Ryan Seacrest is always willing to go the extra mile to help those in need. But this time, he was the one in need. The Wheel of Fortune host made an urgent cry for help during a recent episode of the popular game show. Keep reading to find out what happened.
Ryan Seacrest Brings In Massive Ratings For ABC
Ryan Seacrest began his hosting career on American Idol over two decades ago. Since then, he’s hosted all types of shows. He joined Dick Clark to ring in the new year on ABC in 2005. When Dick Clark passed away in 2012, Ryan Seacrest was the obvious choice to take over.
Now, CNN, NBC, and other networks have competing New Year’s Eve shows. But fans turn back to ABC to watch the famous ball drop in New York City. According to Variety, Ryan Seacrest brought in huge ratings for the network. The outlet reported that the ratings for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest were the highest they’ve been in years, with an estimated 30 million viewers.
Ryan Seacrest Makes Urgent Cry For Help For Wheel Of Fortune Contestant
Ryan Seacrest inherited another hosting job in 2024 when Pat Sajak retired as host of Wheel of Fortune. Some fans have praised Ryan Seacrest as better at interacting with the contestants compared to the longtime former host. He showed off his empathy and humor during the episode that aired on Tuesday, January 6.
Kimmy Hwang faced off against Derrick Anderson and Lori Genser. It was Kimmy Hwang’s second try on Wheel of Fortune. The first time she was a contestant, she had to drop out after losing her voice. During Tuesday’s episode, she won a trip to Hawaii and ultimately won the game with $25,260.
She went on to the Bonus Round and chose the category “What Are You Wearing?” Before she spun the wheel, Ryan Seacrest chatted with her for a minute. He asked if she would be able to get time off from work to go on the vacation she won.
Kimmy Hwang responded that she hoped so. Ryan Seacrest paused the show to send out a desperate call for help. He asked the contestant the name of her school’s principal.
“Principal Lee, we’re calling,” Ryan Seacrest said right to the camera, sending the principal a plea for help. The audience laughed at the humorous moment. Unfortunately, Kimmy Hwang couldn’t solve the final puzzle and lost out on an additional $40,000.
Fans Worry Show Is Running Out Of Money
Kimmy Hwang didn’t win a huge prize on Wheel of Fortune, but some have won the top prize of $1 million. One fan took to Reddit to express concern that the hefty wins could affect the budget for next season. However, other fans assured them that the game show would go on.
- “I would imagine that 1 or 2 million dollar prizes are accounted for in the budget.”
- “They have an insurance policy when it comes to million dollar wins.”
- “Pat always joked that the staff Christmas party will be a little smaller after a million dollar win”
- “A million dollars is a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of millions they profit from syndication, advertising sales, licensing from slot machines and video games, and merch.”
Hopefully, Kimmy Hwang can get the time off for the vacation to Alaska after Ryan Seacrest’s call for help.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger