Current:Home > FinanceWheel of Fortune Contestants' Bad Luck "Curse" Shocked Even Ryan Seacrest -GrowthInsight
Wheel of Fortune Contestants' Bad Luck "Curse" Shocked Even Ryan Seacrest
Indexbit View
Date:2025-04-10 18:15:15
Time to officially rename it the Wheel of Misfortune.
That's what three contestants learned the hard way on the Sept. 18 episode of Wheel of Fortune. The trio of Melissa Brickey, Brent Lau and Tanijah Johnson experienced such a string of bad luck that even new host Ryan Seacrest and the show's longtime star Vanna White were astonished.
On the episode, the three contestants were spinning during the Crossword Round, when each of them landed on "bankrupt" in three consecutive spins.
"Should we have a conversation with this wheel?" Ryan joked, before asking the wheel, "What are you doing to us?"
And it only got worse when Brent's next spin landed on "lose a turn," prompting Ryan to ask the group, "Who did something bad before they got here?"
Tanijah's next spin did allow her to guess a letter, but she was immediately hit with another "bankrupt," as was Melissa.
All of which prompted Ryan—who recently took over for former host Pat Sajak—to quip, "So, I'm new here. I've never seen anything like this before."
The 49-year-old then urged Brent to spin again and "break this curse," however Brent landed on "lose a turn" yet again.
The American Idol host couldn't hold back how stunned he was, turning his cohost and pleading, "Vanna? What is going on?"
The group then landed on "bankrupt" once again, prompting both Ryan and Tanijah to rest their heads on the wheel in exasperation.
Luckily, things finally turned around for the three with Melissa's next spin, which landed on $600 and eventually enabled them to solve the "Facial Features" puzzle: Eyelashes, pupils, cheeks, lips. Melissa ultimately went on to win the episode, taking a grand total of $60,050.
And despite having just started his Wheel of Fortune run, this is not the first time Ryan has found himself in uncharted Wheel territory.
During the Sept. 16 episode, contestant Vivian Tran landed on the "one million" wheel wedge and successfully landed on the million-dollar envelope during the bonus round.
"My heart is racing," Ryan said. "This is a first for me. You're playing for $1 million."
Unfortunately, Vivian was unable to solve the puzzle and missed out on the million—but still went home with $27,300 and a trip to Europe.
Although Ryan is still new at hosting the iconic game show, he's already left quite an impression on Vanna.
"He's doing an incredible job," she recently told E! News. "It's not easy. He makes it look easy."
She knew he would be fantastic from the get-go, adding, "He's so talented, he's so professional, he's so good at what he does. I'm so thankful."
As Ryan joked to E!, "If Wheel of Fortune is offered to you, you just don't say no. You'll have bad karma for the rest of your TV life."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (22)
Related
- Connie Chiume, South African 'Black Panther' actress, dies at 72
- An 11-year-old Virginia boy is charged with making swatting calls to Florida schools
- 2024 Olympics: See All the Stars at the Paris Games
- Jennifer Lopez thanks fans for 'loyalty' in 'good times' and 'tough times' as she turns 55
- Bet365 ordered to refund $519K to customers who it paid less than they were entitled on sports bets
- Bill Belichick's absence from NFL coaching sidelines looms large – but maybe not for long
- Who has won most Olympic gold medals at Summer Games?
- Still no return date for Starliner as Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remain in space
- Euphoria's Hunter Schafer Says Ex Dominic Fike Cheated on Her Before Breakup
- Judge threatens to sanction Hunter Biden’s legal team over ‘false statements’ in a court filing
Ranking
- Southern California rocked by series of earthquakes: Is a bigger one brewing?
- Zendaya's Wet Look at 2024 Paris Olympics Pre-Party Takes Home the Gold
- Paula Radcliffe sorry for wishing convicted rapist 'best of luck' at Olympics
- Ice Spice Details Hysterically Crying After Learning of Taylor Swift's Karma Collab Offer
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Morial urges National Urban League allies to shore up DEI policies and destroy Project 2025
- Parents' guide to 'Deadpool & Wolverine': Is new Marvel movie appropriate for kids?
- Netanyahu meets with Biden and Harris to narrow gaps on a Gaza war cease-fire deal
Recommendation
Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
Massachusetts governor signs bill cracking down on hard-to-trace ‘ghost guns’
Katie Ledecky can do something only Michael Phelps has achieved at Olympics
Are schools asking too much for back-to-school shopping? Many parents say yes.
In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
North Korean charged in ransomware attacks on American hospitals
Missouri Supreme Court halts release of man from prison after overturned conviction
F1 driver Esteban Ocon to join American Haas team from next season