Pat Sajak, presenter of the Wheel of Fortune, upset a number of viewers on Monday when he seemingly mocked a participant with a speech impediment.
The host of the old game show tried to keep things light during Monday’s show while introducing contestants. While doing this, Sajak spoke to contestant Chris Brimble. After explaining to the host what he does for a living, it became clear to viewers and host that Brimble is speaking with a slight lisp.
Sajak listened to him and even commented on the importance of his job in bringing technology to older adults. However, the host closed the short interview with “I you” instead of “I understand.”
While Brimble just laughed away the moment, viewers angry at the Sajak’s apparent mockery of the contestant’s lack of speech took to Twitter to voice their outrage.
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“Did @patsajak just mock one of the participants ??” one user wrote
“@patsajak Hey d —- tas, say a cheap photo that makes fun of a participant with a lisp. I teach speech therapy. You have been on the air for far too long. It’s time to retire. Your sarcasm is offensive and only funny to idiots like you, ” added a particularly angry viewer
“Hopefully you learned through your mistake and stop making fun of people with lisp. As a woman who has lived with a lisp all her life (and my parents gave me speech lessons when I went to school as a youngster), I like it horrible that you do that kind of nonsense, ” a third user wrote
“As someone your age who grew up with hearing-impaired cousins, I learned that we NEVER made fun of their speech patterns. To this day I wouldn’t even think about doing what you were doing, so don’t get on you “exemplary” high horse about it. You were 100% wrong. Own it and DO IT BETTER! ” added another user
Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak caught recoil for mocking a contestant with a speech impediment.
(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
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“@patsajak There is a clear reason why Trebek has always been a better host than you,” wrote another enraged viewer
“@patsajak you have to be a Trumpster supporter who makes fun of people with speech impediments. You’re a very small piece of nothing in my mind! Producers have time to get rid of this overpaid idiot and get someone decent hosting the show!” You stink sajak !! ” wrote another
Representatives for Sajak did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
According to Yahoo Entertainment, Brimble’s game didn’t seem to be thrown out in the least by the host’s jab. He went on to make $ 12,250 in prize money but just missed the bonus puzzle and deserved the win.
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At the end of the show, Sajak touched on a moment from his interview with the contestant that had nothing to do with the insulting joke. Brimble wondered how long does someone have to get married before they are no longer considered a “newlywed”?
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“You know I’ve been married for 31 years and I still feel like a newly married woman,” Sajak told co-host Vana White at the end of the show to the applause of the audience. “It’s going to be a big night at the Sajak house.”