- Wheel of Fortune contestant Gishma Tabari gave a peculiar response to a triple toss-up puzzle, earning the title of the ‘worst guess ever’ on social media
- Tabari admitted she had a fear of saying something ‘stupid’ before going on the show with guess, ‘The British Ogre’ leaving viewers bemused
- Tabari acknowledged the mistake and has since been able to laugh at herself – as well as console herself with the cash that she won together with a cruise
A contestant on the Wheel of Fortune is speaking out after wrongly attempting to solve one of the game’s puzzles which viewers have dubbed the ‘worst guess ever’.
Gishma Tabari from New York, was on the show when she was asked to solve a puzzle in the category of ‘showbiz’, with the majority of letters already appearing on the board.
Faced with: ‘TH- -RITI-S_-GR-E’ – Tabari guessed the answer to be: ‘THE BRITISH OGRE’.
It left both fans and longtime host Pat Sajak, bemused.
Sajak threw her a lifeline and asked her to state her answer for a second time – only for Tabari to repeat her flub.
The correct answer was of course, ‘THE CRITICS AGREE’ – but social media quickly grew abuzz.
‘Why did I say it again?’ Tabari thought to herself.
Before going on the show, Tabari feared giving a ‘stupid’ answer to one of the game’s puzzles.
‘The funny part was, right before I went on, I went to my husband, Saman, and I was like … “My fear is that I’m gonna go on the show and I’m gonna say or do something stupid that everyone’s gonna laugh”. That’s exactly what happened.’ she told Fox News.
Tabari explained how she believes her guess was simply a product of her creativity.
‘I think it was just from my imagination. From the moment I was up there, and I saw the board, that’s what I saw. Now I look at it and I’m like… it doesn’t make sense.’
Her answer seemed to gained traction on social media, with some users mocking her.
‘What? You’ve never heard of the British Ogre,’ one user joked.
‘This woman just guessed this puzzle as The British Ogre,’ another user added. ‘So many British Ogres in show biz.’
‘This girl guessed ‘The British Ogre’ on wheel of fortune and the second hand embarrassment was overwhelming,’ another commented. ‘She wouldn’t even look at the camera for a sec. I feel bad but man that s*** was funny.’
‘The British Ogre sounds like a cool band name,’ one stated.
‘To be honest I prefer THE BRITISH OGRE because the puzzles could use some more wacky originality sometimes,’ another said.
‘There were some hurtful comments… but honestly, I wasn’t upset by it…. People don’t know who I am in general. I have a degree, I’m working… I feel like I just had a hard moment that was on national TV,’ she explained.
Tabari brushed off any criticism taking some comfort in the fact that people don’t know her apart from a memorable moment of confusion.
She did admit, however, that she would love to be given another chance on the show.
‘If I could redo it, the only thing I would do is just have more fun and be less anxious,’ Tabari said.
Despite the online commotion and her terrible answer, Tabari accomplished her goal of actually being on the show she had watched since the age of 5.
She still managed to walk away with a cash prize and a cruise to the Bahamas.
In June, Sajak, 77, announced he was leaving Wheel of Fortune after the 41st season of the show wrapped.
‘Well the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,’ he said.
‘It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all,’ he added.
Suzanne Prete, Sony Pictures Television’s executive vice president of game shows, revealed that Sajak will serve as a consultant on the show for three years.
Sajak became the host of Wheel of Fortune on December 28, 1981, after Chuck Woolery hosted from the show’s premiere in 1975 until he left over a salary dispute.
Vanna White joined the show in 1982 after the original host Susan Stafford left to become a humanitarian worker.
Wheel of Fortune was created by Merv Griffin and is the longest-running syndicated game show in the US.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
