🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
Pat Sajak has helmed Wheel of Fortune since 1981, but contestants can still catch him off-guard—and the star has been blasted online after telling one to "shut up."
On Tuesday's outing of the show, contestant Angela won big and took home $11,900.
The excited hopeful was clearly overwhelmed at her win with a clip of the moment shared online, but what shocked viewers was the way that Sajak told the winner to be quiet.
As seen here on YouTube, Sajak appears to have had enough of Angela's excitement and loudly tells her to "shut up" close to her face, to which she reacted with laughter.
Sajak announced last year that this season of hosting the popular game show would be his last, and even with years under his belt he can still surprise fans with his presenting style.
Sajak's manner and tone were picked up by onlookers, with X, formerly Twitter, becoming an open discussion on how he spoke to the guest.
"Did Pat Sajak just tell that contestant to 'shut up?' #wheeloffortune" a confused viewer questioned.
A spectator said: "I don't watch @WheelofFortune very often but Pat Sajak didn't seem very happy this nice woman just won. She was excited and he told her to shut up????"
To which another onlooker replied: "I agree. I had to replay 3 times because I couldn't believe he told her to shut up."
"I realize it was intended as banter but #PatSajak screaming 'shut up' at a black woman on @WheelofFortune is not a good look," a fourth added.
His comment was called out by this viewer: "@WheelofFortune @patsajak was highly disrespectful an inappropriate on the show that aired today (1/16/24). The contestant Angela yelled in excitement after winning and was told 'Will you shut up!' Angela did not deserve to be spoken to in that manner. Joke or not. Do better."
"I thought it was terribly rude for Pat to tell her to 'shut up!" They choose lively, exuberant contestants for a reason. Pat has a bad case of senioritis! #WheelOfFortune," someone observed.
In his defense, a fan said it was linked to a reference earlier in the show: "Didn't he tell her that jokingly as a response to her saying it when she got excited, or did I miss a different time?"
Another TV viewer backed the above statement: "Yes, I was sad for her at first, and his joke fell a little flat, but SHE said that to HIM when he walked up to her, and he continued the joke, though it is a "blink and you would have missed it" moment."
Newsweek has reached out to the publicist of ABC's Wheel of Fortune via email for comment.
