WHEEL OF FORTUNE host Pat Sajak has encouraged a college student contestant not to cry after she solved a puzzle for major cash.
Contestant Malia from Honolulu, Hawaii from Villanova College joined the game show for its College Week Spring Break event.
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Malia is studying international business and marketing with a minor in finance.
She joined host Pat for a game of Wheel of Fortune that didn’t see her performing as well as the other contestants as she fell behind after a few rounds.
But later in the show, she made a major comeback with a great guess.
The excited student guessed a puzzle with the solution “High point of the year.”
Pat walked over to Malia to let her accomplishment sink in.
He said: “You know, it’s a funny little game. Ben had this big lead by a big number, but what you did, is you ended up winning the match with $25,850!”
Malia couldn’t hold in her joy when she realized she had guessed correctly.
She exclaimed “I’m gonna cry!” before nearly breaking down into sobs.
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“I know, here, step up here and cry,” Pat said, guiding Malia back up to her spot at the wheel.
“I don’t have a Kleenex or anything, so just use your sweater, and I’ll be right back,” the host joked.
Pat checked in on the other contestants and returned to Malia.
She repeated: “I’m gonna cry!”
Pat put an arm around her shoulder and pleaded “Don’t cry! Before you cry, pick a category, and then you can just bawl your eyes out.”
Ultimately, though Malia made it all the way to a bonus puzzle at the end, she did not solve it.
However, she did keep the major winnings she earned after her big solve that prompted her to cry.
FOR PAT’S SAKE
Meanwhile, Pat made a cringeworthy joke that even made Vanna White, 66, shudder.
This week was College Week Spring Break on Wheel of Fortune. Three constants from different colleges around the United States compete to win the popular game show.
Contestant Malia is from Honolulu, Hawaii, is in her second year at Villanova College, and she’s studying international business and marketing with a minor in finance.
Malia made it to the bonus round of the primetime television show, and she was excited to win more money.
She chose the category “People,” and some of her final puzzle was filled in with the given letters before she started guessing.
The contestant even won a wild card in the game which allows her to pick an additional letter in the bonus round.
Unfortunately, the extra letter didn’t help much. Most of the board was still empty when it was time for her to solve the puzzle.
Malia lost out on an additional $40,000 because she couldn’t solve the puzzle, but she still walked away with $25,850.
Pat exclaimed, “That was pretty terrific!”
Once the show was over, it was time for Pat and Vanna to say goodbye to the audience.
Vanna announced it was the end of college week, and the host had an interesting reply.
He said: “We haven’t decided on our theme for next week. the last thing I heard we were working on burglary suspects week, but we’re still… we’re talking to legal.”
His off-color comment made Vanna cringe and give an awkward smile to the camera.
THE ULTIMATE PRIZE
Earlier in the week, Pat joked that Vanna was the final player’s “prize” after they lost out on winning a new car.
In the end, Tomia Gordon was the final player on tonight’s episode.
Finishing the game with $31,700, Tomia had to answer the final puzzle so she could win a special prize chosen by the card she landed on on the final wheel.
Unfortunately for her, she couldn’t figure out the puzzle after receiving some letters to help her out.
Pat opened the prize card, which revealed she could have won a Volkswagen.
The Wheel of Fortune host was quick to say that she won Vanna White as she has the same initials as the car company.
“Vanna White. No! The VW,” he said.
TOO HOT FOR WOF
Last week, the WWE took over WOF, and WWE star Austin Theory participated in the show’s special tournament.
The performer wore a halter top that cut off at his torso and displayed his entire abs and had a silver chain.
Pat said: “I have to ask you. Did you have to work as hard as I did to get the abs in that kind of shape?”
“It took some time,” Austin replied to which Pat joked: “I’ll bet.”
At the end of the episode, Pat made his way down to Austin and his teammate Ray, and the wrestler dramatically had his head in his hand.
This led the Wheel of Fortune star to ask: “Are you crying? Are you okay? It’s gonna be alright. It’s gonna be fine, just fine. Earlier in the week, Ray won $24,850, and another $5,000 tonight – $29,850.”
Ray then jokingly told his partner, “We’re gonna buy you a full shirt.”
Austin responded by lifting his crop top to reveal his rock-hard six-pack.
Pat then jested: “We’re sellin’ that on eBay, take it off!” to which Austin almost complied.
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