So, Vanna White – the Queen of the Puzzle Board – has been spilling the tea on her wild ride with Wheel of Fortune. And let me tell you, she’s been flipping and touching letters longer than most of us have been flipping pancakes!
At a sassy 67 years young, Vanna recently gave us a little inside scoop in an interview with Parade. She looked back on her illustrious career of, well, pressing buttons with the grace of a gazelle and the enthusiasm of someone who knows they’re absolutely crushing it.
Vanna’s role in the early days? Literal hard work. “When I first started, I had to physically turn every letter,” she shared, possibly reminiscing about the days when manual labor meant serious wrist action. Yes, you heard that right – young Vanna was out here in a sparkly dress, flipping actual blocks like a glamorous construction worker.
But then, technology happened. “Then they switched to TV monitors, so I just had to touch the letters and they would light up,” Vanna explained. Ah, the golden age of button pushing – a simpler time when all you needed to do was give a little tap, and boom, magic letters. Honestly, we’re surprised they didn’t put her in the credits as “Vanna White: Official Button Presser Extraordinaire.”
But hold onto your sequins, because things have gotten even wilder since. “Now the board is operated by a laser,” Vanna said, as though this is something normal people deal with daily. “It’s like a flat screen. And when I go to touch the letter, the laser catches my movement.” I mean, seriously, who knew hosting a game show would eventually involve dodging lasers like you’re in some kind of sci-fi action movie?! “It’s crazy, right?” Vanna quipped, probably wondering if she needs to start wearing a spacesuit.
The interviewer, clearly trying to stir the pot, coyly asked, “So, if the letters can light up automatically…” before Vanna swooped in like a seasoned pro. “I’m telling you right now, don’t say it. They need me!” She knows her worth, people. She may not be flipping letters anymore, but you better believe that board doesn’t stand a chance without her touch of class and a dash of sass.
But, Vanna’s no fool. She knows where she stands in this new world of gizmos and lasers. “With all the electronics today, obviously they could do it without me,” she admitted. And while we all screamed “NOOO” internally, she was quick to remind us that her true superpower is fashion. “People love watching what I’m wearing,” she added. And with over 8,000 outfits under her belt (yes, eight thousand, take a moment to process), Vanna is basically the walking runway of Wheel of Fortune. Forget the letters; we’re here for the dresses!
“So, what’s it going to be today?” the audience wonders every night. Is it red? Is it blue? Will it sparkle? Will it be floor-length or one of those cute short numbers? Honestly, forget the wheel – spin that wardrobe! Vanna is Wheel of Fortune’s fashion icon, and that laser-powered puzzle board is just lucky to have her.
