Pat Sajak Pens Sweet Birthday Tribute to 'Wheel of Fortune' Creator Merv Griffin
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With his Wheel of Fortune retirement being imminent, Pat Sajak is taking time to honor the man who started it all: Merv Griffin.
The game show host celebrated what would've been Griffin's 98th birthday with a thankful tribute message: "Merv Griffin, the creator of Wheel of Fortune, was born on this date in 1925. I owe the man so much. He absolutely defied network executives by insisting on hiring an unknown local TV weatherman to take over this show in 1981. That was me, and I've been grateful ever since."
Merv Griffin, the creator of “Wheel of Fortune,” was born on this date in 1925. I owe the man so much. He absolutely defied network executives by insisting on hiring an unknown local TV weatherman to take over his show in 1981. That was me, and I’ve been grateful ever since.
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) July 6, 2023
Sajak wasn't the first host of Wheel of Fortune, but he's the longest-lasting one. When the game show premiered in 1975, it was presented by Chuck Woolery.
Woolery ultimately departed the series, reportedly due to a salary dispute. In the biography of Griffin's TV endeavors, titled Merv: Making the Good Life Last, it's said that when NBC president Fred Silverman didn't want to hire Sajak because he was "too local," Griffin threatened to stop production if Sajak didn't become the new host.
Sajak is set to make his exit in the fall of 2024, 39 years after becoming one of the most iconic TV personalities.
It was then announced that he'd be replaced by Ryan Seacrest, a choice many fans weren't happy with. However, Sajak voiced his support towards the new host, tweeting, "I'm looking forward to my final season starting this fall, and then handing over the car keys to Ryan Seacrest in September of 2024."
