Pat Sajak briefly stunned by ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant’s ‘leak’ remark during bonus round
11 March 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — A Shawnee Mission North teacher won thousands in an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” that aired this week on NBC.
Brad Rose, from Kansas City, Kansas, filmed the episode earlier this year, and it aired Wednesday night.
After winning $9,600 in cash and a trip to the Bahamas to win the game, he headed to the bonus round.
With the phrase category and a great letter selection, he had every letter on the board but two, leaving it to spell out “HAPP_ T_ HEAR THAT.”
“Now, don’t tense up,” host Pat Sajak told Rose. “You have only 10 seconds — not 11, 10. Good luck!”
And Rose decided to use up a few of those seconds to give a shout-out to his family.
“Zion, Okalani, and Shiloh, Daddy loves you,” Rose said. Then he quickly guessed the correct answer: “Happy to hear that.”
Sajak laughingly told him he was “pretty sneaky” for his quick message.
“What if, during your greeting, the buzzer went off?” the Wheel host asked.
Rose appeared ecstatic when Sajak showed him his prize — a new 2023 Chevy Traverse. With his earlier winnings, the show said it’s a total value of over $58,500.
The Johnson County teacher told The Kansas City Star he wasn’t interested in money and prizes as much as he was the experience.
“Wheel of Fortune” is currently in its 40th year and films on the Sony Pictures Television studios in California.
“It’s one of those things you see people do … but you never necessarily imagine yourself there,” he told The Star.
You can watch “Wheel of Fortune” at 6:30 p.m. weekdays on NBC. You can apply online to be a contestant.