Wheel Of Fortune Host Pat Sajak Under Fire For Photo With Politician
Pat Sajak is being criticized after a photo of him posing with controversial politician Marjorie Taylor Greene has surface.
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Longtime Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak has been criticized for taking a photo with Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene. In the image, he poses between Greene and Right Side Broadcasting Network reporter Brian Glenn. The picture, captured earlier this month, went viral on social media after it was re-shared by an unverified Twitter account that aims to “expose right-wing extremism and other threats to democracy.”
Although the account that shared the picture over the weekend didn’t provide context, HuffPost says the image was originally posted by Glenn in late August. In the accompanying caption, he said the photo, which prominently features Wheel of Fortune’s Pat Sajak, was taken at dinner the night before. However, some people don’t seem to about the “where and why” as they shared their disapproval on the micro-blogging site.
So far, the reactions have been brutal with people claiming that Pat Sajak is showing his “true colors.” Some vowed to boycott the iconic game show because of the photo, while others noted that the 75-year-old had actually expressed his extreme conservative views in the past. These claims were accompanied by screengrabs of years-old tweets which have since been deleted from the game show host’s social media profile.
Since Pat Sajak has alluded to retiring soon, TMZ theorized that perhaps he is no longer afraid to let his affiliations become public knowledge. A known Republican, the game show host is known for his controversial views on climate change. He also serves on the board of a publishing house that has produced books from Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, according to Newsweek.
While having differing political views is perfectly acceptable, Pat Sajak’s photo with the congresswomen is problematic for various reasons. Known for her far-right views, Marjorie Taylor Greene is also a conspiracy theorist who has served as the U.S. representative for Georgia’s 14th congressional district since 2021. A strong supporter of Donald Trump, she was elected to Congress in 2020 following the retirement of Republican incumbent Tom Graves.
Greene has also promoted white supremacist and antisemitic conspiracy theories, as well as other extremist ideas about mass shootings, the alleged killings perpetrated by the Clinton family, and the 9/11 attacks. Before running for Congress, she supported calls to execute prominent Democratic politicians, including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. As a congresswoman, she equated the Democratic Party with Nazis which is why Pat Sajak’s affiliation with her has been slammed.
Meanwhile, Pat Sajak says his time as Wheel of Fortune host is coming to an end. The 75-year-old, who has hosted the daily game show for 40 years, told Entertainment Tonight that he might not be on television for much longer. “In most television shows by this time, you would have said, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show will not die,” he said. “It appears I may go before the show. Years go by fast. We’re getting near the end,” he added.
Pat Sajak has held the Wheel of Fortune hosting position since 1981. For his efforts, the television personality has received 19 Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Game Show Host, winning three times. He previously served in the U.S. Army as a disc jockey during the Vietnam War for American Forces Vietnam Network.
