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VOWEL RUDE!
Wheel of Fortune winner claims Pat Sajak snapped ‘this is my show!’ in stern off-camera warning for being ‘too comedic’
"He was friendly but serious"
A WHEEL of Fortune contestant has revealed that longtime host Pat Sajak got a little short with him during a commercial break.
Michael Colen, who won November 3’s episode with great solves and a slightly slapstick stage presence, told The U.S. Sun that Pat, 77, pulled him aside to remind him: “This is my show.”
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The Sacramento, California, middle school math teacher and father of four, who whispered on-stage that he's a “secret rap star” by night, schooled his opponents, winning $38,304.
He also started stealing the show by dabbing after getting a puzzle, taking a bow, and kicking himself - more metaphorically speaking - over a classic misstep.
Michael picked a letter someone else had already chosen and exclaimed: “Oh lord, I'm one of those guys!”
He later spun the wheel by requesting: “Alright wheel, let’s have a relationship!” But as a bankrupt wedge approached instead, he yelled: “Slow down, slow down!” Pat replied: “Are you yelling at our wheel?”
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That said, Michael cleaned up on an express round, which means every letter pick has to be correct and had multiple other big solves.
Michael exclusively told The U.S. Sun about his experience: “Wheel of Fortune is my favorite show.
"I didn't hear anything for a couple of years, and bam! I got that random call, had some auditions, and bam they went well."
I was focused on winning the game, but comedy and making people laugh was my priority.”
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'HE WANTED ME TO KNOW IT WAS HIS SHOW'
However, Pat ensured Michael didn’t cross the line between being funny and upstaging the host of 41 years.
Michael shared: “In between one of the commercial breaks, Pat came up to me and said, ‘You know Michael, this is my show right?’
"And I said, ‘Yes sir, this is your show.’”
“But then, after that moment, he got really friendly.
“But he did give me that little ‘heads up.’ It was friendly, but it was funny.”
“I don’t know what prompted him to say that. I guess I got a little too close to that line, and then he gave me the warning.
“It wasn’t a warning," Michael walked back: "But friendly banter. I don’t know what I did!”
He added that Pat meant it but in as friendly a way as possible.
“It was the serious, kidding kind of look. But he was serious.
He wanted me to know it was his show - but when I watched it at home, I think he appreciated the banter and the back and forth.”
That said, there are no hard feelings on the board on Michael's part.
“I’m gonna miss him. I grew up on him; there’s no replacement for him, and it’s gonna be weird without him.”
Pat is retiring at the end of the now-airing season in June 2024 to make way for Ryan Seacrest, who will begin hosting next fall.
WHEEL SECRETS
The recent contestant also shared game show secrets that fans may not know about from watching at home.
“They do six shows in a day, Monday to Friday, and the sixth gets kicked back to a random week."
On the video auditions: “They have you talk for a while and want to see how you talk, then they have three contestants, and they want to see how you play the game.
And on the real thing: "The lights camera action is very different than when you’re up there.
"You’re so critical from the couch but when the lights are on, there are cameras everywhere - it’s nerve-wracking. It goes so fast.”
“When I’m watching it I can always tell who's gonna win by the person who's most relaxed.
"So, I was focused on being most relaxed."
He also dished that producers: "Ask you to bring three outfits just in case."
Michael also revealed Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune- which share a Los Angeles studio lot - alternate tape days and use the other’s set for rehearsals.
“Our rehearsals were in the Jeopardy! studios right down the hall, it had sheets over the contestant podiums and it was all shut down.”
PAT GETS THE LAST LAUGH
Michael was joined by three of his four kids since he got to play the one-contestant bonus round.
Michael sweetly said: “Thank you, Pat for the 41 years" before spinning. "You're very kind," Pat said back.
His two-word puzzle was under the category: "Phrase" and his four additional letter choices of “HVFO” were zero help.
The puzzle wound up being “Pick Wisely," and Pat shaded after he missed it: "I'll give you a hint, it's something you didn't do,” referring to his letter picks.
"Sorry, I had to go for it," Pat added.
Michael missed out on an extra $40K from the prize card but won a trip to St. Lucia and his existing $38,304.
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“My original plan was to pick 'WVY' because one of those weird letters always show up, but I wasn't brave enough, and Pat hit me with the zinger.
I’m glad he did.”
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