Wheel of Fortune Fans Outraged After Contestant ‘Robbed’ Over Pronunciation
Alright, let’s talk about the controversy that’s got Wheel of Fortune fans up in arms. Imagine you’re on national TV, solving a puzzle, and you know you’ve got the right answer—only to be told you’re wrong because of how you said it. That’s exactly what happened to Arzice Salonga on the February 3rd episode, and fans are not happy.
So here’s the setup: Salonga, a single mom from Medina, Ohio, was playing for the $1,000 Toss-Up round. The puzzle was an “Event,” and the board showed: A F _ I _ _ N / _ A _ A _ _ . She confidently answered “African Safari” —but she pronounced it “Sa-FAIR-ee” instead of “Sa-FAR-ee.” And just like that, the judges ruled it incorrect.
Then, in classic game show drama, another contestant, Brian Nelson, swooped in, pronounced it the “correct” way, and took the prize. The moment left Salonga visibly shocked, and host Ryan Seacrest confirmed, “Yes, safari is the way you have to say that. I just checked with our judges.”
Also Read:- Iowa State vs. Cincinnati – Exciting Big 12 Showdown Set for February 5
- The Tragic Reality of Forgotten Baby Syndrome
Now, the internet exploded . Fans rushed to Salonga’s defense, especially on Reddit and Twitter. One person wrote, “That was cheap. I didn’t think they were so fussy on pronunciation.” Another put it bluntly: “She was robbed. 100% B.S.” Many pointed out that her pronunciation wasn’t necessarily wrong , just a product of regional dialects or accents. And here’s where things get interesting—Ohio actually has three distinct regional accents. In some areas, words like “merry,” “Mary,” and “marry” all sound the same. So it’s not crazy to think that “safari” could sound different too.
Of course, not everyone thought it was unfair. Some argued that Wheel of Fortune is a game about words , and pronunciation should matter. One person tweeted, “It’s harsh, but it’s the rule. You gotta say it right to win.”
But this isn’t the first time Wheel of Fortune has been called out for strict rulings. Remember when a contestant lost a million-dollar prize for slightly mispronouncing “Mythological Hero Achilles” ? Or when a Southern contestant was penalized for saying “Seven swans a-swimmin’” instead of “swimming” ? And let’s not forget Neetu, who lost out because his pronunciation made it sound like he said “In a Moment’s Notice” instead of “At a Moment’s Notice” .
So where does this leave us? Should the show be more flexible with pronunciation, especially when accents come into play? Or is it fair to expect contestants to pronounce words exactly right? At the end of the day, Wheel of Fortune has rules, but this incident has reignited the debate on whether they should make room for a little nuance.
One thing’s for sure—if you’re planning to be a contestant, maybe practice your pronunciations first. Because on Wheel of Fortune , every syllable could cost you big money.
Read More:
0 Comments