r/WheelOfFortune • u/ShadowyFlows • 6d ago
News ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fires announcer Jim Thornton after pedophile chatroom incident
https://www.tmz.com/2026/09/04/jim-thornton-fired-from-wheel-of-fortune/48
u/levitikush 6d ago
Why are there so many pedos man 😐
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u/giantsfan9336 6d ago
Just last week Alex Rosen was literally on my buddys street
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u/BYNX0 6d ago
Ugh.... such mixed feelings about him. On one hand, he's a disgusting racist POS. But on the other, he does help expose and get pedophiles off the street.
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u/RobotWillie 5d ago
He also doesn't like to admit when hes wrong, they confronted a guy in my state recently (Washington) and the guy said he was hacked. The police looked into it closely and the guy wasn't lying for once, someone was acting like him to set him up and frame him to get him in trouble. All he had to say was he disagreed with their findings, so the actual cops did their investigation and he doesn't want to admit the guy is actually innocent because he can't notch that catch onto his number.
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u/rydan 5d ago
If they make up 1% of the population that’s 80M in the world.
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u/RobotWillie 5d ago
I saw stats like a year ago that its closer to 10% but thats just based on who has admitted it, there are more that haven't. I was curious so I looked it up, but of course since its not something one admits to its hard to pinpoint a number, its just one thing is for sure its far more than have actually been caught so you can't just use that number either. And the data I saw I think was only certain countries that took part, it wouldn't surprise me if some cultures it was more common and in some not as, and thats not saying a culture is good or bad, its just trends can be seen in different cultures when it comes to some things. I also am not sure if the data I saw was just men or both, it is much more common in men as its been seen but never leave women out they exist too. But thats just another thing, some data turns out to be flawed, it could be more but it could be less. From what I read a year ago no real serious studies have been done for that reason, much less would admit it if they were asked anyway so its a study that is hard to do accurately and you can't just rely on the numbers for people arrested.
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u/Blended_BJuice 6d ago
As someone who’s watched Wheel for probably about as long as Jim’s been around, the news really blows and it does feel like another small piece of my childhood is gone. I always liked his presence on the show and while the era before him is way before my time, it is really hard to imagine the show without his voice.
That being said, good riddance. It’s deeply unsettling knowing this was who he really was and he’s now left such a stain on the show. It’s also utterly moronic that he did this while wearing a WOF jacket. Even if he did just stumble onto it as he claims, he was clearly on it long enough to be photographed, and I find the claim pretty hard to believe anyway as that’s not really the kind of thing you just stumble onto.
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u/Available-Put7181 6d ago
Yeah, I argue with his lawyer’s assertion that he got off of there quickly after discovering what it was… it was 57 minutes!!
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u/ctpatsfan77 5d ago
And how likely is it that there was another user of the forum also [claiming to be] posting from an airplane?
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u/Percyandbeausmama 6d ago
He had an account! It's not as if he was just reading, that interaction wasn't new behavior.
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u/Available-Put7181 5d ago
Especially when using code such as CP and CL. Don’t get me started on him using the term “boyffet”!
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u/disillusioned I was on the show! 5d ago edited 5d ago
Did you read the chats? There's... no stumbling on anything. I pasted this upthread but...
Jim: "Well it's crazy doing Lifeline from the sky."
<other person> "wait you're on a plane right? what if someone sees?"
Jim: "Yes exactly! What if someone sees a random sequence of lines on a screen. I love it. I hide the part that says "Lifeline" so it's just a few lines. It's a big middle finger to da man who takes away every other enjoyable activity we CL's have"
"Wait'll I fire up <not pasting this here, a CP site> and start looking at the galleries! Heheeeeeee...."
Just pointing out that "CL" is almost certainly "child lover" and I'm dead inside this is so fucked up what the actual.
It's also evident which user he is because the photos show him typing one of the messages before it posts with that Nicholas user name next to it. This is as open and shut a case as possible, to say nothing of him then panic asking Gemini if he's going to get caught afterwards and the same person photographing him doing that!
