Recent episodes of the long-standing game show ‘Wheel of Fortune‘ have seen contestants subjected to public criticism after failing to solve puzzles that some viewers deemed simple. Included in these contestants was TaRhea Marshall, who despite emerging victorious in the game, slipped in the bonus round, losing the opportunity to win a BMW.
After her victory, Marshall selected the ‘Food and Drink’ category in the bonus round. The puzzle “BAGELS & ___G_N_TS” led to Marshall’s guesses of “bagels and beignets” and “bagels and croissants.” These were incorrect, with the correct answer being “bagels and doughnuts.” Host Pat Sajak made a comment about the common misspelling of “doughnuts” in many stores, which could have contributed to Marshall’s incorrect guesses.
Despite failing to secure the bonus round prize, Marshall still earned a total of $25,898 from her participation in the show.
The episode triggered a wide range of reactions on social media platforms, with viewers expressing both frustration and sympathy. While some criticized Marshall’s inaccurate guess, deeming the puzzle easy, others acknowledged the pressures of participating in a nationally televised game show, which can make clear thinking difficult.
With a similar clue early last year, Angie Gauntney called out “Warm toasted bagels with loW and cream cheese”, instead of knowing that loX is the spread commonly eaten with bagels.
Another contestant, Gishma Tabari from New York, also went viral for what was described as the ‘worst guess ever.’ During her round, Tabari was given the puzzle “TH- -RITI-S_-GR-E” in the ‘Showbiz’ category. Her guess, “THE BRITISH OGRE,” was a significant deviation from the correct response, “THE CRITICS AGREE.”
Reflecting on her experience after the show, Tabari attributed her guess to her imagination and the stress of being in the limelight. Despite the online ridicule, Tabari expressed satisfaction with her performance on the show, taking home a cash prize and a cruise.
This series of events occurred as Pat Sajak, the long-time host of ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ announced his retirement after the show’s 41st season. Sajak, who began hosting on December 28, 1981, will serve as a consultant on the show for three years after his retirement. Vanna White, who has been on the show since 1982, continues to be a key figure on the program.
‘Wheel of Fortune,’ a creation of Merv Griffin, is the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States.
