Ryan Seacrest may not be the tallest television host, but his loyal fans don’t think that matters.
The host has been under intense scrutiny since taking over Pat Sajak’s job on Wheel of Fortune in September.
Wheel of Fortune fans have been watching Ryan’s every move, comparing him to longtime host Pat Sajak, who held the reins for more than 40 years.
Some Wheel watchers expressed skepticism ahead of Ryan’s September 2024 debut, unsure whether he was a good fit for the job.
Now that Ryan has been hosting Wheel of Fortune for a few months, many viewers have changed their tune and admitted that Ryan is doing a good job alongside Vanna White.
Still, some of his critics are still trying to find fault with Ryan.
A recent Reddit post taking aim at Ryan is a case in point.
A critic takes a jab at Ryan Seacrest’s height
One Wheel of Fortune viewer criticized Ryan’s height in the post, titling it, “I know Ryan is not a giant but come on…”
Referencing a recent episode of Wheel of Fortune, u/Upstate_Gooner_1972 wrote that Ryan “could definitely use some heels.”
“Literally every single contestant was at least an inch or two taller than he is,” they wrote. “Pat wasn’t exactly a basketball player himself but I never noticed such a starked difference like today.”
In the comments of the Reddit post, fellow Wheel of Fortune viewers added their two cents, with several of them coming to Ryan’s defense.
Ryan’s fans defend the Wheel of Fortune host
One such commenter wrote that the post was “very weird,” and another one of Ryan’s supporters asked why his height is an issue.
“Why short shame?” asked another Wheel watcher.
Reddit user u/Salty-Director-7560 also defended Ryan against the criticism, adding, “People find the weirdest reasons to hate on Ryan….I guess that means he’s doing a good job if this is the complaint you have.”
“Let’s not body shame,” suggested another one of Ryan’s fans.
“He’s personable, nice to contestants, and keeps the show moving at a good pace,” their comment continued. “If you don’t like him, watch something else. 🙄.”
Ryan pokes fun at chitter-chatter aimed at his height
Ryan has joked about his height for years. At five feet eight inches, Ryan would be considered average height for a man, although many perceive him to be much shorter than he actually is.
In one such instance in 2020, Ryan complained that Google incorrectly reported his height as 5′ 7″.
During an episode of his radio show, On Air With Ryan Seacrest, he joked, “They say on Google, [I’m] 5′ 7″. Well, I’m not. That’s not accurate.”
Ryan joked with his producer, “Can you call Google and tell them I’m 5’8-1/2′?”
In the end, Ryan proved his point and set the record straight by pulling out a tape measure on air and measuring his height without shoes, which came out to 5′ 8″.
In 2023, Ryan poked fun at his height on TikTok when unboxing a new hair brush.
In the video’s caption, Ryan quipped, “Let’s be honest, anything that adds more height is a self-care essential.”
Present day, Ryan still jokes about the debate surrounding his height.
His Instagram bio currently reads, “Taller in person.”