Adam Kanter knows how to mix a drink. The longtime bartender has slung martinis and margaritas at the Prime Rib since it opened inside the Live! Casino & Hotel in South Philly, and he owned the former Rum Bar at 20th and Walnut streets. But he’ll soon tap into one of his other strengths — word games — for his debut on “Wheel of Fortune.”
Kanter, 44, will appear on the ABC game show in an episode airing Friday at 7:30 p.m. He and his family have played along for years inside their Sicklerville home, and Kanter typically cleans up; his college-age daughters have long urged him to audition. It wasn’t until he saw an ad calling for contestants in December 2024, however, that he finally took the plunge.
The “Wheel of Fortune” audition process starts with an application, where prospective contestants solve a series of puzzles. Those who pass that round go onto a preliminary interview with a small pool of fellow applicants, mainly to see, Kanter says, how they’ll “talk in front of other people.” The final interview calls you back with a few others to solve puzzles. Then the producers decide who to put behind the wheel…