Pat Sajak has been hosting Wheel of Fortune since 1981, but in recent months, some fans of the show have been calling for the 75-year-old to retire... or even to be fired. Pat's on-air behavior and comments lately have really gotten the attention of Twitter.
The incidents range from slightly embarrassing, like when Pat said "lift the ceiling" instead of "raise the roof," to gaffes like opening the prize for the final round before the puzzle or accidentally revealing a puzzle's solution. He also previously made a suggestive comment to a contestant, called a contestant ungrateful, and had a rather icy exchange with a player over a bad pun. However, the thing that caused the most viewers to call for Sajak's resignation was when he allegedly made fun of a player's lisp.
Now, a new incident can be added to the list. This week, Pat called out a contestant for lying. When he introduced Katie Grimm of Pleasant Hill, California, he said to her, "You look to me like an honest woman, however..." Katie then stated that her maiden name is White, to which Sajak responded, "And did you ever make claims that weren't true?" She explained, "I told pretty much everyone I met when I was a kid that I was related to Vanna [White]." Katie then said hi to Vanna who replied, "Hey sis!" Then Pat continued his interrogation asking, "And were you?" Katie said, "No, we're not related." Pat then noted, "Alright, I called you out on national television." An uncomfortable Katie answered, "Thank you," and Sajak retorted, "You're welcome."
Unimpressed with his behavior, viewers took to Twitter to write things like, "It is so painfully obvious Pat Sajak is over this job. Then quit!!!! It is painful to watch him be so rude and snarky to contestants," and, "Unforgivable."
As for Katie, she wasn't rattled by the intro and wound up winning the game. While she was unable to figure out the bonus round puzzle, she still walked away with nearly $41,000 in cash and prizes, including a trip to St. Maarten. Meanwhile, Pat has hinted at his retirement, recently stating, "The end is near."