Entertainment

Wheel Of Fortune Under Fire For Using Racist Saying As Solution For ‘Rhyme Time’

On an episode of the popular game show Wheel of Fortune, a puzzle answer sparked outrage on Twitter. Social media users slammed the show and host Pat Sajak about the September 16 episode.

The category was “Rhyme Time,” which centered around solutions that are popular idioms and rhyming sayings. The answer appeared on the board as “

EENIE MEENIE MINY MOE CATCH A TIGER BY THE TOE,” and many pointed out the racist history of the phrase.

According to Vox, the original version of the phrase has implications dating back to the slave trade. Rather than being a nursery rhyme created by children like many think, enslavers conceived it. Instead of “Tiger,” the verse originally included the n-word. “It comes from slave selection or a description of what white enslavers would do if they caught a runaway slave.”

It was especially prevalent in the 19th century, but the overtly racist diction in the phrase was used in documentation until 2004. 

In some Tweets detailing initial reactions to the puzzle answer being released, fans relayed seeing the answer come out. 

Another Twitter user Jen Mauro wrote in a since-deleted post, “I wonder if @WheelofFortune realizes the rhyme time has racist roots? #dobetter.”

Host Pat Sajak said after the contestant solved the answer, “Yeah, that’s it! Obviously, something you’ve said many times in your life – you just have to solve them. You don’t have to know them.”

Sajak himself has been the subject of a few suspicious Tweets in the past, most noticeably when he was caught taking photos along with extreme right-wing television network voices Bryan Glenn and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Share
Published by
Mary Symone

Recent Posts

Trina’s Controversial Claim: Beyoncé The Queen Of Female Rap?

If you've been living under a rock, you might have missed the buzz surrounding rapper… Read More

12 months ago

Rasheeda’s Alleged Apology Sparks Controversy

In the ever-evolving world of celebrity feuds, the clash between Rasheeda and K. Michelle has… Read More

12 months ago

“Big Energy” Latto Vows To Continue Collabs With Up-And-Coming Artists

In the fast-paced world of the music industry, where trends change with the blink of… Read More

12 months ago

This website uses cookies.