Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak has criticized a contestant whose puzzle guess left him feeling a bit blue.
Sajak, 76, stood beside England-born, but now Texas resident, Jennifer as she tried to guess the puzzle in the final bonus round on Wednesday’s show.
“You have 10 seconds to try to talk it out, good luck,” Sajak advised her for the puzzle that was in the ‘phrase’ category and spelled out “NOTH_N_ _ _ _ ES _O_” after she had chosen her letters.
Jennifer’s first attempt drew laughter from the audience: “Nothing loves you,” before she said: “Nothing… else… you… nothing.”
The long-time host was disheartened by her choices, telling Jennifer: “That was a depressing solve.”
The solution was “nothing fazes you” and Sajak had even more depressing news to give Jennifer when he told her she missed out on winning a Lincoln car by failing to solve the puzzle.
“Well, I’m sorry,” Sajak told the contestant.
Fans reacted to the moment on Wheel of Fortune’s official Twitter account and praised Jennifer’s attempts.
“Jennifer was phenomenally contestant even through that bonus round puzzle. Great show,” one fan commented.
Another added: “I did like Jennifer’s guess though.”
And a third wrote: “Rooting for the British queen! Go Jennifer.”
Jennifer’s awkward moment comes just days after Sajak came under fire for mocking a contestant’s phobia during the show.
Ashley Laumb from Tacoma, Washington, admitted she doesn’t “like fish” during her Q&A on a show in early March.
“You don’t like to eat them? You don’t like to swim with them?” Sajak quizzed her.
“Nothing, nothing at all,” Laumb replied. “If they’re on a plate or in the water, I don’t want to be near them.”
Sajak continued with his questions: “Were you frightened by them as a little girl?”
“It’s a long story, Pat. We don’t have time,” Laumb joked.
But later in the episode, Sajak reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a fake fish. He waved it around and then handed it to another contestant.
“Ashley, you all right!? Big winner $23K!” Sajak said to a visibly upset Laumb. “You’ll forgive me for that, won’t you?”
But Laumb had the last laugh and went on to win the bonus round and walk away with $63,000.
Fans of the show were not happy with Sajak’s stunt and took to the show’s official Instagram page to complain about it. “Pat is shady,” wrote one person in the comments.
Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak has criticized a contestant whose puzzle guess left him feeling a bit blue.
