‘Wheel of Fortune’: 5 Epic Fails Including That ‘Flamenco’ Mispronunciation

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YouTube/Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune contestant, Jonny mispronounces flamenco on the show.

Wheel of Fortune is one of the longest-running game shows, and with such an established history, contestants are bound to make mistakes.

Of course, viewers can’t promise to withhold laughter when it comes to those hilarious blunders, and there have been plenty of them over the years. From mispronouncing the answers to choosing wrong letters, there’s been no shortage of slip-ups.

Unfortunately some of these mistakes cost quite a lot of money, more than viewers risk as they guess answers through the TV screen. In an episode this week, one contestant was so close to victory until they mispronounced the word flamenco—the dance—as flamingo—the bird.

That and 4 other epic fails can be found below.

1. Flamenco, Flamingo

Close, but no cigar, Jonny. Unfortunately, one wrong sound can cost you in Wheel of Fortune—in this case, over $7,000—but we’re sure Jonny will remember that moment forever.

2. His Achilles Heel

Much like the term itself, pronunciation was contestant Julian’s Achilles heel in this moment, and it wasn’t his only fault during the episode. But ultimately, he was the contestant to advance, so other than a mild case of embarrassment, we’d wager that he was fine in the end.

3. A Streetcar Naked Desire?

Undoubtedly one of the most memorable fails in Wheel of Fortune history, Kevin’s incorrect letter choice left many wondering where had he heard such a title as “A Streetcar Naked Desire,” before.

4. “Sneeky” the Dwarf

One woman apparently hadn’t seen Disney’s classic cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, otherwise she would have known that there’s nothing sneaky about them. Or the fact that sneaky isn’t spelled with two E’s.

5. Popsicle Bike

The category was “living thing,” and the answer was a term no one had ever heard before. Sometimes buzzing in early doesn’t pay off, especially when the answer was so clearly “honeysuckle bush.”