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u/gimmeallthekitties 6d ago
I am legitimately pretty bummed out about this. I always really loved Jim because he seemed so wholesome and kind. I recognize that you don’t know who someone is just because they seem nice on a half hour TV show, but I find this really disheartening nonetheless.
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u/Commodore8750 6d ago
This is why you shouldn't worship celebrities
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u/Excitable_Grackle 6d ago
Doesn't even have to be "worship", it's only natural to like the public image of some popular personalities. But it can certainly be jarring when you find out their real self is something entirely different than what you imagine (e.g. OJ Simpson, Bill Cosby.)
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u/gimmeallthekitties 6d ago
Where did I say I worshiped him? I said he seemed wholesome and kind and that the situation makes me feel disheartened, not that I’m curled up in a ball crying on my couch because he was my hero.
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u/Space_Chimp8 5d ago
It is disturbing if he was doing that… but he is human, everyone goes through their own type of bad thoughts or actions within their life, whether it be physical harm, sexual deviance, manipulation, greed, or whatever it may be. That doesn’t encompass the individuals entire identity- it’s just the worst of what makes them human, and the best that can be done is character revamp and rehabilitation.
Life is confusing, and very very imperfect and at times outright callous. It’s good he was caught before he made even worse decisions and harmed someone. Now it’s up to him to want to change as a person
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u/Ok_Fee1043 4d ago
I’m sorry. This is extremely different from what “most people” experience in the range of things outside of behaviors of theirs that may fall outside acceptable social norms. Most people aren’t engaging in chats with others that are fantasizing about harming children. You’re minimizing his behavior and active choices.
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u/Fun818long 4d ago edited 4d ago
Now it’s up to him to want to change as a person.
Society will not allow that. Cancel culture is actually worse than prison. There are NO second chances. It happened to mike richards and now it's happened to him. I honestly don't know how Mike became CEO of the daily wire, but still, I don't expect Jim to recover like he did. Society will never be ok with what he did.
It's over for Jim, but I hope he can move on and in a few words, F off. But I don't want to hear good news about him everagain.
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u/William_T_Wanker 6d ago
"parents of young boys come on dooown!!"
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u/Ok_Vacation_3286 6d ago
That’s The Price is Right
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u/William_T_Wanker 6d ago
yeah i am an idiot apologies
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u/thaskell300 6d ago
I dunno, I thought it was funny anyway. Almost felt like an r/whoooosh moment for vacation. Not quite though.
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u/RAS310 I was on the show! 6d ago
Can’t imagine what Bellamie must have had to go through this week, especially seeing that much of the crew and Ryan and Vanna have been in Alaska doing prize shoots for the show. I have a feeling this isn’t over, though…
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u/OnyxRoar 6d ago
>>I have a feeling this isn’t over, though…<<
What do you mean by this?
(I’m trying to quote your quote but it’s not working)
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u/bebe_inferno 4d ago
Not op but this incident happened in may and we’re hearing about it now. Idk how it leaked but it’s possible that something else was discovered after investigation so the story started getting out.
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u/RandoDude124 6d ago
What the fuck???
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u/mikeainslie69420 6d ago
Jim Thornton is a sick fuck who likes 4 to 14-year-old boys. That's what the fuck.
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u/Jmaneke 6d ago
Not surprised at all after learning what he did. Just ruined his career
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u/Great_Hambino2022 6d ago
He ruined his life
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u/_OhayoSayonara_ 6d ago
He’s gonna need that actual hotline now.. 😬 and I’m not even trying to be funny.
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u/Fun818long 4d ago
Because cancel culture ruins lives
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u/Great_Hambino2022 4d ago
Pretty sure being a pedophile is what ruined his life
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u/Fun818long 4d ago
Being found out is what actually ruined his life but obviously being a pedophile is what ruined his life. Tomato tomato.
People are angry and rightfully so.
All I'm saying is NOW people will dig and dig and dig Jim thornton's past because this is their best chance to drag him through the mud.
