‘Wheel of Fortune’ Blasted After Ryan Seacrest Stops Show in Controversial Ruling

Wheel of Fortune viewers are enjoying Ryan Seacrest’s spin on the beloved game show for the most part. However, on Thursday, December 5’s episode, controversy ensued after a player, who finished a close second, was denied a $2,000 puzzle solve that many felt should have been accepted.

The dicey moment happened during the triple-toss-up puzzles near the tail end of the show, where letters fill in automatically. In the third puzzle, which consisted of two words in the “Food and Drink” category, Clint guessed “Well-Seasoned Meal” incorrectly. Adrianne then rang in but trailed off after saying, “Well…” leaving Jenn Walker from Sarasota, Florida, as the only player who could answer.

“It’s down to you, Jenn, so take your time and don’t let it fill out,” host Seacrest told her. Jenn proceeded to solve it correctly as “Well-Balanced Meal.” Viewers expected her to be rewarded with the puzzle, but when she solved it, Seacrest cut her off and could be heard saying off-screen, “Buzzer!”

The trouble was that Jenn didn’t ring in before offering the correct guess, silence abounded, and she was not rewarded the $2,000. The studio audience broke into a gasp as the full puzzle was displayed, and the incorrect sound buzzed meaning the puzzle was thrown out.

The broadcast cut to Seacrest, who was standing by all three players. “Can we get the judges on that?” he awkwardly asked, looking at the producers. “She didn’t buzz but gave an answer?” After a moment of deliberation instead of going to the Final Spin puzzle, it was decided she would not be given the puzzle because she didn’t ring in first. “No sorry, you gotta buzz in,” Seacrest shared. “’Well-Balanced Meal’ was the correct answer but you gotta use the little device.” Jenn uttered, “Okay.”

Fans on social media debated the ruling, arguing that Jenn deserved the puzzle. While she didn’t ring in, they felt it shouldn’t have mattered in this rare scenario since, as Seacrest outlined, she was the only player who could answer it.

“Wheel of Fortune has been extra frustrating as of late lmao like what do you mean you forgot to buzz in,” one X user wrote.

“I don’t get that either,” wrote another. “She was the last eligible player, as the others had already shot their shot. So she didn’t have to buzz in for a turn at solving.”

“She got screwed out of that……” replied a third.

“Wheel of Fortune did Jenn dirty,” wrote a fourth.

That said, the bumpy moment did not impact the results of the game, but it came close to doing so. Clint finished with $26,150, thus winning the episode, while Jenn finished with $20,490. She also appeared flustered during the deciding Final Spin puzzle, which Clint got correct, ultimately clinching the win.

Meanwhile, Seacrest, of course, had huge shoes to fill replacing the legendary Pat Sajak alongside the iconic Vanna White after four decades for Season 42. His debut month was the strongest ratings month for WoF in the past three years, and he’s impressed fans by forgoing cue cards. Plus, viewers were already treated to a viral moment (via a round of sausage). That said, there have been some other questionable hosting moments according to fans.

In September, Seacrest suffered what fans dubbed his “first blooper”, involving a prolonged reaction to rewarding a bonus round. Fans also called out the host for ruling against another player before the timer was up. Most controversially, last month,  fans called out the host for not reminding a player to pick a letter, leading to him losing the game in a misunderstanding and by a mere $147. Many fans also blamed a lack of experience on Seacrest’s mishandling of a contestant’s $1million wedge, which she instantly forfeited, the new host having not reminding her what was at stake.

What do you think of the ruling against Jenn? Do you think the judges should have allowed her the $2,000 puzzle? Let us know in the comments section below!

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