Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Game Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)

[AFRET CMS]

... but I'd say Vanna White really has it made. All she really does is have to look nice and touch the letters to light them up. Not to mention her job is completely unnecessary to the format of the game.

But can you imagine the crushing anxiety, going to bed every night wondering if the next day will be the one the show producers finally realize your job is completely unnecessary?

If I recall correctly, after the show transitioned from physical rotating letters to electronic screens, the producers did do away with her job. She was then brought back by popular acclaim shortly thereafter. I'm sure they've done the analysis to determine that her presence adds enough to ratings and ad revenue to more than cover her salary.

[This Is Kirk!]

... but I'd say Vanna White really has it made. All she really does is have to look nice and touch the letters to light them up. Not to mention her job is completely unnecessary to the format of the game.

But can you imagine the crushing anxiety, going to bed every night wondering if the next day will be the one the show producers finally realize your job is completely unnecessary?

If I recall correctly, after the show transitioned from physical rotating letters to electronic screens, the producers did do away with her job. She was then brought back by popular acclaim shortly thereafter.

The Wikipedia entry suggests that's probably inaccurate:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_ ... _hostesses
Seems like the only time Vanna has missed was in 1991 and it was due to her honeymoon and then an illness, not because her position was temporarily done away with. It doesn't appear there was ever an episode without a "letter turner."

[TenPoundHammer]

That is correct. Wheel has never had an episode without a letter turner/toucher

[AFRET CMS]

... but I'd say Vanna White really has it made. All she really does is have to look nice and touch the letters to light them up. Not to mention her job is completely unnecessary to the format of the game.

But can you imagine the crushing anxiety, going to bed every night wondering if the next day will be the one the show producers finally realize your job is completely unnecessary?

If I recall correctly, after the show transitioned from physical rotating letters to electronic screens, the producers did do away with her job. She was then brought back by popular acclaim shortly thereafter.

The Wikipedia entry suggests that's probably inaccurate:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_ ... _hostesses
Seems like the only time Vanna has missed was in 1991 and it was due to her honeymoon and then an illness, not because her position was temporarily done away with. It doesn't appear there was ever an episode without a "letter turner."

That is correct. Wheel has never had an episode without a letter turner/toucher

Thanks for the correction. Going back to the original statement about VW being "unnecessary," I did find out while researching that she is an avid cruciverbalist and insiders say that many of the Wheel puzzles she creates end up being used on the show. While she is probably no more "necessary" than the Jeopardy clue writers in that others could do the job, it would seem she does contribute more to the show than may be apparent to a casual watcher.

[DBear]

I did what Julia probably did & didn't fully read FJ. I saw river & Alps and automatically went to Michelangelo, not reading where the river was going.