It’s no secret that I’m a fan ofWheel of Fortune. The show, alongsideJeopardy!, was a staple of my childhood; my parents used to joke that I should try to compete on one of those shows since I got so many of the questions right. One memory that’s lingered in my mind is when my mom and I were watchingWheel of Fortuneon a Wednesday, and my mom offhandedly said, “I’d trade places withVanna White— she’s got the easiest job in the world.” Little did I know that she was onto something, as White reviewed in a recent interview that shootingWheel of Fortunetakes less time than anyone thought.
Vanna White Says That Filming ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Only Takes 34 Days a Year
White was a recent guestonElvis Duran and the Morning Show, where she revealed thatWheel of Fortunewillshoot an entire season in 34 days. “We film about 34 days a year…That’s it. But [we film] six shows a day. Come on… You could feel bad for me.” HostElvis Duranfired back: “I do not feel sorry for you one bit…That sounds like a great job.” It’s not hard to see his point; while doing six shows in a day does seem like a marathon, White’s job of revealing the letters after contestants make their guesses sounds like it could be fun. You get a good workout in while you’re crossing the game board, and on top of that you have some hilarious moments based on contestants' guesses. Some of White’s stories about the wrong guessesgenuinely left me in stitches.
It turns out that there’s another upside to filming an entire season ofWheel of Fortunein 34 days, since it means that Whitehas 331 days off after finishing filming. To break it down, that’s roughly a month of shooting and eleven months of vacation, and in my personal opinion, that’s more than a fair tradeoff. Even White admits that she didn’t look at it that way, which only makes me think my mom was onto something. Maybe instead of competing onWheel of Fortune, I should be applying to work on it. Only a month’s work of filming, flipping letters, and the occasional bit of banter withRyan Seacrest? That sounds like a dream job to me, though I doubt I could pull off wearing the kinds of dresses that White often sports.
If I’m Being Honest, Vanna White Is A Large Part of What Makes ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Work
While I do envy Vanna White for her long vacation days, I won’t deny thather presence is why viewers tune intoWheel of Fortune. Other than the titular wheel, she’s been the one constant of the series, even staying on when longtime hostPat Sajakdeparted. Even an April Fools' prank, which saw her and Sajak playing the game while the the She also keeps the show going, even if a contestant hits a roadblock when trying to solve the puzzle. Seacrest has referred to White as both an “institution” ofWheel of Fortuneand the “heart of the show”. Both statements are accurate, not just because of her lengthy tenure onWheel of Fortune,but also because of how she’s managed to forge a dynamic with Seacrest and Sajak. Fans — myself included — will be seeing more of Vanna White onWheel of Fortune’sset as she’s recentlyre-upped her contract through 2026. There’s also the long-awaited 2025 season ofCelebrity Wheel of Fortune, which will feature White and Sajak’s final time working together before he fully steps away from the world of syndicated game shows.
In short, Vanna White isn’t going anywhere. But learning about her filming process has made me seriously reconsider my career path, or at the very least suggest that my mom fills in for her whenever White decides to departWheel of Fortune. After all, she did say that it was the easiest job in the world, and while there are still some busy filming days, the amount of vacation would more than make up for it. Plus it would give me the chance to turn on the TV and tell people, “My mom works onWheel of Fortune!” A man can dream, can’t he?
Wheel of Fortune
