During his 40 years hosting Wheel Of Fortune, Pat Sajak has had his share of awkward moments, from when he said "lift the ceiling" instead of "raise the roof," to when he had a player twerk on him. Well the TV personality has managed to notch another uncomfortable moment thanks to a strange interaction with a contestant this week.
The player, named Greg, shared a resemblance to Santa Claus, so much so that he acts as one during the holidays. Pat spoke to him about it saying, "Now, Santa Claus needs help in the holidays, he needs helpers and I understand you fill that role." Greg responded, "That's right Pat, I've been helping Santa for 25 years." Sajak then asked if Greg has had his beard all that time but Greg responded that he's just been growing it for six years and that "it made all the difference in the world."
Pat questioned if the kids pull on his beard and Greg explained that they often ask if he is the real Santa, to which he suggests they pull on his beard and find out. Pat then asked, "If I come over there, can I tug on it?" Greg allowed him and the host gave a good yank on the facial hair, then said, "I've never done that... and I will never do it again."
As his actions sank in, at the end of the interviews, Pat nervously laughed and said, "Thank you all for being here, and I apologize again Santa."
Fans were put off by his behavior, with one writing, "Pulling on that dude's beard was super cringy," and another commenting, "Pat just got handsy with a contestant."
You never know what Pat might do these days so be sure to watch Wheel to see what happens. As for Greg, he didn't win the game but didn't leave empty-handed either. The great-grandfather from Florida took home $12,204 in cash plus a trip to St. Lucia.