‘Wheel of Fortune’: Ryan Seacrest Is Startled as Player Grabs Him After $64,000 Win

A Wheel of Fortune contestant was so excited after his big victory on Wednesday’s (January 15) episode that he grabbed Ryan Seacrest while jumping up and down in celebration.
The contestant in question was Ricky Brown, a musician from Easton, Pennsylvania, who quickly became a fan favorite for his enthusiastic nature and expert puzzle-solving skills. He even showed off his musical talent with a special rap written specifically for the show (watch below).
Brown went up against Karen Morgan from Clinton, Maryland, and Lisa McDaniel from Norman, Oklahoma, and proved to be a force right from the start when he nailed the Round 1 puzzle for $2,950.
He hit a minor speed-bump in the Mystery Round when he incorrectly answered “Tanzania and New Zealand” instead of “Tasmania and New Zealand,” but it didn’t deter him. Brown fired right back in the Express Round, landing the puzzle and winning himself a cruise.
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Brown continued his success in the Triple Toss Up round, nailing two of the three puzzles, including “Nudist Colony,” which shocked Vanna White. “I was afraid to say it,” Brown joked.
He finished strong by answering the final Speed Up puzzle, giving him an episode-winning total of $24,000. This sent him through to the Bonus Round, where he selected the often tricky “Phrase” category, along with the additional letters “B, F, M, and A.”
This left him with a three-word puzzle that read: “AS / _ _ _ / _ _ S _.”
Despite the puzzle looking near-impossible to figure out, Brown was ready and waiting with the answer as soon as the ten-second timer started. “As you wish,” he shouted.
“Yes! You got it! How did you do that?” said a surprised Seacrest as Brown jumped in celebration and grabbed the host in an awkward but hilarious hug.
“Hold on, you bent the card,” Seacrest joked before opening the prize envelope and revealing Brown won an extra $40,000, giving him a grand total of $64,000, plus a cruise.
“Madness!” Brown exclaimed as he laughed and continued bouncing in jubilation.
Viewers couldn’t get enough of Brown and jumped onto social media to share their praise for the lovable contestant.
“This guy was awesome the entire show!!!!” wrote one Instagram commenter.
“He was fun to watch what a nice person,” said another.
“Awww he was so cute! He was having so much fun!” another added.
Another wrote, “What a Great Performance this man had!!”
“Ricky rocks. Way to go Ricky. Best Wheel contestant ever!!!” said a YouTube commenter.
“I’m speechless on how he solved it. Great job Ricky,” added another.
“I couldn’t figure this one out, I was afraid for him.. but he did it! Awesome solve!” said one fan.
Another added, “Ricky you got skills.”
What did you think of Brown’s impressive Bonus Round solve? Let us know your thoughts on the latest episode in the comments section below.
Wheel of Fortune, Weeknights, check local listings