REFLECTIONS
Farewell to Pat Sajak from Wheel of Fortune
Growing up in the 1990s, everyone I knew recognised this man
Growing up in the 1990s in Singapore, I spent many childhood evenings watching TV. The screen was filled with bright lights, a spinning wheel, and the warm, familiar presence of Pat Sajak and Vanna White on the American gameshow, Wheel of Fortune.
Back then, the 1990s was a time when TV was still powerful, along with newspapers and radio. My father and mother listened to music on CDs. Our domestic helper listened to music on the radio.
I remember eagerly waiting for each episode of Wheel of Fortune. The show was something like a daily ritual, along with “watching Channel 8”, which in this case refers to watching the Singapore-produced Chinese TV drama series at the time.
Practically everyone in my life knew Wheel of Fortune (pronounced very enthusiastically as WHEEL!!!… OF!!!… FORTUNE!!!), even my old ah ma (grandmother) who used to sit on her rocking chair, watching this show.
Pat Sajak’s rapport with co-host Vanna White, his banter with contestants, and his calm presence in the face of unpredictable outcomes made him a beloved figure.
