Wheel of Fortune fans slam Ryan Seacrest for 'awkward' on-air habit

Wheel of Fortune’s new host Ryan Seacrest can’t catch a break as many fans of the game show aren't too keen on him replacing original host Pat Sajak.

Since the American Idol emcee started on the show, he’s been getting heavily criticized for a variety of reasons such as his energy, his hosting style, and his fashion. On Reddit, several fans have complained about the outfits Ryan wears on Wheel of Fortune, and how they pale in comparison to Pat.

“The most obvious difference is how they dress. Pat always (almost) wore a suit or sports coat, and always with a tie,” one critic wrote on Reddit .

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“For me, it was a nod to a classic look that has been lost over time. Ryan tends to wear sport jackets with open collar shirts,” they added. “Perhaps it’s due to their generation gap of 27 years. Or the show’s producers saw it as part of the modernization of WOF. But thankfully the nixed the idea of replacing Vanna [White} with an animatronic.”

Another person in the thread added to the moderator’s first remark, writing: “I think Ryan is still just in that ‘prove yourself’ part of the job like we all get with any new job. It takes a while before you can let your guard down, relax, be yourself.”

A third shared, this time attacking his personality, asking: “Is it just me or does Ryan laugh and chuckle too much? Feels slapstick when not awkward.” One further explained the issue they had with Ryan’s chuckling.

“Ryan was laughing - Pat was so demure about it and Pat did not want to disappoint the contestant, or make them feel bad - classy,” they penned. There were some viewers who attempted to explain the apparent changes on Wheel of Fortune.

“The show is absolutely getting retooled to appeal to a younger audience. They had a live read for kombucha tea recently. I don’t know if Pat Sajak even knows what kombucha is,” one theorized. “So yeah, it’s probably just a reflection of what’s a more modern interpretation of causal formalwear.”

Much like Wheel of Fortune fans, Ryan understands that he’ll never be able to replace Pat.

Pat hosted the game show for 41 years before he announced in June 2023 that he was retiring from the show. "Well, no one can ever do what Pat has done,” Ryan told People. “He is incredible. So do I feel pressure? Sure. People love watching him ... and I hope to do a great job as well."