The Story Of The Worst Wheel Of Fortune Player Ever
It is a well established fact that for nearly 40 years, Pat Sajak and Vanna White have had one job: letting television viewers know that they fell asleep during Jeopardy. What is less well known is that their 30-minute weeknight timeslot also serves another purpose, pulling double duty as a loud, brightly colored alarm clock and a TV game show called Wheel of Fortune. The rules are, we've been assured, very real, but the specifics are a little difficult to get your head around.
Here's what we know for sure: during your standard game of Wheel of Fortune, a wheel, presumably of fortune, is spun. Blank spaces are displayed in a manner akin to a game of hangman. Contestants have to guess which letter goes where, with the potential for massive prizes when a lucky spin meets a well-informed attempt to solve the puzzle. It's simple, right?
Not always. Not for everyone. Not for Julian Batts, the Wheel of Fortune player who NewsOne described as making headlines "for all of the wrong reasons."
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Julian Batts of Indiana University, decked out proudly in his school's crimson hue, found his place in Wheel of Fortune history by dunking on himself early and often. During his 2014 appearance on the show, Batts began a facepalm-worthy run when he, with the entire puzzle spelled out for him, whoopsy-doodled the pronunciation of the phrase "Mythological Hero Achilles," opting for a hard "ch" noise in the last word. Per Wheel's stringent policy on the subject of phonics, Batts got the buzzer, missing out on his chance at $1 million.
But still, hope springs eternal, and the wheel is a generous mistress. Another opportunity was afforded the young man when, in the category "People," he was handed a clue reading "The World's Fastest _a_." With a brand new automobile on the line, Batts incorrectly guessed "C," and found himself a pedestrian.
Strike three came when Julian guessed that "On The Spot Decision" actually read "On The Spot Dice Spin," which meant losing a trip to beautiful Jamaica. Batts' run of bad luck made him a social media celebrity. He also won $11,700 because, seriously, nobody understands how Wheel of Fortune works.