,900, he had a little fun returning the favor.
Pat told Angela he’d be back, but before he walked away, he got in her face and jokingly shouted, “Shut up!” mocking the context in which Angela said it to Pat.
Obviously, the scene was all in jest, and most Wheel of Fortune viewers picked up on that right away.
On X (formerly Twitter), fans of the show reacted to the on-air exchange.
Wheel of Fortune viewers react to Pat and Angela’s on-air banter
“[Pat] was clearly joining the way he said it…” penned one Wheel of Fortune viewer, with another claiming that Pat is “so tired of doing that job.”
This isn’t the first time Wheel of Fortune fans have suggested that Pat is growing tired of his job and needs to hang up his hat early after nearly 43 years in his position.
Pat is gearing up for retirement following Season 41 of Wheel of Fortune
This is Pat’s 41st and final season as Wheel of Fortune’s host. As Monsters and Critics previously reported, Pat announced his retirement in June 2023.
Wheel of Fortune shared the news on their Instagram feed, along with a photo of Pat and his official statement.
Pat said that Season 41, which premiered in September 2023, would be his last. He called his tenure on Wheel of Fortune a “wonderful ride,” thanked his fans, and promised to provide more updates in the coming months.
As Monsters and Critics also reported, another television legend, Ryan Seacrest, will take over the helm at the beginning of Season 42, serving as Wheel of Fortune’s new host.
Ryan has expressed his excitement ahead of taking on his new role and working alongside the illustrious Vanna White, longtime tile-turner on Wheel of Fortune.
In an Instagram post dated June 27, 2023, Ryan told his followers that he was “truly humbled” to be stepping into Pat Sajak’s footsteps and that he “can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White.”