“Wheel of Fortune” Kicks Off New Season in Hawaii
Vanna White may want to get a grass skirt and a lei ready. Wheel of Fortune will be kicking its 26th season off in the beautiful state of Hawaii. Host Pat Sajak, Vanna White, and the rest of the crew will be traveling to the Hilton Waikoloa Village and tape on September 12, 13, 15, and 16. All told, four weeks of shows will be taped there. From the press release:
Beginning Monday, July 21 and continuing through Friday, August 8, Wheel of Fortune viewers will have a chance to obtain free tickets to see the tapings. Information and online applications can be found at www.KHON2.com.
If you live in the area, you might want to stop down. You may see Wheel of Fortune‘s first millionaire crowned right in your home city, courtesy of the new million dollar wedge.
We’re putting the finishing touches on our Harry Friedman (executive producer of Wheel) interview; there were some audio issues which needed major ironing out. However there is one minor change I’ve been asked about: the $10,000 wedge is being completely replaced by the $1,000,000 wedge, as they basically work the same. So as of now no more $10,000 wedge.
To quote Gilbert Gottfried: “YOU FOOL!”
How could they eliminate a space that guarantees at least $10,000 to the player if (s)he solves the puzzle without hitting “Bankrupt”, and instead replace it with a wedge that gives a player a 1-in-24 chance of winning a million if (s)he wins the game and doesn’t land on Bankrupt?
I’m gonna be brief here since it’s straight to the point, I agree with greg. there you go.
Tsk Tsk…
So this leaves the Free Spin as the only special *and by that I mean cardboard related* item on the wheel before Sony and Friedman took reign. For criminy’s sake though, FS’s were there WHEN THE SHOW PREMIERED…
14 years that 10k space has been on there, the oldest such special “thing” that was left, and it was a somewhat of a big thing when it premiered on the show for those that remember. Instead now, we are left with a never-to-be-won prize that’s supposed to be Wheel’s ticket to some sort of modern big-money game show infamy.
Somebody get the brooms and mops…
I don’t necessarily think the million dollar wedge is a bad thing. Sure the chances of you winning it are not likely but it’s better than the lottery.
Here’s a good idea, why not just have a $10,000 wedge and the $1,000,000 bonus wedge. It would make everybody happy ^____^
Yeah, but FIVE Bankrupts on the wheel at the same time?! Good luck trying to get around that.
(OK, so four of them are smaller than the big one, but still…)
Since the $10K wedge is (was) only on the wheel for Round One anyway, why not keep it there for the first round and then switch it for the $1M wedge in round two?
Is the show going to be taken place outside?
First: Awesome quote, Greg :)
Second: Why not have the Joker add the million if you make it to the final with it?
Could be worse……………….
Wouldn’t be surprised if the Jackpot moved to Round 1. I’ve noticed a pattern that happens with the Jackpot and the $10,000 Wedge.
Jackpot- Fall ’96
Started out in Round 3, then eventually moved to Round 2 by 2000 or so. Again, wouldn’t be surprised if it moved to round 1 sometime in the future.
$10,000 Wedge- Spring ’95
Started out in round 3, then moved to Round 2 by 1998 or 1999, has been in Round 1 for the past few years.
dropzone5 what I mean’t to say was a $10,000 wedge that was bankrupt free (in other words another new wedge) then have the $1,000,000 wedge with the bankrupts.
Shon, that’s not a bad idea. Have 3 wedges, one with bankrupt, one with $10,000, and one with $1 million.