President's Column - August 2024
I feel strongly that one of the main purposes of writing a monthly presidential column is for me to share things with you about myself. For me to help us find an opportunity to further connect. I’ve done okay with this, but I can do better. I chewed on this thought for a while and came to the conclusion there is really no better way for me to do this than to share with you my passion for Wheel of Fortune.
Where do I begin to even explain what it is exactly that I love about this show? First, I must explain that I have been watching this show for as long as I can remember. If there is such a thing as comfort food, then I believe there is comfort television as well. I almost feel as if I’m in my grandparents’ living room, hearing my family make jabs as my grandpa nodded off in his recliner “resting his eyes” as the show played on the TV. We would catch up and talk and laugh so much with one another as we guessed the puzzles together. I say together, but of course each one of us was trying to win and be the best. That is by far the #1 reason, but I have a few more…
My next reason is simply that it’s a game show. I mean, who doesn’t like games?! I love games! I can’t help it. My competitive spirit awakens as soon as I see Pat and Vanna make their way across the screen. I wait eagerly to hear the infamous “ding, ding, ding, diiiing” officially marking the game’s start. This girl is ready for Toss-Up Time! The game itself is solving word puzzles (think hangman) by guessing one character at a time and only given a topic or category as a clue (ie: place, person, what are you doing?). But the game is not all about skill and guessing the right letters. The “wheel” itself adds an element of luck to the game. Each contestant is required to spin the wheel at the start of their turn. The wheel is composed of different wedges that will determine what options they have as their next move. Wedges range from lucky to unlucky with lucky wedges comprised of prizes such as cash and trips/vacations. The unlucky wedges, however, might have a less popular prompt like “Lose a Turn,” ending your turn, or even worse yet, the dreaded “Bankrupt” which clears your bank before ending your turn! The spin of the wheel can often make or break the ranking each contestant might be able to secure. There is even opportunity for some strategy in this game too. Pat often reminds contestants that while vowels may cost money, they can often be quite helpful in solving the puzzle. Any or all of these things may matter as only the 1st place position moves onto the bonus round.
Each show, I find myself competing with each contestant. My goal of course is to solve the puzzle before they do. While I am competing against them, I almost always develop a favorite too. I will find myself rooting for them to win and might even get agitated if they make a silly mistake or guess wrong. Although, I must say another fun added bonus for the show is the entertainment value of some of the wrong guesses to solve puzzles over the years. They can be quite funny!
Why and how has Wheel of Fortune stood the test of time? They aren’t afraid to try different things; introduce new angles or make adjustments. They keep the core strong though, and just add layers as they keep the things that have gotten a positive response and ditch the things that don’t. They have “appreciation weeks” to give thanks to different groups ranging from teachers and veterans to best friends and spouses. There is an aspect of travel to the show. Not only do Pat, Vanna and crew bring the entire show on the road and record from multiple different locations, but also Wheel of Fortune has been and continues to be such a popular gameshow that many countries have spawned their own Wheel of Fortune. There are differences in each country’s version; some small and some big. I absolutely love when the show will highlight clips from other countries. Of course, a favorite destination is when the show travels to Disney and suddenly Mickey and Minnie are there to offer Pat and Vanna a helping hand.
The show’s set and appearance have both very much stayed the same through the years but managed to stay current with modern upgrades. The wheel itself has become a much sleeker and flashier wheel through the years. The puzzleboard was one of the most exciting upgrades I recall! I remember when the show made the upgrade to touch screen. All Vanna had to do to reveal letters guessed in the puzzle now was to barely brush her hand across the 
screen. What?! That was in 1997.
Another thrill of the show, for me, was Pat and Vanna themselves. Pat Sajak has hosted the show since 1981. I must admit I find Pat charming and think him to be a funny and quick-witted host. He has a dry sense of humor that speaks to me. Sometimes, if you watch enough, Pat’s humor comes across a bit aggressive and his jokes borderline bully status. Luckily Vanna brings a gentle touch to the show and I don’t mean just her main responsibility of revealing properly guessed letters, but with her overall kind demeanor as well.
Recently, I watched Pat Sajak host his last episode of Wheel of Fortune. He has over 8,000 shows under his belt. I knew this day was coming. Announcements have been made and word has spread. It was announced that Ryan Seacrest is slated to take the reigns next. Vanna has signed on for another year. Even with all of the proper communication and lead up, this all feels too soon. It is an end of an era. Change is inevitable though.
While only time will tell, I have a gut feeling the show will be successful with these latest pivots and will continue to thrive. I certainly hope so! I very much enjoy my comfort television!
Jennifer Thoroe is Director of Customer Service & Business Development for National Steel Rule, a steel rule manufacturer based in Linden, NJ, USA. She joined forces with National on November 1, 2018 after working in the industry and volunteering with the IADD for over 15 years. She moved up to NJ from GA in the summer of 2019. One pandemic and three moves later, Jennifer is finally settling into her home near the Jersey Shores with her awesome super-fantastic brother Tom and his even cooler dog, Kelowna.
She has consistently used her time and talents to bring greater value to IADD members, whether through chapter activities, managing volunteers, Board service or overseeing myriad membership recruitment and retention activities. For this, Jennifer received the 2017 IADD Cutting Edge Award, one of the Association’s highest honors. She is the first woman to serve as IADD president.
The President's Column appears in The Cutting Edge, the IADD's monthly magazine.
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