Whoopi Goldberg would take Wheel Of Fortune for a spin if anyone’s offering
Drumming up some of that Hollywood Squares energy, Goldberg said on The View that she was Pat Sajak’s job
Photo: Monica Schipper
Whoopi Goldberg might be looking to get back into game shows. 20 years after she last sat in the center square on Hollywood Squares and less than 24 hours after Pat Sajak announced his retirement, Goldberg said on The View that, sure, she’d like that job. “Sounds like fun.”
Early Tuesday, Jeopardy! co-host Ken Jennings appeared on The View to field Joy Behar’s questions about Liam Neeson and plug his new book, 100 Places To See After You Die. What with the winner of Jeopardy!’s reportedly corrupted talent search two years ago there, host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked Jennings if he had any thoughts on who should take over spinning duties. Never one to pass up an opportunity, as Jennings was making jokes about Sajak’s ability to control inflation of the cost of a vowel, Whoopi Goldberg tossed her name in the ring. “I want that job!” Goldberg said
As the table chattered over her, Behar reiterated Goldberg’s volunteering before Goldberg confirmed her intentions. “I want the job,” Goldberg said again. “I think it’d be lots of fun.”
Of course, unfortunately, as of this reporting, Ken Jennings is not in charge of hiring for Wheel Of Fortune. In fact, one would assume that Jennings would want to steer clear of all game show recruitment for the next century. In 2021, Jennings and, well, a host of prospective Jeopardy! hosts vied for the late-Alex Trebek’s post, with executive producer Mike Richards claiming victory by giving himself the job. After a few weeks of head-scratching and complaining at The A.V. Club, Richards stepped down as host, and Jennings and Mayiam Bialick took over from there.
Last night, Sajak announced his retirement from Wheel Of Fortune. Somewhat strangely, he said that he’ll have more to say but hopes to keep “clickbait sites busy” as they remind readers of how rude he’s been to contestants and that he once likened “global warming alarmists” to “unpatriotic racists.” In his defense, he often complained that he can’t have reasonable doubts about climate change without someone pointing out he was wrong.