Wheel Of Fortune Made A Huge Mistake At The Worst Time
Even the most established shows aren’t immune to the occasional grammar slip-up — not even long-running game shows involving word puzzles. As a user on the social media platform formally known as Twitter so aptly pointed out, it seems that the Wheel of Fortune’s marketing team may not know the difference between how to showcase the possession of a singular noun versus a plural noun. As the show kicked off its annual Teachers’ Week celebration, viewers couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony of a misplaced apostrophe, transforming it into “Teacher’s Week.”
“Is Wheel of Fortune celebrating one teacher or all teachers?” X user @LoriHaun asked. It’s a valid question, considering that an errant apostrophe can drastically change the meaning of a phrase.
In proper grammar, when we want to show possession by a plural noun, we place the apostrophe after the “s.” In this case, the correct wording should have been “Teachers’ Week,” signifying that the celebration was dedicated to honoring many teachers. However, Wheel of Fortune’s placement of the apostrophe before the “s” in “Teacher’s Week” implied that the entire week was dedicated to just one very special teacher, which is an amusing notion.
One viewer hilariously noted the irony that this grammatical mishap occurred during a week when teachers were participating as contestants on Wheel of Fortune.
The online reactions kept pouring in, with some users playfully pointing out the error Wheel of Fortune had made and others offering humorous commentary. “Shouldn’t it be Teachers’ Week, meaning all teachers?” queried one X user, voicing the grammatical concern that had taken root in many viewers’ minds. Another commenter agreed with the initial observation, adding a “Smh” (shaking my head) for emphasis.
One viewer hilariously noted the irony that this grammatical mishap occurred during a week when teachers were participating as contestants on Wheel of Fortune. It’s as if fate conspired to put teachers in the spotlight and draw attention to this grammatical blunder.
Yet, amidst the chuckles and eye-rolls, Wheel of Fortune continued its show with trademark enthusiasm. However, keen-eyed fans couldn’t help but notice the absence of Vanna White, the show’s iconic co-host, who has been an integral part of the game show for an astounding 32 years.
Vanna White Is Missing Teachers’ Week
Vanna White had fallen ill with COVID-19 when Teachers’ Week was filmed back in July. Her absence marked an extremely rare occurrence in her long tenure on the show, with only four other instances of missing the show during her remarkable 41-year run. Her previous Wheel of Fortune abscenes were due to personal tragedies, honeymoon, and illness.
However, despite grammatical errors and White’s absence, the show must go on, and Wheel of Fortune introduced Bridgette Donald-Blue as Vanna White’s stand-in for the week. Bridgette, a California-based Teacher of the Year recipient, stepped into the role of turning the famous puzzle board. This substitution added a touch of novelty to the show, with viewers appreciating the tribute to educators and the resilience demonstrated by both the show and its beloved co-host.
While Wheel of Fortune‘s “Teacher’s Week” grammatical blunder may have been an unintended comic moment, it serves as a reminder that even the most prominent shows can make linguistic mistakes. It’s moments like these that remind us that a little humor can go a long way, even if it’s at the expense of an errant apostrophe.
