Pat Sajak's Rude Comments To Contestant Have Viewers Demanding Apology
By Dave Basner
March 10, 2022
Usually, Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak is charming and supportive of the contestants, as any game show host should be, but lately, that persona has slipped a bit and viewers have seen another side of the longtime host. Last year, many Wheel watchers felt Pat should resign for allegedly making fun of a contestant's lisp. A few months before that, he had an icy exchange with a player over a bad pun, and that came just a few weeks after he called a contestant "Ungrateful."
Now, Sajak is back in hot water after Wednesday's episode. On it, the host introduced Scott Ingwersen, an improv teacher from Upland, California. Pat asked Scott about his job but just a few words into Scott's answer, Sajak cut him off, saying, "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. What did you say?" It led to some awkward laughter from the audience.
As the conversation went on, Pat looked at his notecard and, with a look of frustration, remarked, "Why am I mentioning this?" He went on to say, "But it's on your card. You had your big toe chopped off. Why are you telling this?" Scott responded, saying, "It's important to know," explaining that as a 12-year-old, he was riding a bike while wearing flip-flops. He fell off of it and cut off the top of his toe. The next car that drove by stopped and two paramedics happened to be inside. They helped him and he was able to get his toe reattached. He wanted to use his moment in the spotlight to thank them, 30 years later.
A confused Pat stopped the audience from applauding and stated, "That may have been the most pointless story ever told. And you told it, Scott. Congratulations to you." Scott took it well, but as Sajak started chatting with the next contestant and all the players are shown on camera, there seems to be some sadness and embarrassment on Scott's face.
Most of the footage of the incident has been pulled from YouTube, but you can see some of what happened in this tweet:
Poor Scott just wanted to tell his story. Pat just throwing the shade 😂 #WheelOfFortune #patsajak pic.twitter.com/0wkEL2aRan
— AyeRaeRae43 (@AyeRae43) March 10, 2022
The interaction comes just days after Pat asked Wheel viewers to "have a little heart" and be more respectful to the contestants, following an incident where all three players were unable to come up with the solution to what the audience felt was a very easy puzzle.
Twitter had a lot to say about Pat's behavior with Scott.
So @patsajak got on his @WheelofFortune high horse a week ago & lectured everyone to be nice to contestants who couldn’t solve an easy puzzle, but tonight he had no problem belittling and insulting a contestant who told their intro story. Scott needs an apology. #WheelOfFortune
— ABT20 (@GoBlueD1) March 10, 2022
@PatOnWheel @patsajak @WheelofFortune
— iLeen (@BellaBells429) March 10, 2022
1/2
Pat, you humiliated 2nite's player, Scott. He told a poignant story of losing part of his big toe when he was a kid. He thanked the 2 EMTs from 30 yrs ago who aided him on their way to work; Pat, U insulted him by saying: pic.twitter.com/0nzx4rgMS3
.@WheelofFortune my 88 year old mom loves your show and she's spitting mad that @patsajak discounted Scott's story about his toe. She almost lost her ear as a child and making fun of Scott was really rude.
— Tiny Blue Mumaleh #AbolishTheFilibuster 😷🏳️🌈 (@PFLAGmum) March 10, 2022
@patsajak
— Beth Smith (@BallroomBeth) March 10, 2022
Was NOT pointless for man to share story about his toe laceration. Sometimes you can really behave like a jerk.
@patsajak not very nice to tell contestant Scott that his story (about his toe) was the most pointless story you ever heard on the show. I think you really offended him.
— Rosetta Girardi Collins (@CollinsGirardi) March 10, 2022
@WheelofFortune Agree with @maddie_lite, it was hella mean!! Make him apologize to Scott! @patsajak the point was that he was thanking the paramedics who saved his toe! He was being nice I like Pat’s rude ass.
— Sarah Leon Guerrero (@SarahLeonGuerr1) March 10, 2022
A contestant on #WheelOfFortune was telling a story. When he finished. Pat said to him... That may Have been the most pointless story ever told. 😲 When did #Patsajak get so cold-blooded? 😁😁 pic.twitter.com/37QDH4ukbA
— Boomba (@4real4reel) March 10, 2022
While Scott didn't win the game, he didn't go home empty-handed, leaving the show with $5,700 in cash and prizes.