Note that this story was first published in January 2024 and is being republished.
Furious “Wheel of Fortune” fans are protesting, believing that contestant Megan was wrongly denied $40,000 for a potentially correct answer.
Megan, a married California high school choir director, was required to solve a bonus task consisting of two words that fell into the category of “Living Thing.”
The incomplete sentence “_ N’R _ _ _” was revealed when host Pat Sajak introduced Megan to the puzzle board while the wheel was spinning.
Carefully choosing the letters, Megan changed the board to “P_N_’ RC _ D.”
In the final ten seconds, Megan blurted out a guess, something like “Pink Orchid” or possibly something like “Orchid Something.” Megan vocalized her irritation at the correct answer, “Pink Orchid,” as soon as the timer went off and the correct letters appeared on the screen.
Sajak, sensing he might be right, pulled out the prize estimate card and showed Megan a hefty $40,000, significantly more than the $14,007 she ultimately received. Image source: New York Post
Watching from their living rooms, viewers were unable to accept the outcome and took their frustration out on Wheel of Fortune after Megan’s answer, which they felt was unfairly wrong.
One viewer complained: “A woman got tricked into the #WheelOfFortune bonus puzzle today; she immediately said “PINK ORCHID.”
“I was asked this by the judges immediately after she said it! I lip-read and use subtitles because I’m deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other. She called me “Pink Orchid.” Absolutely!” another admirer objected.
“I’m exploding! You get it; pink orchid, she said! “WTF?” he shouted at a third person.
Good morning, @WheelofFortune. I fast-forwarded past the last puzzle after hearing a competitor say “pink orchid” at the beginning. One irritated viewer shouted, “You owe her some $$$.”
Okay, @WheelofFortune. You can clearly hear her say “pink orchid” if you replay today’s broadcast to solve the last puzzle from the last broadcast. You didn’t appreciate the winner. Play it back now. She actually said it! Vibrant orchid.
Wheel of Fortune fans have increasingly criticized the show in the midst of scandal for what appear to be mistakes, such as a recent argument over a rhyme during the Express round. On January 22, the audience exploded when the show appeared to have stumbled upon an answer in the “Time to Rhyme” category.
Two candidates were taken aback by the ongoing farce, but Jill, a third candidate, solved the problem by guessing two “y’s,” creating the rhyme “Absolutely Positively.”
Supporters vehemently disagreed with the ruling, claiming that “Absolutely Positively” is not a rhyme.
One viewer wrote: “Hey @WheelofFortune.” “Can you explain how these two words rhyme? Because they most certainly do not.