Vanna White Addresses ‘HGTV’ Job Dreams & Getting Starstruck

Brittany Sims May 13, 2025, 6:43 pm

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Vanna White revealed what she would have possibly done with her life if she hadn’t signed on to Wheel of Fortune all those years ago. The hostess spoke with Closer Weekly about her fascinating life.

“Before all those HGTV shows came out, I would buy a little condo, fix it up, and flip it,” White told the outlet. “I would be the OG!”

Even though White has been a fixture on TV for over 40 years, she admitte that she still gets starstruck from time to time. Being on TV means that she gets to meet a lot of stars. The Wheel of Fortune hostess was particularly starstruck by Stevie Wonder.

“I was sitting in the makeup chair, and he walked into the room. And I just was like, ‘Wow, it’s Stevie Wonder.’ And another one was Mr. Rogers — he was the sweetest, sweetest man. And one more: It was Mickey Mantle,” she admitted about the three men she was starstruck by.

Vanna White Shares Sweet Childhood Photos With 'Wheel of Fortune' Fans

Of course, being starstruck comes with the job. Vanna White admitted that she always wanted to be famous as a little girl. She got her start in beauty pageants and modeling before heading out to California to try and audition for TV.

When White auditioned for Wheel, she also got starstruck by Merv Griffin, a game show host. “I was so nervous because I wanted the job so badly,” she said. “I could hardly talk. My mouth was quivering so much. My teeth were chattering.”

Years later, when Vanna White asked Griffin why he chose her for the job, he said, “You turned the letter better than anyone else.” Griffin also gave Ryan Seacrest his big break in show business. Seacrest currently works with White on Wheel of Fortune after he took over for Pat Sajak when he retired at the end of Season 41.