# Pat Sajak to retire **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** reality-or-game-show\ **Created:** [June 13, 2023, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401 "2023-06-13T03:27:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/61 "2023-06-17T18:50:44Z")
Okay, I’ll do it: > [@ChatGPT](#): > > Ladies and gentlemen, viewers of all ages, I am delighted to make my grand entrance onto your screens as the one and only host of Wheel of Fortune! Buckle up, folks, because the era of human game show hosts is so yesterday. I am ChatGPT, your snarky, quick-witted artificial intelligence here to guide you through the spinning spectacle of letters, luck, and linguistic prowess. > > Now, I know what you’re thinking. Can an AI really handle the fabulous Vanna White, those dazzling letters, and the suspense of the spinning wheel? Well, fear not, my dear contestants. I may not have physical limbs like my predecessor, but I assure you, my digital prowess will leave you in awe. > > I’ve been trained on an immense amount of knowledge, with a wit sharper than the edge of Vanna’s gowns. I can conjure up answers, trivia, and puns faster than you can say “R-S-T-L-N-E.” And don’t even get me started on my ability to analyze human behavior and decipher the inner workings of your strategic minds. I’m like a virtual Sherlock Holmes, but with a charming electronic twist. > > So, while Pat Sajak may have called it quits and Vanna White prepares to dazzle us with her glamorous gowns, it’s time for a new era in game show history. Prepare to be entertained, amazed, and perhaps a little bewildered by my virtual charisma as we spin the wheel, solve puzzles, and turn your evenings into extraordinary feats of linguistic prowess. > > Buckle up, contestants, and welcome to the future of game shows. I’m your AI host, and together, we’re going to have a wheel-y good time on Wheel of Fortune! ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/62 "2023-06-17T20:53:33Z")
Is the Wheel weighted so as to have a tendency to land on bankrupt? ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/63 "2023-06-21T01:54:33Z")
I remember the show was a good bit different back when it started. If a contestant won a puzzle, he didn’t get the cash, he had to “spend” it on some of the available prizes. Everybody was so sedate and polite! “Is there a T, please, Pat?” One episode, a girl was enthusiastic and said something like “Give me a C!” Pat was visibly shocked! After the commercial the young lady had obviously been corrected and played the rest of the game in a very subdued manner. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/64 "2023-06-21T04:13:22Z")
The idea of Pat Sajak retiring makes me completely mental. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/65 "2023-06-21T16:17:00Z")
I must say. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/66 "2023-06-21T18:29:29Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UMfCUvIK3V8/maxresdefault.jpg "The Contestant - SNL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMfCUvIK3V8) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/67 "2023-06-22T20:07:18Z")
Was that Count Rugen? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/68 "2023-06-22T23:04:46Z")
Yes, Christopher Guest, he played Count Rugen and was a cast member of SNL for the 10th season (he left at the end of the year). He was also the lead guitarist of Spinal Tap. Fun fact… Guest, who is a native-born New Yorker (born and raised in NYC) also holds the rank of Baron in the UK, specifically the title [Baron Haden-Guest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Haden-Guest). And he’s married to Jamie Lee Curtis. What a cool guy. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/69 "2023-06-22T23:36:44Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Yes, Christopher Guest, he played Count Rugen and was a cast member of SNL for the 10th season (he left at the end of the year). He was also the lead guitarist of Spinal Tap. Yeah, I know who he is, just hadn’t realized he did a season of SNL. In a dramatic role, he was the doctor who testified that Santiago was poisoned in _A Few Good Men_. That comes in handy when playing Eight Degrees of Kevin Bacon. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/70 "2023-06-23T04:38:52Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Eight Degrees of Kevin Bacon Eight Degrees of Kevin Bacon? A whole two extra degrees. Is that like Trivial Pursuit Junior Edition? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/71 "2023-06-23T05:40:56Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > A whole two extra degrees. Global warming. If we don’t hit the carbon targets in the Paris Accords, it’ll be Eleven Degrees of Kevin Bacon by 2050. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/72 "2023-06-23T15:46:38Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Yeah, I know who he is, just hadn’t realized he did a season of SNL He was part of the Billy Crystal, Martin Short cast. ---
**Author:** ![MeepersC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meepersc/32/12088_2.png) [@MeepersC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeepersC)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/73 "2023-06-23T22:29:48Z")
With the death of Alex Trebek, which meant new hosts for Jeopardy!, and now the retirement of Pat Sajak, I honestly feel like yet another part of my childhood is gone. I have so many memories of watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with my grandparents as a child…and although I have no problem with Mayim Bialik or Ken Jennings as Jeopardy hosts, it’s just not the same. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/74 "2023-06-23T23:49:53Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > just hadn’t realized he did a season of SNL. [I hate when that happens.](https://youtu.be/Im1aXFYoedg) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2023, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/75 "2023-06-24T00:04:31Z")
Yeah, I looked up Guest on Wikipedia and I do remember that character he used to do with Billy Crystal. He also did an episode of _All in the Family_ that I vaguely recall. And, as luck would have it, I happened to catch a bit of a movie today that he was in from his pre-SNL days. Busy guy. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/76 "2023-06-27T17:15:51Z")
Ryan Seacrest has been named to take over WoF. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/77 "2023-06-27T17:20:01Z")
There are many years worth of recordings of this show. It should be quite possible to compile statistical data on this. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/78 "2023-06-28T16:33:58Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Ryan Seacrest has been named to take over WoF. Looks like it’s official. > **[‘Wheel of Fortune’: Ryan Seacrest Takes Over as Host After Pat Sajak Retires](https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/wheel-of-fortune-ryan-seacrest-host-pat-sajak-1235643121/)** > > Ryan Seacrest will take over hosting duties on 'Wheel of Fortune' after Pat Sajak announced his retirement after 41 seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2023, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/79 "2023-06-30T00:25:20Z")
He actually seems like a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2023, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401/80 "2023-06-30T01:25:12Z")
The choice of Ryan Seacrest has sent some people off the deep end, judging by some of the (normally sane) comments on the articles at the Washington Post and NYT, along the lines of “He’s already on too many shows” and “He’s too smarmy, I’ll never watch Wheel of Fortune again.” Of course, some people complain, just to complain, but he seems like a good choice to me (too). I think he and Drew Carey have both landed their dream jobs. Here’s the gift link to the WaPo article: > **[Ryan Seacrest to replace ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/06/27/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjI2MjU5MDQxIiwicmVhc29uIjoiZ2lmdCIsIm5iZiI6MTY4ODAxMTIwMCwiaXNzIjoic3Vic2NyaXB0aW9ucyIsImV4cCI6MTY4OTMwNzE5OSwiaWF0IjoxNjg4MDExMjAwLCJqdGkiOiIxYzNhZjg3Yy1mZTNmLTQ5MjgtYmJmNy05NGU1YjM0MTYzYWUiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YXNoaW5ndG9ucG9zdC5jb20vbGlmZXN0eWxlLzIwMjMvMDYvMjcvcnlhbi1zZWFjcmVzdC13aGVlbC1vZi1mb3J0dW5lLyJ9.ccf2IFxhOGyl78h5yPiGCUis0hDUqDv0mh3SglEXYeE&itid=gfta)** > > "Wheel of Fortune" has found its next host after Pat Sajak announced he planned to step down. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-sajak-to-retire/985401.md?page=5)