At 74 years old, Pat Sajak is the elder statesman of game show hosts. Sajak is celebrating 40 years on Wheel of Fortune this year, and many tabloids have taken note. Gossip Cop regularly investigates stories about Sajak’s future on the program. Is he really retiring because his mind is slipping? Here’s what we’ve found out.
Trying To Stay Hip
According to the Globe, Pat Sajak was trying to revamp his appearance to keep up with the changing times. After causing a stir during a tense contestant encounter, Sajak reportedly decided that a makeover would help him get back in people’s good graces. A source said, “He’s so desperate to be cool and he’s even talking about getting a tattoo and pierced ear.” He was also dying his hair super blonde and getting a facelift to look younger. In reality, Sajak has adamantly apologized for the recent controversy, and it didn’t have nearly the impact on his career that the tabloid made it out to be. This makeover never happened, so the story is completely false.
Pat Sajak’s Ready To Retire
Back in May, OK! claimed Sajak was planning to retire after a series of gaffes. An insider explained, “He’s not a quitter by any means, but it’s not lost on him that he has plenty of other opportunities outside of the game show.” The crew of the show, including Vanna White, did not want to see him go, but the source said he was ready to move on.
While Sajak has had some “embarrassing blunders” recently, his contract runs until 2022. There’s no sign that he’s going to leave sooner just because of some cringiness. A Sajak retirement has been a popular story for years, but it’s yet to come to pass.
Threatening To Quit
The Globe reported that Pat Sajak was feeling burned out on Wheel of Fortune and ready to leave it behind. The host was allegedly blaming producers for his recent mistakes and felt the crew wasn’t doing their jobs. An insider said, “Pat wants to stay but he wants protection from the bosses and better editing of the show, so he doesn’t come off as a jerk.” This story came about after Sajak accidentally gave away the bonus round answer. It was a little embarrassing, but it didn’t cause him to quit. As Gossip Cop has pointed out many times, Sajak will definitely stay with the show until at least 2022, when his contract expires.
Losing His Marbles
After the bonus round blunder, the Globe said Sajak was “out of control” and losing his mind. An insider said Sajak’s “put-downs have gotten out of control,” and “it’s like he’s losing his marbles.” This story acted as though there’s been a recent change in Sajak’s behavior, but that’s simply not true. He’s always been a tad ornery and prone to gaffes, but that’s just part of his style really. This story came out months ago and Sajak is still at the helm, so Gossip Cop knows the story was bogus.
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