Long-running game show Wheel of Fortune is renowned, at least on the internet, for its WTF moments.
But usually it's because of contestants who can't solve puzzles with only one letter left, or who mispronounce a completely solved puzzle and end up losing the game because of it.
The show's latest bizarre moment, however, is of a different type entirely--the type where host Pat Sajak physically attacks a contestant.
All in fun, of course, don't worry. But still... what the heck was this?!
Well, it turns out Sajak kind of had a good reason to playfully tackle the contestant, a guy named Fred who is a drama teacher, bar trivia host and, it turns out, also a wrestler.
Fred it seems is no ordinary Wheel of Fortune contestant, he's of a rare breed who played a perfect game--he solved every puzzle, including the bonus one.
Fred Domination | Wheel of Fortune youtu.be
Which, if you've ever watched Wheel of Fortune with any consistency, you'll know means someone in the casting department messed up because... well let's just say they don't exactly pull from the same pool of people as Jeopardy!
Anyway, Fred racked up more than $75,000 in prize money and a boatload of prizes that was sure to make every other contestant or wannabe wildly jealous.
So Sajak quipped to Fred's opponents:
“Just because he’s a professional amateur, you want me to body slam him for you?”
So he walked up to Fred, pretended to shake his hand, and instead body-slammed him. Or sort of did anyway, putting him in a headlock with his hand over his mouth--a move apparently called a Crossface Chicken Wing--while Fred feigned viciously fighting back.
After the moment was done and Sajak asked Fred about his wrestling career, he quipped:
"Yeah I used to do that professionally Like you’ve never heard of ‘The Masked Sage?’ Come on…"
Okay then! Just another day on the Wheel of Fortune set, or whatever!
Folks on Twitter had a lot of fun with this moment of levity.
Even after 42 years of being on the air, you just never know what you're going to see on Wheel of Fortune.
Awkward Pena GIF by Luis Ricardo 
Community Facebook GIF by Social Media Tools 
Angry Good News GIF 
Angry Cry Baby GIF by Maryanne Chisholm - MCArtist 
@adriana.kms/TikTok
@mossmouse/TikTok
@im.key05/TikTok
@biontrtwff101/TikTok
@likebrifr/TikTok
@itsashrashel/TikTok
@ur_not_natalie/TikTok
@rbaileyrobertson/TikTok
@xo.promisenat20/TikTok
@weelittlelandonorris/TikTok
@katiebullit/TikTok
@rube59815/TikTok
u/Fit_Bowl_7313/Reddit
@meteorblades/Bluesky
@bodenkelly/X