Ryan Seacrest has a long way to go before he can be as loved by fans as his predecessor.
Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest and a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune.” (Cover image source: YouTube/Wheel of Fortune)
Since Ryan Seacrest took over as the host of “Wheel of Fortune” following Pat Sajak’s departure last year, he has been able to win over a lot of fans. But there are still those loyal to his iconic predecessor, who feel that Seacrest falls short, both figuratively and literally. One of them recently posted about the former American Idol host not being tall enough on Reddit. This comes after similar threads discussed the way he dresses among other things.
“He could definitely use some heels in this episode. Literally every single contestant was at least an inch or two taller than he is. Pat wasn’t exactly a basketball player himself but I never noticed such a stark difference like today,” the Reddit post by a user named Upstate_Gooner_1972 read. The post also mentions that the statement was made just for fun and was not aimed at short-shaming the 50-year-old.
Regardless of that, many fans came to the “Wheel of Fortune” host’s defense. “Why is this an issue?” a user called Confident-Meeting805 asked in the comments section. “As long as he can see over the partition in front of him, I guess it doesn’t really make a difference to me how his height compares to the contestants,” quipped another user named 853fisher.
Back in 2020 during a podcast, Seacrest had clarified that his height was listed incorrectly as 5 feet and 7 inches. He said, “They say on Google, [I’m] 5′ 7″. Well, I’m not. That’s not accurate. Can you call Google and tell them I’m 5’8-1/2′?” Seacrest joked before taking out a tape measure and proving he was, in fact, 5′ 8,” and even pulled out a measuring tape to prove it.
As per a report in TV Insider, Seacrest’s predecessor Pat Sajak also struggled with perceptions about his height. Sajak was 5’10” but often looked short when standing next to Vanna White. White is shorter than the former host of the show but she wore heels which made her look a lot taller. But Seacrest doesn’t mind such jibes, as he has often joked about his height in the last few years and even his Instagram bio reads, “Taller in person.”
It’s not just his height that some “Wheel of Fortune” fans have a problem with. Many viewers do not like Seacrest’s hosting style either. By the time the 50-year-old made his debut on the show, Pat Sajak had become a legend of daytime television for his work. Some fans have never really gotten over the veteran host leaving and hence accepting a new face in his place has proven to be a bit difficult for them.
As per a report in Monsters & Critics, some fans believe that Seacrest is just lazy. A user named Any_Drawer_2059 wrote that the host had not been reminding the contestants to drop the wild card after landing on a bankrupt wedge. “I’m not sure if he’s been forgetting too much or he’s just being lazy to remind the player,” the Reddit post added. Several other users voiced their concerns about the new host in the comments section.
Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest on Wheel of Fortune (Image source: YouTube/Wheel of Fortune)
“I hate the way he shows the money and the bonus round. He holds the card up against his chest and builds up the suspense and it’s 40k. Sad slide whistle,” one user named Marty1966 wrote. Some even believe that Seacrest is “very touchy to men and women.”
