‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Fans Angered After Pat Sajak Jokingly Told A Contestant To “Shut Up”: “Not A Good Look”

Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak is facing some backlash from viewers online who took issue with how he bantered with a contestant during a recent episode.

Contestant Angela Omezie, hailing from Texas, was shocked to hear she won Tuesday’s (Jan. 16) episode. So much so, she even interrupted Sajak as he announced it.

“According to my math, by $200…,” he began saying until Omezie cut him off with a very surprised, “Shut up!”

Sajak froze mid-sentence and asked Omezie, “You didn’t mean that personally?”

When she responded, “No… never,” he continued with his announcement: “According to my math, by $233, you are the winner with $11,900.”

As she applauded her win, Sajak playfully mocked her, saying, “Shut up.”

While she laughed in response, fans still took to social media to criticize the game show host, with some even saying he should have retired earlier than the end of this season.

One fan wrote, “@WheelofFortune @patsajak was highly disrespectful an inappropriate on the show that aired today (1/16/24). The contestant Angela yelled in excitement after winning and was told ‘Will you shut up!’ Angela did not deserve to be spoken to in that manner. Joke or not. Do better.”

Another viewer on X made a similar point, writing, “I realize it was intended as banter but #PatSajak screaming ‘shut up’ at a black woman on  @WheelofFortune is not a good look.”

One viewer expressed that they felt like Sajak should have retired before this season even began, noting, “He’s increasingly annoyed with excited folk.”

Others defended the longtime game show host and said it was “a funny back and forth.”

“Ok re-watch it. He was NOT telling her to ‘shut up.’ She said to HIM ‘shut up’ in excitement and he said it back. They were bantering. I was initially very upset but realized there was a ‘shut up’ joke going on between the two. The banter moves fast and can fall flat,” a fan clarified.

Despite the mishap, the rest of the episode went on as usual. While Omezie wasn’t able to guess the Bonus Round puzzle (missing out on an additional $40,000), she was able to go home with her $11,900.

Wheel of Fortune airs on weeknights at 7:30/6:30c. Check out their website for your local listings.