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Pat Sajak thought he was just going viral for the completely wrong reason
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Pat Sajak thought he was just going viral for the completely wrong reason

Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors

Pat Sajak is still alive and kicking.

The retirees Wheel of Fortune host took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to clarify this after seeing his name go viral on the app on Wednesday, October 30. “Notice I was trending. Thought I had died. Turns out I’m doing fine,” the 78-year-old joked.

The TV personality’s name made the rounds on social media because he was spotted sitting behind home plate during game five of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. Many fans posted screenshots of Sajak, while others praised his attention to the game.

Pat Sajak
Pat Sajak attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center on April 3, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. In October 2024, Sajak shared a cheeky response…


Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

“Pat Sajak sitting behind home plate, never leaving his seat, watching every ball and not once visible on his phone is the most admirable thing I’ve seen in years,” one fan said. Sajak was also seen supporting his team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, at Dodger Stadium earlier in the series.

ABC’s hit series was released that same day Abbott Elementary aired their Halloween episode, “Costume Contest”, with a reference to the TV legend. One of the teachers at Abbott, Jacob (played by Chris Perfetti), paid tribute to Sajak with his costume, which even included a large wheel. In a scene from the show, another teacher, Janine (Quinta Brunson), made a comment about Jacob’s costume.

Janine recognizes him as Sajak and jokes, “Although an interesting choice for you, given his politics.” The comment refers to how publicly liberal Jacob is as a character, which contrasts with Sajak’s more conservative views. “Well, I’ve taken a step back from Elon Musk’s Internet, and now it sometimes takes me weeks to figure these things out,” says Jacob, adding, “So, you know, I thought if I didn’t know… before walking away.

Other fans pointed out that it was a big night for Sajak and joked, “It’s funny because he was also trending on the sitcom Abbott Elementary had a character dressed as Pat Sajak at the exact same time he was on TV.”

Sajak will be back in the driver’s seat for his last hurray when he hosts Celebrity Wheel of Fortune by 2025.