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Pat Sajak's wildly surprising reaction to going viral at the World Series

The retired Wheel of Fortune star thought he was trending for the wrong reasons.

Joseph Galizia

Retired Wheel for Fortune game show host Pat Sajak watches in the third period of the NHL game between the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers at Staples Center.
Retired Wheel for Fortune game show host Pat Sajak watches in the third period of the NHL game between the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers at Staples Center. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Though the 2024 World Series is in the books — with the Los Angeles Dodgers defeating the New Yankees in Game 5 — the iconic event featured many notable celebrity cameos throughout the five games.

Pat Sajak not only sat in the crowd for Game 5 but trended online afterward due to his appearance sitting behind home plate. However, the 78-year-old TV personality thought he went viral for a very different reason after seeing his name make the rounds.

Sajak, who captured audiences'  hearts for 43 years as the host of Wheel of Fortune, weighed in on X (formerly known as Twitter) about seeing himself trending.

"Noticed I was trending," the famed TV personality— who announced his retirement from the game show back in 2023 — tweeted on October 30, 2024 before quipping: "Thought I had passed away. Turns out I’m fine."

Not only is Sajak still alive, but he continues to work. While he retired as the host of Wheel of Fortune following the completion of its 41st season earlier this year, he remains with the show as a consultant and still hosts Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. 

Other celebrities spotted at the World Series include Jason Bateman, Ice Cube, Billy Crystal, Jim Harbaugh, and many more. They all witnessed as the Dodgers triumphed over the Yankees to become world champions.

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Joseph Galizia
JOSEPH GALIZIA

Joey is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering pro-wrestling/MMA for multiple outlets, and is thrilled to bring that same skill set to Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's interviewed over 50 legendary names in the business, including UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, acclaimed filmmaker Kevin Smith, and more.

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