Wheel of Fortune marked a major milestone for the 2021-2022 season by celebrating its first $100,000 bonus prize winner. The contestant, Ilene Knebel, had a strange request after her victory though. She wanted to sweep up the confetti from the stage floor and host Pat Sajak was happy to oblige.
During the first part of the episode, Knebel had a great night, picking up $12,000, a trip to the Caribbean, and a new car. When it came to the Bonus Round, she thought long and hard about the letters she chose to help her solve the puzzle with the clue “Around the House.” The Los Angeles resident correctly guessed “Quilted Bedspread.” As Sajak opened the Bonus Round card, he told Knebel she will be a “really big tipper” in the Caribbean because she won $100,000!
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The confetti then rained down on the stage as Knebel screamed with joy. At the end of the show, Sajak strangely held a giant broom. “The first thing she said when the confetti came down was, ‘Where’s the broom? I want to clean up,’” Sajak explained. Knebel said it was true, so she began sweeping up the confetti. Sajak jokingly ordered her to keep sweeping as the show ended.
The scene drew plenty of attention on Twitter from Wheel of Fortune fans. Some thought it was in poor taste, others thought it was just more fun from Sajak.
‘I am absolutely appalled at Pat’
“I am absolutely appalled at Pat told this one hundred thousand dollar winner to sweep up the confetti. What’s up with that?” one viewer wrote.
Making up for the December car fiasco?
“They needed to something for ratings, due to their unfortunate decision not to give that new car to that contestant awhile back,” one person suggested. This was a reference to a December 2021 controversy that arose when a contestant lost a car because of a technicality.
‘These videos make me so happy!’
“I’m misty eyed that the lady won $100,000 in the [Wheel Of Fortune] bonus round. (Sigh) I’m getting old,” one viewer wrote.
Did Sajak go too far?
One fan defended Sajak. “Pat said at the end that the first thing Ilene said when the confetti dropped was ‘Where’s the broom? I want to clean up’ and she laughed and said, ‘It’s true!’ I guess listening is hard for some people,” the fan wrote.
However, another fan thought Sajak went too far. “Yeah but once he handed her the broom and explained that she wanted to clean, the joke was over. Feels like him repeatedly telling her to get to work and ‘don’t just stand there’ was a bit much lol,” the viewer wrote.
‘Couldn’t happen to a better person’
“Congratulations Ilene! Enjoy your $112,000! You work at Beverly Hills maybe now you can buy something there. You did a great job with the push room. Very enjoyable show,” one fan wrote.
‘You go girl!!!!!’
“Congrats-but please replace the announcer-he sounded like he didn’t give a crap someone just won big,”ย one Sajak critic tweeted.