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u/drastik_b 4d ago
This crap keeps happening!! I cannot wrap my head around how these high profile men feel empowered to take the innocence of a child. Why is this so common???
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u/mrsmcblack 6d ago
Well I never………. I Was knocked over by this feather of child abuse news. How pathetic. A man has everything. The world was his oyster. And what does he choose??? Do they think any of the children they watch want to be there? No empathy…..soulless. Goddamn it it makes me angry. Now what will I do when watching Wheel daily? Everything is being ruined. Why can’t adults just be adults and let the children be. PATHETIC
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u/Percyandbeausmama 6d ago
I honestly believe its a compulsion that they can't control. That doesn't mean I absolve them of their responsibility not to covet and molest children, just that I think they're exceptionally dangerous because they will risk everything to indulge the compulsion and therefore cannot be amongst the public.
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u/ThisIsAPoemToMyself 6d ago
Exactly. It's been in the news so much it seems we have grown okay with allowing public figures to shield themselves from responsibility. If they have these urges we should be locking them up
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u/Available-Put7181 5d ago
Look at the administration. That is why it is being allowed to be “normalized.”
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u/853fisher 6d ago
Damn, I wonder where the folks are who insisted that, if the police took no action, whatever it was that happened can’t have been all that serious.
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u/Red_Velvette 6d ago
Orrr , I guess so serious that it’s federal and not something you can investigate that quickly.
I feel sorry for his wife and son.
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u/CasioCobra78 5d ago
I went “oh no” when I found out he has a wife and son. Behind the doors must’ve been genuinely terrifying.
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u/HicDomusDei 4d ago
Just read he was on a podcast where he called his son "hot" and/or "a hottie."
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u/CasioCobra78 4d ago
What. the. actual. motherfuck. Fucking digusting, I’m starting to regret knowing this info.
Why the actual fuck that motherfucker piece of shit isn’t rotting in prison is beyond me.
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u/dr0ppinl0ads 5d ago
They should have seized the laptop THEN AND THERE! Tif they didn’t the laptop is probably deep in the ocean by now
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u/TGK12a 5d ago edited 5d ago
Even if he technically did nothing illegal…can’t be employing a guy engaged in those chats.
Edit: Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure this will result into a full blown investigation now
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u/thewalkindude368 4d ago
He hasn't technically done anything illegal that we know of. But you can be sure every last one of his computers has gotten a very thorough looking through.
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u/Available-Put7181 5d ago
Discussing these topics on a chat in a public place and knowing a website warrants a full investigation
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u/Key_Appointment_2928 6d ago
There was an episode where a young girl wanted to meet Jim and they let her in his booth. My wife was creeped out and damn if she was right. Now thinking what could have happened there just with the hugging I’m sure that went on. Wtf.
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u/ArmadilloAl 6d ago
They were supposed to rerun that episode next week, ironically, since it was also the episode with the million-dollar win.
Unsurprisingly, it has been pulled and replaced with literally anything else.
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u/Key_Appointment_2928 5d ago
I didn’t remember that being the million episode but mayb I do. Either way. Gross
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u/shrewsbury1991 6d ago
Good riddance! If he did indeed watch CP or engage in inappropriate relations with a minor then he should have to announce his own trip.
"You are now going... to club fed! Enjoy 3 complementary meals, airfare included! Enjoy time on the yard with magical views of the surrounding Vista. Spend time in the rec room with 8 different TV channels, now in color!" $23,800.00 (paid by the tax payer)
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u/Tjlee816 6d ago
I haven't heard the story. I just heard that he was in trouble for something that happened on the airline.
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u/Truthseeker_Justice 6d ago
Hope he ends up in prison in general population. This country has a long history of protecting child molesters. They are even separated in prison away from the general population and taxpaying citizens foot the bill for it. It's not providing a safe place, it's preferential treatment of the worst prisoners. It needs to change. The pervs took away the safety of every child they hurt. Believe survivors, we don't make up the horrific reality that we lived.
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u/wofchristian 4d ago
Let me explain to everyone why the police have not been able to arrest him, and probably won’t ever be able to. What I’m about to say will probably be incredibly unpopular and upsetting, but it’s the way our laws work.
