“Wheel of Fortune” provided viewers with a memorable moment on its May 23 episode amidst longtime host Pat Sajak’s imminent departure. Contestant Tavaris Williams surprised everyone with his bold guess during a “Phrase” puzzle.
As the letters appeared on the board, Williams boldly guessed, “Right in the butt!” This unexpected response elicited laughter from the audience and fellow contestants, prompting one contestant to exclaim, “Whaaat?!” The comedic moment quickly went viral, catching the attention of Jimmy Kimmel, who praised Williams on his May 29 “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” show, stating, “I don’t care what Pat Sajak says, that was a great answer.”
Williams later shared that Sajak was supportive during the commercial break, recalling, “Pat was the best! He made me feel so great about that at the break.” Sajak had assured Williams he would handle the moment tactfully.
After filming in April, Williams couldn’t keep the humorous incident from his wife. “I told my wife instantly after, ‘I will keep everything a secret except this — this you have to know about,’” he said. Williams had largely forgotten about it until the episode aired and garnered reactions on social media.
Kimmel jokingly asked Williams if “right in the butt” was a common phrase for him, to which Williams responded seriously, “I have never used those words in sequential order a day in my life, Jimmy.” Despite the surprising guess, Williams, who won $9,500, remained positive, saying, “I am spreading a lot of smiles around the world.”
During the show, Sajak simply replied “no” to Williams’ guess and moved on to another contestant, Blake, who exclaimed, “This is the best!” Sajak chuckled and added, “Yeah, that’s, that’s it. I think.” Williams agreed that Blake’s answer was better with good humor. As the game continued, Sajak introduced the contestants, acknowledging, “Well, Tavaris, you’ve already made an impression on us.” Williams apologized, and Sajak reassured him, saying, “We’ll figure out a way to handle that tastefully,” amidst ongoing laughter.
Social media users celebrated the clip, dubbing it “Wheel of Fortune Hall of Fame”-worthy. One user commented, “I may be an 83-year-old man who watches Wheel of Fortune frequently, but moments like this are rare and make it all worth it.” Others hailed it as the “greatest moment in Wheel of Fortune history” and remarked, “Wheel of Fortune is a lot spicier than I remember.” Even Merriam-Webster’s official Twitter account chimed in, tweeting, “Yes, we saw the Wheel of Fortune clip you can stop giving it to us.”
This season marks the end of an era as Pat Sajak retires after hosting “Wheel of Fortune” since 1981. The 77-year-old Emmy winner announced his retirement in June 2023, stating, “Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which starts in September, will be my last.”
Ryan Seacrest will take over, with Vanna White extending her contract to remain on the show. Sajak’s final episode airs on June 7, concluding an illustrious 41-year career.
Sources: Today
Leave a Reply