As a longtime fan of “Wheel of Fortune,” I must say that Ryan Seacrest seems to have effortlessly slid into the iconic role once held by Pat Sajak, and Vanna White continues to be the ever-graceful puzzle master. With their combined energy and charisma, they’ve breathed new life into this classic game show.
For the first time in 40 seasons, “Wheel of Fortune” started filming this summer without announcer’s traditional introduction “Ladies and gentlemen, here are the stars of our show…” not being followed by Pat Sajak and Vanna White. Instead, Ryan Seacrest was waiting backstage, ready to walk hand in hand with Vanna White, as they prepared for the LED wall doors to open, allowing them to casually stroll through and spin the wheel
“Seacrest mentioned that ‘American Idol’ has identical doors, as well as the same operator for those doors. This means that it appears as though you are standing in the same location due to the fact that the back of the set only contains screens and electrical outlets.”
Absolutely, Seacrest is a seasoned radio and television host who has followed in the footsteps of broadcasting icons such as Casey Kasem, Dick Clark, and Regis Philbin, hosting various events from New Year’s Eve broadcasts to morning shows. However, on his first day of filming “Wheel,” he was filled with apprehension. He aimed to impress the studio audience and viewers at home who were tuned in as Wheel Watchers
“Seacrest explains, ‘I aimed for it to feel authentic and relatable to the audience.'”
Being there beside my longtime friend White during his big moment, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension for him. He’s always been the dedicated actor who pours his heart into every role, rehearsing tirelessly to deliver a top-notch performance. And true to form, he nailed it. His hard work paid off!
Suzanne Prete, head of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, stood behind closed doors, poised with her iPhone to capture events, as her superior, Sony Pictures Entertainment President and COO Ravi Ahuja, who happened to be abroad on that significant day, was expecting the footage
Prete reminisces about the intense anticipation everyone felt as they approached that significant moment. The atmosphere was electric with excitement you could almost touch. Just before hitting ‘send’, she double-checked the recording. There were signs of her holding back tears, it was an emotional moment for her. “It was a rare career highlight,” Prete says, “to have Ryan Seacrest step into Pat Sajak’s large shoes so effortlessly and perform so well. I still can’t believe it.”
The situation was critical for all parties. When Sajak declared his retirement back in June, Seacrest emerged as the top candidate for Sony Pictures Television executives to succeed him. Coincidentally, Seacrest had recently parted ways with “Live With Kelly and Ryan,” creating a vacancy in his busy schedule. Moreover, since Sajak still had a final season ahead, he was given a year to prepare
For Seacrest, it’s quite full-circle and meaningful to be chosen as the host for “Wheel.” In the ’90s, the creator of the show, Merv Griffin, had hired him for a different role – hosting “Click,” a teen game show. Over lunch at the Beverly Hilton pool back then, Seacrest would often discuss various topics with Griffin. One day, the conversation turned to “Wheel,” and the media mogul shared what made this show so unique
“Seacrest mentioned that he was told it’s something enduring because it’s a straightforward show that people enjoy participating in. Even after having a chaotic, demanding day, you can unwind and forget about everything else. According to him, that’s what makes it special,” Seacrest reminisces, adding that during their conversation, he never imagined he would have the chance to host it
As a diligent learner, Ryan Seacrest delved into “Wheel’s” extensive archive of over 8,000 episodes, scrutinizing hundreds of shows from each decade to grasp the intricacies of the game. Executive producer Bellamie Blackstone even constructed a scaled-down replica of the wheel (approximately the size of an SUV tire), and they rehearsed in conference rooms across the country while Seacrest was on business trips
“He mentions that they provided a computer equipped with both visual interface and audio effects of the board, allowing him to experience it firsthand. However, he found the full-sized wheel more challenging to manipulate than it appeared, admitting that it was quite heavy and nearly caused him to lose balance while attempting to rotate it.”
