With longtime “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak retiring, there’s one person I’d like to see take the gig for a spin: his partner in puzzles, Vanna White.
On Monday, Sajak, 76, announced he’ll exit the show after next season, his 41st. “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months,” he said in a statement. “Many thanks to you all.”
Sajak replaced Chuck Woolery on “Wheel,” then on NBC. White, 66, and Sajak have hosted since the show debuted in syndication in 1983. She’s unveiled the letters in four- to five-inch heels, which she told me in 2019 weren’t a problem, and wearing gorgeous formalwear that couldn’t hinder her ability to reach the top row to spin letters.
What’s most important when considering job applicants? Experience. White has 40 seasons as co-host under her belt. Who could possibly be more qualified? She’s also filled in for Sajak over the years, once when he lost his voice and most recently when he underwent emergency surgery in 2019.
Sajak has set a Guinness World Record for the longest career of a host for a single game show. Who better to usher viewers through such a transition than White? I imagine it would provide the same type of comfort as “Jeopardy!” legend Ken Jennings hosting the quiz show (a gig he shares with Mayim Bialik). With a show as beloved as “Wheel,” so ingrained in its viewers lives, you need a replacement who respects the institution and will handle the responsibility with care.
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Another benefit to White is that she is 10 years Sajak’s junior, so she could be in it for the longish haul. White is also warm and funny when she and Sajak interact in post-game chatter.
There is one hitch, though. When I spoke with White in 2019, she was quite territorial over her spot. “I can’t imagine anybody else on my puzzle board,” she said with a laugh. “That’s a scary thought. It’s mine!”
So who would replace White? And would she give her blessing? One option is Sajak’s daughter, Maggie, the show’s social correspondent since 2021. She briefly took over White’s duties in May when White competed on “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.” Why not let two women host? It’s worked for the “Today” show.
“Wheel” fans on Twitter have also voiced their wish for White to get the gig. So what do you say, producers? Make a choice that’s likely to satisfy the masses. Let the answer for a White-inspired “What are you doing?” puzzle be “Hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune.’”
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