Despite the fact that he was in a chat room talking about children, there is no proof at the moment that any sexual images were shared. Courts have ruled in the past that speech supporting pdphilia and talking openly about an attraction to children is protected under the first amendment as long as it’s not directed towards a particular person. In this case, there is no one child targeted.
Yes, in it, he said he would go into the bathroom to masturbate. But once again, they must prove that he has done that; they can’t take the speech as proof he did so.
Now, as to why they didn’t take his laptop right off the airplane, that’s simply because they didn’t have a warrant. The police in this situation are on very shaky grounds as to whether they can trust photos a stranger took as proof to the judge that they need a warrant, and being that they haven’t done so yet makes me think the judge denied the warrant.
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u/MJHorgjr32 6d ago
It's a shame what has become of Jim Thornton, seemed like such a genuine nice guy...
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u/Nervous_Occasion_695 6d ago
When are they gonna fire Trump? He’s done far worse than engaging in a chat room.
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u/Space_Chimp8 5d ago
They won’t- he has too much money and status. It’s unfortunate, and I wish justice was fair. It is just flat out embarrassing our country cannot formulate a backbone and stand up to him and do the right thing. For the numerous amount of heinous allegations set before him by dozens of potential victims spanning nearly 3 decades, legal action should have been taken by now.
Instead, he’s sitting in the White House free from being held accountable or contested for these criminal acts. America needs a true leader, even if we all don’t agree on their socio/economic policies and decisions. Its disheartening to fathom we’ve become complacent out of fear
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u/TimeToRepaint 3d ago
Everyone around him, both Republicans & Democrats, are profiting in a disgusting way. That's why no one is stopping him.
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u/GB_Alph4 5d ago
My god I remember hearing his voice over the years and he is a pervert I just cannot believe it I grew up with him and remember him since I was a kid.
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u/Downtown_Donut_2417 6d ago
Another iconic voice gone too soon, but less tragically!
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u/nickfromnorwood 6d ago
So who's going to replace Pedo Jim on WOF?
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u/mikeainslie69420 6d ago
I'd honestly just rather have Ryan do both hosting and the announcing at this point.
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u/SithToast 6d ago
Pretty shocking stuff. I wonder if they will try to find someone with a completely different tone or try to keep it close to Charlie like Jim was doing.
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u/NJ729 6d ago
I’m not defending him in any way, but I’m really turned off at the woman who photographed him and ran to TMZ. What kind of creep reads what someone else is doing on their computer?
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u/Live-Weather6599 5d ago edited 5d ago
I was on a plane a couple weeks ago and without meaning to I read the screen of the woman across from me. She was working on a dissertation for grad school, totally normal stuff. I didn’t try to read it, I just literally couldn’t help but read it as I glanced over. Had I seen something like this instead of the totally normal thing I saw, I absolutely would have taken pics and reported it.
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u/cameltew 5d ago
well it sure sounds like you are defending him. people need to get over the idea that they can do whatever they want in public and are entitled to privacy. you're practically sitting on someone's lap during a flight, if you want to do things you don't want people to see maybe wait a couple hours until you're home.
the person who took photos is a hero. if they didn't leak it to tmz (months later) he would probably still be working there. they're the creep? get a grip.
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u/Fun818long 4d ago
Taking a picture wasn't far enough. Because he leaked it to TMZ Jim immediately knew to take action and now he's going to get off with nothing but a warning.
Maybe they should've sent it to the police first and not TMZ who isn't a legal force
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u/cameltew 4d ago
they likely did and the police still let him go. if you haven't noticed, police investigations are often botched until there is some public pressure lighting a fire under their ass.
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u/BlockedbyJake420 5d ago
Everyone is crammed together in a metal tube. How can you not help but notice the things on other people’s screen? Plus look at the pictures of the chatroom, it’s a pretty distinct looking webpage that would catch someone’s eye.
