‘Wheel Of Fortune’: Pat Sajak’s Big Confession Shocks Fans
Wheel of Fortune fans are divided over a severe gap in Pat Sajak‘s pop-culture knowledge after the host confessed he’d never heard of Benedict Cumberbatch.
On the January 23 episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum Tatyana Ali was attempting to solve a puzzle in the “Before & After” category when Sajak revealed his Cumberbatch blindspot. The answer to the puzzle was “Eggs Benedict Cumberbatch,” which Ali quickly got right, but Sajak appeared none the wiser.
“We know eggs benedict. Explain Benedict Cumberbatch for those who [don’t know],” the long-serving host asked Ali. Thrown by the question, the Young and the Restless actress explained that Cumberbatch is a famous British actor, though Sajak’s questioning made her doubt herself.
It was then that Sajak admitted that he’d never heard of the Oscar-nominated actor. “I put the onus on her because I didn’t have the answer,” he explained. “So I pretended like I was just saying, ‘Tell us. I, of course, know it, but you tell us.’ And that was a little host trick, if you want to know… My apologies, Mr. Cumberbatch. But I spend a lot of time in my basement. I have no idea what’s going on.”
Our apologies, Benedict Cumberbatch! 😂 #CelebrityWheelOfFortune
— Wheel of Fortune (@WheelofFortune) January 24, 2022
Sajak received some blowback on Twitter for not knowing the Sherlock actor who has starred in the likes of Dr. Strange, The Imitation Game, and 12 Years A Slave. “You should apologize. Benedict is an amazing actor and has never given a bad performance. Shame on you Pat,” tweeted one viewer, while another added, “Pat Sajak doesn’t know who Benedict Cumberbatch is? That’s just (Dr.) Strange.”
You should apologize. Benedict is an amazing actor and has never given a bad performance. Shame on you Pat.
— Bernard Wurtzburger (@Boinie57) January 24, 2022
Pat Sajak doesn’t know who Benedict Cumberbatch is? That’s just (Dr) Strange
— SportsPontif (@SportsPontif) January 24, 2022
However, other fans jumped to Sajak’s defense, confessing that they too were unfamiliar with the Emmy winner. “I’m with @patsajak I had NO CLUE who Cumberbatch was! Keep being you Sajak! Who cares that you and I didn’t know,” wrote one person, while another said that he had to look Cumberbatch up on the internet. “Now I learned something & got a good laugh and need to come out of my cave every once in a while,” they joked.
I’m with @patsajak I had NO CLUE who Cumberbatch was! Keep being you Sajak! Who cares that you and I didn’t know. The world is still spinning. Hahaha!
— Beachlover (@Beachlo66164902) January 25, 2022
I don’t know who he is either. Until I looked him up on the internet. Now I learned something & got a good laugh and need to come out of my cave every once in a while.
— Jon (@BigJon0501) January 24, 2022
Cumberbatch currently stars in Jane Campion’s critically acclaimed Netflix film The Power of the Dog alongside Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst. The movie is tipped to win big at this year’s upcoming Academy Awards.
Wheel of Fortune, Syndicated, check local listings
