re: #115 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

There is a show up here called something like The Search for Canadian Game Shows, a documentary series (it’s fascinating), and they did a piece on Wheel of Fortune.

Wollery and his Vanna (whose name escapes me) were like 5 years into Wheel and both wanted a raise. Merv Griffin said no. After some fuckery on Wollery and his Vanna’s part they got shit canned. Pat was a weatherman somewhere and Merv saw him and offered him the job.

Vanna wanted to be a contestant on Wheel (she had already been a contestant on The Price is Right) and wound up through a friend being offered an audition for the job she now has. She didn’t do well but got the job anyway. She had moved to LA like a month before getting that job. This was exactly what she wanted (like a Price gal who shows off the prizes). She didn’t want to be an actress, just this, a game show cutie.

Oh and a large number of US game show hosts are Canadian. Howie Mandel, Monty, Trebek, so so many.

Susan Stafford was the original co-host of Wheel Of Fortune with Chucky. Yes, both of them wanted a raise and Merv said NO. Pat Sajak was the weatherman on the NBC station in Los Angeles. Merv hired him because he was willing to work for less money. A dear friend of mine worked a long time for Merv and then was hired by King World when Merv sold his TV properties. Oh the stories she told about how depraved Merv Griffin was…