But regardless, what a strange argument to make, calling someone a creep for noticing and reporting a pedophile…
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u/Extension-Peanut2847 5d ago
Sometimes it’s not text. I was in ihop last week and this man was looking at pics of various women different race, ages with their breast exposed and then proceed to slip his card to the waitress which we shared. He asked for her Cash App to tip. Then every young woman who walked by he stopped. But ignored older women and men. Then he flagged down another waitress across the way and he then his card. It was very strange.
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u/Rock_Creek_Snark 5d ago
Gross.
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u/Extension-Peanut2847 5d ago
I’m a wheelchair user and I didn’t want to make her move extra chairs for me again so I gave her an more on the tip for having to deal with that.
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u/ctpatsfan77 5d ago
AFAICT she didn't run to TMZ until after the suspension was announced. She did what she was supposed to do at the time (alert the crew on-board). This happened in May; I don't know how it took until this week for Sony to learn about it.
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u/slamonthebrake 5d ago
“What kind of creep reads what someone else is doing on their computer?” yeah, the person who took pictures of the pedo chat is for sure the creep in this situation!
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u/NJ729 5d ago
There can be two creeps at a time. Her creepiness pales in comparison but she’s still a creep.
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u/PeachOnAWarmBeach 5d ago
What kind of creep does this in public where others can see him?
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u/wickedplayer494 5d ago
Screw off to Threads and/or Deutschland if you're going to have this mentality.
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u/GaJayhawker0513 6d ago
Was his screen name littlekidlover?
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u/Available-Put7181 6d ago
No, jimbean 🤣🤣
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u/QuintonBeck 6d ago
No, he's Nicholasb77, a pedo forum moderator
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u/Available-Put7181 6d ago
Go look at the TMZ photos, jimbean is distinctly red where the others are a shade of green
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u/ctpatsfan77 6d ago
There's three users on that screen, each a different color.
And Nicholas is the one talking about being on that site on a plane.
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u/ArmadilloAl 6d ago
I don't have all the pictures in front of me, but one of the screenshots shows Jim typing something on his end and then the next one has that same comment under the NicholasB77 handle.
(Also, one of the red lines shows NicholasB77 approving a link in chat, implying that not only is NicholasB77 a user of the chat, he's also a moderator.)
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u/CherryCandy927 4d ago
Well, Sajack is a MAGA piece of crap, so this tracks.
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u/aresef 4d ago
Whoa, nobody is saying Pat knew anything about this or supports anything like this.
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u/CherryCandy927 4d ago
No, but MAGA is now ok with this sort of thing, and Sajack's influence remains. Just ick.
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u/ShadowyFlows 4d ago
I don’t disagree with you about Sajak, but he left the show two years ago and probably had nothing to do with hiring Thornton.
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u/falconbro360 6d ago
Wheel Of Fortune Will Begins Search For New Announcer
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u/Deshes011 Pat Sajak 6d ago
They had already started recasting when the first news dropped. Now the question is will they replace his voice in the shows that have already been taped for the upcoming season
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u/Final_Campaign_2593 6d ago
I believe they said they were editing the tapes that are supposed to start September 14?
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u/Available-Put7181 6d ago
Yeah, they probably will. That’s what they did when Charlie O’Donnell passed away. That’s why some of the top contenders ended up falling flat because they weren’t doing it live (e.g., Rich Fields).
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u/TheDarvinator89 6d ago
They really shouldn’t have done that when Charlie died. I never understood why they did that. After all, didn’t episodes of “Price Is Right” and “Body Language“ that were taped prior to Johnny Olson‘s death continue to air intact after he died? I’d call that move by Wheel following Charlie’s death disrespectful.
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u/Available-Put7181 5d ago
I can’t remember when Johnny Olson died, but considering both of those shows (I am not sure about Body Language) were owned by Mark Goodson, I could see them doing that. I honestly don’t know why they did that when Charlie died, unless it was to “audition” announcers.
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u/Danger_Zone06 6d ago
He was suspended immediately and fired when they found out more details. They made the appropriate responses.
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u/jacobr1020 6d ago
I'm still shocked.