'Wheel Of Fortune' Slammed Over Confusing Puzzle
By Dave Basner
December 21, 2021
In the past year or so, Wheel Of Fortune has made headlines for reasons other than a contestant winning big. There was a controversy over a strict rule, host Pat Sajak called a contestant "ungrateful," a player might have lost on purpose, Pat got into an icy exchange with a contestant, the show was questioned about an "evil" puzzle, and Sajak upset some fans who felt he made fun of a contestant's lisp.
Well there wound up being one more to add to the list on Monday's show, which featured a puzzle that has viewers in an uproar. It went down during the bonus round, where Kennise Miller, a nail salon worker from Chicago who had already won $28,000 and a trip to Maui, faced a two-word puzzle under the category "person."
The puzzle showed "_ _ _ N _ _ _ C _ " and Kennise couldn't figure it out. The answer was "Young Jock," but there is a problem with that. If the puzzle is referring to rapper Yung Joc, who had the 2006 single "It's Goin' Down," they spelled his name wrong. On the other hand, if the show is saying "Young Jock" falls under the category of "person," that seems like a stretch.
Twitter had a lot to say about it, with many calling on the show to give Kennise another shot.
Wheel of Fortune is too damn old y'all pic.twitter.com/6bcpO4rc0A
— Lone Star Legend. 🇱🇷 (@TeeZeroHero) December 21, 2021
Wheel of Fortune who the hell is “young jock”??? That lady should have a redo 🤨
— Miranda (@itzmirandap) December 21, 2021
@WheelofFortune It’s Yung Joc not Young Jock. She should have another shot. Why in the world would you even use the name and not research?
— Refined Rubies (@RefinedRubies) December 21, 2021
I asked for a person…that would have been Yung Joc. Not a stereotype.
— Nisey (@DatAriesFire4) December 21, 2021
@WheelofFortune you all cheated tonight bonus round contestants. His name is "Yung Joc" not "Young Jock". C'mon guys!
— Jessica Bates (@jessiebeled) December 21, 2021
@WheelofFortune YOUNG JOCK. As opposed to OLD JOCK…..What the heck is this. Who even uses this term anymore. I’m all for freedom of speech but I think the brains behind this one needs to go. And if it’s computer generated than give the heave ho to the old Commodore 64 😠
— Douglas J Clemens (@ClemensDouglas) December 21, 2021
#WheelOfFortune ok so maybe they meant it as a young person who is an athlete. A young jock . And not the rapper . The demographic for wheel of fortune is definitely not young joc fans .
— jenn1219 (@jenn12193) December 21, 2021
Because she missed the puzzle, Kennise lost out on $39,000, but she still went home with the nearly $30K she won earlier in the game, plus the Hawaiian vacay.
The show has not commented on the confusing puzzle.