There have been many cringeworthy moments on Wheel of Fortune. However, when three contestants couldn’t solve a simple puzzle, fans were left screaming at their televisions, and the segment is now known as the “dumbest two minutes” in the show’s history.
Wheel of Fortune debuted in 1975 and was an instant success. Over the years, Americans have tuned in to play along with the contestants, attempting to solve the puzzle in record time and beating the participants on the show. The puzzles are common phrases most people can solve easily, and that’s why fans are calling what happened in one particular segment a “disaster.”
“Continuing a long series of controversial on-air moments, [this] Wheel of Fortune episode has social media watchdogs barking about the show’s ‘dumbest moment ever,’” New York Post reported. “The frustrating episode featured three contestants taking a whopping eight turns and 10 attempts to solve the puzzle: “Another feather _n yo_r _a_”
Wheel of Fortune “letter-turner” Vanna White (left), host Pat Sajak (right) (Credit: YouTube)
Of course, the correct answer is “Another feather in your cap,” which is a phrase believed to have derived from the general custom of a warrior adding a new feather to their head-gear for every enemy slain. Watching the show in real-time caused irritated fans to vent their frustrations online and left many screaming at their TVs. Viewers were venting at contestant Laura Machado, who had three guesses to win as host Pat Sajak and legendary letter-tuner Vanna White looked on.
Machado’s maddening wrong answers included “Another feather in your hat,” “Another feather in your lap,” and “Another feather in your map.” According to The Post, “fellow contestant Christopher Coleman didn’t guess any of the correct letters and landed on Bankrupt when he twirled TV’s most infamous wheel. Thomas Lipscomb also scored a Bankrupt and Lose a Turn for his first two times in the hot seat. But on his third try, he guessed ‘C’ and correctly solved the phrase.”
Vanna White stands by the Wheel of Fortune puzzle (Credit: YouTube)
Social media was on fire over the debacle with fans and viewers venting their annoyance over the game. “Hey if you feel like screaming at the TV in agony and want to throw something at your screen round 2 of tonight’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is *perfect* for you,” one outraged viewer griped on Twitter. Josh Gad, who starred in the movie Frozen, also gave his two cents, tweeting, “God help us all.”
Twitter user “WheelRob” posted, “I’d like to solve… ANOTHER FEATHER IN EVERYTHING BUT YOUR CAP. Thank you, Wheel, for not editing out 6 of these 8 lost turns in a row like you normally would.” Another viewer noted, “I have never been on an emotional roller coaster like this while watching ‘Wheel of Fortune.’”
One even suggested that the game “should have ended this ‘Wheel of Fortune’ episode with no winner.” Ajit Pai, who is the former FCC chairman, posted, “I don’t think we appreciate as much as we should the fact that @patsajak and @TheVannaWhite are national treasures. The restraint they showed in this @WheelofFortune clip is legendary. Truly . . . a feather in their cap.”
The website Mediate was in shock over the clip as well, saying, “PAINFUL: We were reminded Tuesday night why America is in decline during a display on @WheelofFortune when contestants took over two minutes to solve an obvious and rudimentary puzzle.” And, that seems to sum it up perfectly. Sadly, this game show contestant seemed to prove that “common knowledge” — just like common sense — is becoming less and less common.