Vanna Hosted Wheel
But, had Vanna White ever hosted Wheel of Fortune before Friday? Yes, she definitely has. Vanna White has long been known as the letter-turning co-host on Wheel of Fortune. But, in the 36 years. After 37 years of turning letters on 'Wheel of Fortune,' Vanna White finally got to take the hosting job for a spin. And there were a few bumps along the way.
Everyone is talking about Vanna taking over for Pat Sajak on the famous game show, but this REALLY isn't the first time!
Everyone is super happy that Vanna White took over hosting duties on Wheel of Fortune for Pat Sajak, but hello, am I the only one who went hard on Wheel of Fortune 64 in 1997? I mean, I know Wave Race 64 was dope and StarFox 64 kicked serious ass, but I can’t be the only one who remembers how sick Wheel of Fortune 64 was? Look, I concede it was no Goldeneye 64, but Wheel of Fortune64 is, in my head, the actual first time Vanna White hosted the show.
That’s right, this supposed historic occasion — Vanna White stepping in to host Wheel of Fortune because regular host Pat Sajak had emergency surgery — is not actually new. Everyone is going to tell you it’s new, but that’s because their memories have been erased and all references to Vanna64 have been deleted. Let’s fire up our Nintendo 64s and try to remember the truth.
For the first time in 37 years, Vanna White steps in as the host of #WheelOfFortune.
More: https://t.co/reO9nY9VO2pic.twitter.com/gKPJJFLuWI
— Complex (@Complex) December 10, 2019
If you played Wheel of Fortune 64 in 1997 on the N64 (which I’m sure you all did, it’s clearly amazing) then you know that in that video game version of the popular word puzzle game show, Vanna White was both “host” and “Vanna.” This duo of two Vannas is what we can refer to as “Vanna64.” Obviously, there is IRL Vanna, but I think it’s pretty obvious that Vanna64 was a digital clone of “IRL Vanna.” (Kind of like what happened to Miley Cyrus in Black Mirror)
ANYWAYS, in Wheel of Fortune 64, Vanna64 spoke to you the player exactly the way Pat Sajak would, and, to be clear, in the universe of Wheel of Fortune 64, Pat Sajak did not exist. Yes, there were two Vannas in this world, kind of like Westworld hosts or Cylons on Battlestar Galactica. In fact, the dual nature of Vanna64 was never revealed to me mostly because I never got great at using my N64 controller to buy vowels. Perhaps Pat Sajak was a boss at the end of the game? I never got that far. All I know is that Vanna64 was the supreme ruler of this video game universe.
It’s unclear why Pat Sajak’s visage wasn’t used for this groundbreaking 1997 game, but as I’m sure you all remember, Vanna’s face was the one on the cartridge, which actually made her face the only human face in the game. True, you were able to select ghostly avatars of different contestants, but their features were blurred, kind of like the way people’s faces are blank when Jim Carrey’s memories are erased in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The point is, in Wheel of Fortune 64, Vanna White was a god who could control the wheel, cause you to lose a turn, or force the game to start over.
It’s nice to see IRL Vanna ascending to the height of power she so richly deserves. But, for those of us who remember Vanna White 64, this has all happened before, and it will surely happen again.
In 1975, the game show phenomenon Wheel of Fortunedebuted on NBC. The show ran for 14 years on the network, before moving to CBS, then back to NBC before officially getting canceled on Sept. 20, 1991. However, for eight years, along with the show's daytime version, there was a nighttime syndicated version of the show, which debuted on Sept. 19, 1983. Confusing, right? The nighttime WheelofFortune has been a syndicated hit ever since.
Pat Sajak became the longest-running host of a game show when his 38th season premiered on Sept. 14, 2020. Sajak also hosted the network version of Wheel eight years after replacing the original host, Chuck Woolery. Vanna White has been with Sajack since the show's syndicated debut. However, she debuted the network version of the game show in 1982. During her time on Wheel of Fortune, Vanna White made it into the Guinness World Book of Records. On the May 24, 2013, episode of Wheel of Fortune, Guinness World Records presented White with a most frequent clapper certificate. As of Jan. 31, 2013, it was estimated she clapped at least 3,480,864 times across the show's 30 seasons. White not becoming a spokesperson for The Clapper seems like a missed opportunity, TBH.
Although White has been a fixture of Wheel of Fortune since 1982, she was not the first hostess on the game show. Keep scrolling for all of the details on Vanna White's letter-turning predecessor.
Vanna Hosting Wheel Of Fortune
Susan Stafford was the original letter turner
Although Vanna White has become a game show icon, thanks to her almost four decades on Wheel of Fortune, Susan Stafford was the original Wheel letter-turner. Stafford, born on Jan. 27, 1944, started her career as a model, which led to acting roles on the 1970's TV series staplesIronside, Love American Style, Police Story, and Marcus Welby, MD.
Stafford's time on Wheel of Fortune ran from 1975 to 1982, when she decided to leave the hit game show after reassessing her life priorities. Of her decision to leave Wheel, in a February 1987 interview with The Chicago Tribune, Stafford said, 'I mean, for seven years I stood there and turned letters. I had to ask myself if that was any way for a grown woman to live her life.'
Despite second-guessing her life choices, in 1987, Stafford became the first woman to be nominated for an Emmy on a game show. Looking back, does she have any regrets since Vanna White became a household name? 'Do I kick myself?' Stafford told The Chicago Tribune. 'No, I like myself too much for that. Do I miss the money? You bet I do.' After leaving Wheel of Fortune, Susan Stafford did a total 180. Continue reading for more on her drastic life change.
Vanna White Hosted Wheel Of Fortune Reddit
Susan Safford became a born-again Christian
After leaving WheelofFortune, Susan Stafford went to work at St. Joseph Hospital in Houston, Texas, where she specialized in pastoral care education and working with dying cancer patients, The Chicago Tribune reported. Stafford revealed in her 2010 memoir, Stop the Wheel I Want to Get Off, that when she left Wheel, her bosses were quite surprised. Of the news, her boss allegedly said, 'You're going to Houston to take care of cancer patients, people who are dying? 'Susan, you can't be serious. Even for you, this is a stretch.' She replied, I'm very serious Murray, I can't expect you or anyone for that matter to understand. It's like a special 'calling from God.'
Stafford became a born-again Christian, and according to her website, she earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. in Psychology. She is also a motivational/inspirational seminar speaker and Spiritual Counselor. Stafford formed a non-profit organization called Wheel of Grace Unlimited and continues to reach out daily as a Chaplain and counselor.
One of the most interesting stories involving Susan Stafford involves the late actor Rock Hudson. She was allegedly was present when a Catholic priest led Hudson in the 'sinner's prayer' to receive Jesus Christ into his life just hours before his death at 59 on Oct. 2, 1985, from AIDS complications. 'Yes, it is true that Rock Hudson accepted Jesus Christ on his deathbed,' she revealed in an interview with ASSIST Ministries. I wonder if Vanna White has any stories that can top that one?