# Great Wheel of Fortune Screwups **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321 "2006-05-18T21:30:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/41 "2006-05-19T15:50:19Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > It’s from an episode of _Family Guy_. “Three loins in the fountain” came from _The Simpsons_. Well they might have gotten it from the following joke: One day the Pope is doing a crossword puzzle when he asks one of his Cardinals, 'What’s a four letter word for a woman that ends -unt?" The Cardinal immediately responds, “Aunt.” The Pope nods his head and then says, “Do you happen to have an eraser?” ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/42 "2006-05-19T15:51:38Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It’s reasonable that an Aussie wouldn’t know that one, but Dolly Madison was a very famous (among Americans, at least) First Lady. Legend has it, that when the British burned Washington during the War of 1812, she saved the historic artwork in the White House. Doesn’t sound plausible. Everyone knows that Dolly Madison was out banging Monroe that night. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/43 "2006-05-19T16:08:16Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > Slightly off topic, here is a famous [video clip](http://gprime.net/video.php/whatsaho) of long-time Jeopardy contestant Ken Jennings missing a question. > > I still think he should have been given credit. And [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=280006) is a previous thread on that topic (and I still think he should have gotten credit) ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/44 "2006-05-19T16:22:57Z")
> [@Stereo Isomer](#): > > Once, in the 80’s, when I was a kid, there was a puzzle where the solution was “taught to the tune of a hick’ry stick.” Apparently it’s a lyric from a well-known old song that people still would have known in the 80’s. The song (as sung by my mother) went: School days, school days, Dear old golden rule days, Reading and writing and 'rithmetic Taught to the tune of a hick’ry stick You were my queen in calico I was your bashful barefoot beau And I wrote on your slate “I love you so” When we were a couple of kids Quickly googling says that it’s 99 years old now - obscure enough in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/45 "2006-05-19T16:50:20Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > \_0 \_0 _0 AN_ A \_OTTLE OF RUM. > > The first contestant said “Yo Yo Yo and a bottle of rum”. > > The second contestant **also** said “Yo Yo Yo and a bottle of rum.” I opened this thread to post about this very pack of idiots. As I recall, the second one said “Ho Ho Ho And A Bottle Of Rum.” Apparently, Santa’s a pirate. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/46 "2006-05-19T17:00:52Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > No, Dolly – one of the more famous First Ladies of the US. And the name of the company that originally made Zingers. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/47 "2006-05-19T17:50:08Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > That’s why the smart people are on Jeopardy and everybody else is on Wheel. From some sitcom: (Seinfeld?) On Wheel, it’s, “A stitch in time saves . . . pork?” On Jeopardy, it’s, “I’ll take “Things only I know” for $1,000, Alex.” ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/48 "2006-05-20T00:14:39Z")
James Madison’s wife’s name was Dolley, with an E. The error in spelling appears to be the ice cream company’s. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/49 "2006-05-20T01:09:25Z")
THE CHECK IS IN THE M\_LL Contestant: “The check is in the mill!” Me: :wally ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/50 "2006-05-20T01:10:15Z")
> [@Dusty](#): > > It’s been a while since I’ve seen Wheel of Fortune, but aren’t the big money wedges treated as prizes rather than cash? It’s also been awhile since I watched, but last I checked, there was a $10,000 spot that was treated like a prize. As with other prizes, multiple occurences of the same letter did not award multiple amounts of $10,000 (it always pisses me off when a contestant wastes a letter they know occurs multiple times on a prize space). It’s a one-time shot, so once a contestant claims the $10,000 with a correctly called letter it’s no longer up for grabs, and if it’s lost to a bankrupt, it’s gone for good. The $10,000 spot is a small sliver only marked for a 1/3 wedge (one single peg space on the wheel), bounded by a bankrupt sliver on each side. As for the $5,000 space, it counts just like any other dollar amount and pays in multiples and remains on the wheel for the duration of the round. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/51 "2006-05-20T01:44:09Z")
> [@Black Train Song](#): > > It might not be plausible but that’s what shot out of the guy’s mouth. He obviously didn’t win the prize though. I remember it because Pat Sajek (quite a guy I must say) started to laugh and made a joke about where the guy was from (NY I think). No, what is being said is that “–LL --SHER” is not possible, because it would have been “-ELL --SHER” on the board (since “well wisher” was the correct answer). Perhaps what the board showed was “–LL --SH-R” but it could not have shown “–LL --SHER” given the answer. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cheapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8e7dd6/32.png) [@El\_Cheapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cheapo)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/52 "2006-05-20T02:34:32Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > No, what is being said is that “–LL --SHER” is not possible, because it would have been “-ELL --SHER” on the board (since “well wisher” was the correct answer). Perhaps what the board showed was “–LL --SH-R” but it could not have shown “–LL --SHER” given the answer. This was from a toss-up puzzle, so all the E spaces weren’t filled simultaneously. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/53 "2006-05-20T02:53:37Z")
> [@El Cheapo](#): > > This was from a toss-up puzzle, so all the E spaces weren’t filled simultaneously. AHHH…Now it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/54 "2006-05-20T02:56:03Z")
From tonight’s show: COMIC -OO- AND MOVIE HEROS THE -MEN Contestant offers up “Comic good and movie heros the X-Men” ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/55 "2006-05-20T03:07:46Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > THE CHECK IS IN THE M\_LL > > Contestant: “The check is in the mill!” > > Me: :wally The check was in the m **a** ll? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/56 "2006-05-20T04:05:35Z")
> [@Black Train Song](#): > > One time the clue to the final puzzle was \_ \_ LL \_ \_SHER > > the real answer was WELL WISHER but the contestant guessed PILL PUSHER. BALL BASHER? ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/57 "2006-05-20T05:48:53Z")
> [@](#): > > **gotpasswords** wrote: > From tonight’s show: > > COMIC -OO- > AND MOVIE HEROS > THE -MEN > > Contestant offers up “Comic good and movie heros the X-Men” I was flipping channels and caught that. I wasn’t even invested in the show, and I literally yelled, “You idiot!” Dad (in the other room) thought I was talking to him. ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/58 "2006-05-20T09:25:27Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > From tonight’s show: > > COMIC -OO- > AND MOVIE HEROS > THE -MEN > > Contestant offers up “Comic good and movie heros the X-Men” err…I don’t get this one, what is it supposed to be? Comic toon? ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/59 "2006-05-20T09:27:31Z")
> [@Taber](#): > > err…I don’t get this one, what is it supposed to be? Comic toon? Oh. ok, I see, yes it is comic toon and movie heroes, as the X-men are heroes that appear in comics, toons, and movies. Right ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321/60 "2006-05-20T12:28:17Z")
> [@Taber](#): > > err…I don’t get this one, what is it supposed to be? Comic toon? Well, I would have gone with comic book and movie heros the X-men [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wheel-of-fortune-screwups/357321.md?page=4)