Pat Sajak Spins to Retirement: Fans Wonder if Final Puzzle Was 'Golf Course'

3 minute read

Published: 6/5/2024

After a jaw-dropping, vowel-buying, and sometimes even "bankrupt"-inducing 41 seasons, Pat Sajak, the legendary host of Wheel of Fortune, is spinning off into retirement. Yes, you read that right—41 years of spinning a giant wheel and cracking wise with Vanna White. Sajak announced his retirement on June 2023, and his final episode is scheduled to air on Friday, June 7, 2024. It’s as if someone solved the ultimate puzzle: "T_ _ G_

E IS

P."

Speaking of puzzles, fans are already speculating that Sajak’s decision to retire isn’t random but strategically placed to maximize golfing time. Given that he wants to leave "a couple of years too early than a couple of years too late," he must be planning to break a record for most tee times at his favorite course.

Stepping into his shiny shoes is none other than all-around media mogul Ryan Seacrest, who is set to begin hosting duties in September 2024. Let's hope Seacrest can resist turning the Wheel of Fortune studio into a high-energy American Idol knockoff—though we can certainly expect him to bring his A-game. You know, to the delight of everyone… especially his hairstylist.

Meanwhile, for those worried Vanna White might also leave the building, put your minds at ease. She has confirmed she will stay on through the 2025-2026 season. Looks like the alphabet will continue to be safe in her sequined hands.

In a heartwarming (or possibly contractually obligated) move, Pat Sajak's daughter Maggie interviewed him about his retirement. The touching exchange proved that even the man who's seen it all can still get weepy—but just a tiny bit. After all, he is retiring from a show that’s been part of American living rooms longer than some viewers have been alive.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White have been integral to American pop culture, with their names almost synonymously tied to evening TV. They've guided contestants and viewers through innumerable word puzzles, some good-natured ribbing, and more than one iconic mishap.

Ryan Seacrest surely has his work cut out for him. Filling the shoes of a man who’s played host to generations, who’s lived through four decades of changing hairstyles, and who’s probably spun that wheel more than the earth spins around the sun, is no easy feat. But if anyone can do it, Seacrest can.

Sajak’s legacy is a constellation of bright moments. From the funny, unplanned on-air banter to the classic eye-roll-inducing dad jokes, “Patisms” could very well have their own fan base. This is an occasion to celebrate, certainly more so than solving a puzzle like "Thing: CLTL W

_ TER."

As for Pat Sajak, his final puzzle might very well spell out "G

LF CO_ RSE." Unlike the rest of us, he won’t have to buy any vowels to figure out what it means. Retirement awaits, and forever sunny days on the links stretch ahead. It’s a well-deserved finale for a man who has given decades of entertainment, smiles, and—dare we say it—some unforgettable spins.