I know if I ever appeared on Wheel of Fortune (or any of the other best game shows out there), there’s a more-than-certain chance I’d make some kind of fool out of myself. However, I don’t think I would be one of those people whose completely illogical guesses make it seem like they forgot how words and language work. More specifically, I don’t think I’d make a similar move to recent hopeful Kimberly, whose baffling guess left more than a few viewers stunned over what she perceived the answer to be.
For the Wheel of Fortune episode that premiered on April 30, things were going smoothly enough for Florida native Kimberly, who racked up $7,250 for the puzzle with the theme of “Living Thing.” And she did indeed seem set to run the board with only three consonants left to choose from, and looked entirely confident like she was on the same page as everyone else who already knew the answer was “Duck-Billed Platypus.”. But then? Well, that’s when disaster struck. Or “f”isaster, perhaps. Check out the episode clip below!
Wheel Of Fortune!Duck-filled platypus?? pic.twitter.com/vpuY1666hvMay 1, 2024
Anybody watching Kimberly in that moment surely expected her to either solve the puzzle or to at least say one of the only letters that made any sense for the spaces that were available. But she had other ideas, and in no conceivable way did those ideas have an iota of potential to be correct. If only this was a case where Pat Sajak might have misheard the guess, or an instance where Wheel of Fortune arguably miscategorized a puzzle. But no, this was all on her.
While contestants will sometimes be surprised whenever Pat confirms a guess is incorrect, Kimberly wasn't in that same boat, because as soon as she said "F," seemingly the entire audience moaned sympathetically. Never a sound you want to hear on a game show.
Not that sympathy was in high supply on social media, where those who commented on the gaffe were baffled and/or angered by the missed opportunity. Here's a handful of snappy reactions.
- wheel of fortune puzzle was clearly duck-billed platypus and the lady asked for an F she’s like reverse autocorrect - @liltree
- i am so fucking glad someone tweeted this shit because i have never been more enraged watching wheel of fortune - @peasoupprincess
- These ppl on Wheel of Fortune will really run your blood pressure up???? - @dionnesimone__
For all that fans like to drag contestants for terrible answers, I kinda like thinking about exactly where Kimberly's thought process was at when she guessed that "F." If she definitely thought that the platupus was "filled" with something, what did she think it was? Dung? Dubz? A single dunk?
And then if she didn't think that "filled" was the word there, where did she think the "F" was going? Personally, I like to think she's a huge fan of The Simpsons, and believed that the answer was "Duff-Filled Platypus." Because there's only one sponsor for beer-swilling platypi:
Wheel of Fortune airs weekdays in syndication, and we're getting closer than ever to Pat Sajak's final episode, which is currently set to air on June 7. After that, Ryan Seacrest will make WoF his next big hosting gig when he debuts alongside Vanna White for the new season.
