Watching Pat Sajak and Vanna White on Wheel of Fortune is a tradition. A national past-time. An iconic staple of evening TV. Pat hosts the show, Vanna shows us the letters as they get called, and that’s how it goes.
Unless you were watching this week.
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Last month, Pat Sajak underwent emergency surgery.
“The Wheel of Fortune taping on Thursday was canceled because host Pat Sajak underwent successful emergency surgery to correct a blocked intestine,” tweeted the Wheel Of Fortune Twitter . “He is resting comfortably and looking forward to getting back to work.”
“Taping resumed today as scheduled and Vanna White has stepped in as host.”
Vanna took over as host for Pat Sajak with only “a 30-minute rehearsal” of hosting the game, she said she was “very nervous,” adding, “I’m very green, let’s put it that way. I think for listening to Pat for 37 years, I understood the game and how he hosted it.”
“I just wanted it to go smoothly. I wasn’t sure it was going to.”
“But I did it! I did 15! I was on for three weeks of shows,” she revealed, the first of which aired on Monday, December 9th.
“My biggest concern was Pat’s health,” Vanna said.
“I was so worried, and it was so strange being on the set without him. I’ve never been on the set without him in 37 years, but the staff and crew were so supportive and made me so comfortable and helped me in every way.”
Vanna credited the show’s staff with helping her through it.
“The staff and crew were so supportive and made me so comfortable and helped me in every way.”
“Everybody was so supportive.”
“I had a few minor mistakes, but nothing that affected the game,” she said, referring to misreading the wheel as pointing to ‘Bankrupt’ rather than the $500 it was pointing to.
While Vanna faced some mixed reviews on her first show, most fans were supportive.
“She’s getting her moment, Vanna coming in clutch, goodbye letter flipping! Shake off the nerves girl, you got this,” one Twitter user wrote .
Some viewers thought she was ‘awkward.’
Of course, they probably didn’t realize she’d only had a half-hour of rehearsal before she had to go out there — anyone would be awkward!
Some viewers said they wouldn’t watch until Pat was back.
Unfortunately for them, Vanna will be hosting for the next three weeks worth of episodes, so it’ll be a while.
Of course, there were fans who came to her defense.
Vanna did a pretty good job, considering her super stressful circumstances, and it’s admirable that she was even up for trying with such little notice! I’m sure Pat is proud of her work.
And there were people who went all the way around to the other side.
While Pat is already back to filming, some people thought Vanna deserved more time in the spotlight — and who knows? Maybe someday she’ll get it!
