‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak is getting called out for presenting a fake fish to a contestant who earlier in the show told him she had a fear of the sea creature.
During an episode that aired last week, the longtime host grills contestant Ashley about her unusual phobia before he pulls a prank on her later on in the episode.
At the beginning of the episode, Ashley had told Sajak of her fear of fish: ‘Nothing, nothing at all. If they’re on a plate or in the water, I don’t want to be near them.’
After he pulled out the fake animal, Ashley turned away quickly, refusing to look at the prop. While she said later on she may be willing to let it go, the internet is not so forgiving.
‘I’ve watched wheel of Fortune on a daily basis for most of my life. Tonight’s episode was just so wild. The fake fish thing at the end…never have I ever seen Pat pull these kinds of shenanigans,’ said one commenter on Instagram.
‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak is getting called out for presenting a fake fish to a contestant who earlier in the show told him she had a fear of the sea creature
Some on social media thought ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak took the joke too far
The situation began during the introductions at the beginning of the episode when Sajak addressed Ashley by asking about her phobia.
‘You don’t like fish. You don’t like to eat them, you don’t like to swim with them?’ he asked her.
That’s when she replied, telling the host she doesn’t ‘want to be near them’ ever.
He continued to press, asking her what the reason was to try to understand.
‘Were you frightened by fish as a little girl,’ the host asks.
‘It’s a long story, Pat, we don’t have time,’ she replied, laughing.
Just before the bonus round began, Sajak approached another contestant after Ashley had secured her spot in the final puzzle.
As he started to make his way over to congratulate her, he stopped at the other contestant and said: ‘I have to go congratulate Ashley, can you do me a favor? I don’t want her to see this, just hold onto this.’
At that moment, the host pulled out the fake fish and handed it off to the man.
Ashley appeared irked and a little frightened as she turned away from the fish and the camera, still laughing, however.
Sajak then approached the winner and asked if she was all right, even grabbing her arm to try and comfort her.
The winning contestant continued to play along with the gag but refused to look at the prop.
Later on, the host appeared to own up to his prank, saying: ‘You’ll forgive me for that, won’t you?’
Ashley quietly responded that she ‘might’ be able to forgive him for the gag.
The moment didn’t seem to throw her off her game, though, as she went on to solve the final bonus round puzzle and take home a total of $63,000.
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Sajak pulled the fake fish from his jacket and handed it to another contestant as a joke
Ashley couldn’t look at the fake fish or Sajak after the host pulled off the prank
Luckily, Ashley was able to laugh it off and continue playing the game
The contestant later said she ‘might’ be able to forgive Sajak for his prank
The last laugh was given to Ashely, though, as she won $63,000 for solving the final puzzle
The fishy exchange happened during an episode of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ which aired last week
The TV host has worked alongside Vanna White for more than 40 years on the show
‘Pat is shady,’ said one social media user while another said, ‘Naughty Pat’
Despite Ashley’s own admittance that she could forgive the host, some people on the internet took issue with the prank Sajak had pulled.
‘Pat is shady,’ said one social media user.
‘Naughty Pat,’ another person wrote.
Others defended Sajak and the gag, saying it was just ‘a joke’ and he didn’t mean anything by it.
‘The comedy genius of Pat Sajak is… Unparalleled,’ wrote one person.
‘Pat was so funny,’ wrote another.
‘Tonight’s show was great!! Pat is just so funny!!’ said another fan of the show.
