‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans React to ‘Clingy’ Boxing Referee After $74,000 Loss
A Wheel of Fortune contestant was called “clingy” after he talked about his wife throughout the Bonus Round. Despite landing on his wife’s name on the wheel, the boxing referee lost $74,000 after not solving the bonus puzzle.
Jeff Wallitsch, from Henderson, Nevada, played against Carolynn Brower, from Austin, Texas, and Idette Stokes, from Raleigh, North Carolina, on December 29. Wallitsch is a boxing referee for an amateur team in the junior Olympics and Golden Gloves. He has been married to his wife, America, for 20 years.
“I get to tell everyone that I’m married to Miss America, so I’m very honored about that,” Wallitsch said.
He won the game with with $29,200 in cash and a trip to Cambodia. Brower, a woman who likes to listen to songs older than her dad, ended with $1,000. Stokes, a rapper and accountant, went home with $3,000.
During the Bonus Round, host Ryan Seacrest said, “Well, Jeff, your wife, named America, is not here.”
“She’s up there,” Jeff nodded with his head.
“Oh, she is? Hi, America,” the host replied. “And hi, America,” he said to the camera. Wallitsch’s daughter-in-law was also up in the stands. He brought his sons, Alfonso and Jeffrey Jr., down with him to cheer him on.
As the wheel, which reads “America’s game, spin, win,” spun, Wallitsch said, “That’s my wife’s name!” over and over again.
“Come on, land on my wife’s name,” he said. “Right in the middle.” The boxing referee landed on the “R” in America.
“And you are! Well done,” Ryan Seacrest said as he plucked the envelope from the letter.
The game show contestant picked “Place” for his category. After being given “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” Wallitsch chose “M, C, D, and A.”
His puzzle then looked like “_AS_ _ _N _ _ _T_ _ _E.” Wallitsch did not guess anything as the clock counted down.
“I don’t know where you would even start, to be honest, without more clues here,” Seacrest said.
The puzzle turned out to be “Fashion Boutique.” There was $45,000 in the envelope, which would have given him a total of $74,200.
Fans reacted to his wife’s shoutout, with some fans calling him “clingy.” “Lol, the level of clingy I need my spouse to be 😂,” a Reddit user said.
“That’s my wife’s name. That’s my wife’s name….. that’s my wife’s name….. that’s my wife’s name….” another mocked.
“And then she did not even come to the stage; their 2 sons came instead,” replied a fan.
“For those wondering, his wife’s name is America,” a YouTube user joked.
“Guys, I think I missed what his wife’s name was,” another said.
Wheel of Fortune, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock
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