Additional Coverage:
- ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans slam the show for using an outdated phrase to ‘defeat its own contestant’ (marketrealist.com)
“Wheel of Fortune” Fans Cry Foul Over Outdated Phrases
A recent string of losses on “Wheel of Fortune” has sparked online debate, with fans pointing fingers at the show’s choice of phrases for its Bonus Round puzzles. Many viewers believe the use of outdated terms is unfairly disadvantaging contestants.
The controversy began after contestant Alex Puglisi missed out on $50,000, unable to solve the phrase “On The Jukebox.” Fans quickly took to social media, arguing the phrase was too old-fashioned. One YouTube commenter quipped, “If it was 1953 I would be disappointed… when is the last time you heard the word Jukebox?”
The situation escalated two weeks later when contestant Amy Johnston lost a $40,000 prize after failing to solve “FAXING IT OVER NOW.” Johnston’s exasperated response, “Of course. I don’t even know what faxing means,” further fueled the online firestorm.
A Reddit thread titled, “Tonight’s bonus puzzle — are they kidding? Faxing?
Really! This is just a cheap, twisted show that is designed to defeat its own contestants,” garnered significant attention, with many users echoing the sentiment.
One commenter lamented the puzzles had “jumped the shark,” while another predicted a continued losing streak for the rest of the season. The discussion even spawned a humorous exchange of equally outdated phrases the show could use, such as “BACKING UP MY FLOPPY DISCS.”
However, “Wheel of Fortune” has since seen a return to winning ways. Contestant Rachel Granier successfully solved “YOUR JOURNEY AWAITS,” breaking the losing streak. This was followed by another win with the phrase “FAIR ENOUGH,” offering a glimmer of hope for contestants and fans alike.
Incidentally, “Wheel of Fortune” host Ryan Seacrest recently celebrated a record-breaking 26 million votes cast during the finale of another show he hosts, “American Idol.” Perhaps a similar winning streak is in the cards for “Wheel.”