Wheel of Fortune went all out for April Fools’ Day this year, executing a brilliant two-part prank that had contestants and viewers alike scratching their heads.
The first part targeted the unlucky contestants who showed up for that evening’s taping. As Vanna White made her traditional entrance, instead of longtime host Pat Sajak by her side, it was Oscar-winning actor and musician Jared Leto who strolled out.
“Here are the stars of our show, Jared Leto and Vanna White,” the announcer proclaimed to the baffled contestants, who could do little but play along.
Leto seamlessly jumped into host duties, kicking off the first toss-up puzzle with a casual “Alright everybody, grab those devices, it’s time to give away some money.” As the game continued with Leto calling the shots, the confused contestants did their best to focus on solving the word puzzles at hand.
Little did viewers realize, they were the ultimate targets of part two of the prank. After the first few rounds with Jared Leto, the show abruptly cut to Sajak back in his usual spot, with no mention of the celebrity guest host switch whatsoever. It was as if the Morbius star had never been there, leaving audiences wondering if they had imagined the whole bizarre cameo.
Jared Leto himself relished in the chicanery, taking to Instagram after the episode aired asking fans “How’d I do?” The actor has been making the media rounds promoting his latest project, so the hosting gig allowed him to join in on Wheel’s annual tradition from a unique perspective.
Pulling the wool over their viewers’ eyes is nothing new for Wheel of Fortune which has delighted in April Fools’ trickery for decades. One of their most memorable pranks came in 1997 when Sajak and Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek swapped shows for a day.
While guest hosts like Leto have turned up occasionally, Sajak has been the Keeper of the Wheel and anchor of the show since 1981. His 41-year tenure is slated to come to an end after this season, with American Idol host Ryan Seacrest set to take over as the new host starting in 2024.