Seacrest also dropped by the set to catch Sajak and White in action. That’s where he saw the smoothly functioning machine known as “Wheel.” The team films six episodes daily, with just the brief pauses required for the hosts to switch outfits and greet a fresh set of contestants
“Wow, they’re so on point! I don’t want to hold them back,” Seacrest thought. “Joining a completely new production can be challenging since things are still developing and it takes time to find your footing,” he explains. “If it’s not live, which I prefer, then this is the kind of show you want because all the glitches have been ironed out beforehand.”
On a few occasions, Seacrest sought Sajak’s counsel before taking over the show. Sajak offered his insights briefly: “Vanna is fantastic to work with, this is the best show on TV. Your role will primarily be guiding people through the game as they accumulate winnings. There isn’t much to ponder.” (White’s advice mirrored this simplicity: “Just be yourself and enjoy the ride.”)
Seacrest has been optimistic about White’s future role on “Wheel.” They first encountered each other at Griffin’s 2007 funeral, where they sat next to one another. Since then, they have cultivated a casual friendship. As Seacrest started discussing the possibility of joining the show, White was simultaneously engaged in her own contract negotiations
“As both the producer and the host, I felt strongly about having Vanna by my side rather than anyone else. It was essential for me to keep her on the show as long as she is willing. For the debut of the show, introducing two new people at once would be too much change all at once. I made it clear that not including her would be a mistake.”
(In the end, her contract was prolonged to cover the 2025-2026 season. “I wasn’t thinking about retiring yet,” she said to EbMaster. “I still have at least two more years with this show, and we’ll take it from there.” )
By mid-August, Seacrest had clearly perfected his spinning skills, as evidenced when EbMaster dropped by the set while they were filming episodes slated for broadcast during Veterans Day week. The Sony soundstage was adorned with an American Flag theme on the LED wall and sides of the wheel and floor beneath it. This was all part of the Art Deco-style renovation, a nostalgic nod to the early days of “Wheel.”
As I stood there on the set, ready to work my magic, I could feel the excitement coursing through me like electricity. Ryan was nothing short of prepared, and with a natural flair, he effortlessly connected with the contestants in an incredibly genuine manner. He truly lived up to his reputation for being entertaining, delivering more than expected. The atmosphere was charged with a fresh, invigorating energy
Ryan Seacrest manages to strike the perfect balance between excitement and disappointment when contestants reach the million-dollar space and then go bankrupt on their next turn, creating a smooth rhythm throughout. It’s truly astonishing how full of energy he appears. (Even after a whole day of filming, I found it exhausting just watching, let alone hosting multiple rounds. Applauding for “big money” for hours can be quite draining.)
“Seacrest jokes with a witty remark before saying, ‘We’ll be back soon,’ and his laughter-filled smile shows how much fun he’s having,” is an easy-to-understand paraphrase for the given sentence. This maintains the original meaning while making it more conversational and natural
The “Wheel” team is joining the trend as well. With traditional TV viewership numbers decreasing, there’s a need to sustain the successful nightly averages for the syndicated game show (over 20 million viewers watch it weekly). As they created promotional content for the upcoming season, they found that the letters assigned to contestants to begin the bonus round, “RSTLNE,” could be cleverly rearranged: “Ryan Seacrest starts a new era.” Later on Friday evening, Seacrest and White lit up the well-known Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier using laser projectors in an interactive way, converting the landmark into the familiar spinning wheel
“Seacrest commented, ‘That’s a genuinely smart and distinctive approach that fits the program perfectly.’ He expressed his hope for a prolonged period. In fact, he has agreed to stay on for numerous, numerous years with this show.” When asked about the number of years, he replied, “As many as possible.”
The television show “Wheel of Fortune” starts its 42nd season on September 9th. In the U.S., it will be broadcast by CBS Media Ventures, while overseas distribution is handled by Paramount Global Content Distribution, which are both units of Paramount
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2024-09-05 18:15