Whoopi Goldberg Hopes to Fulfill Lifelong Dream of Becoming Pat Sajak

It’s hard to remember now but Whoopi Goldberg used to be one of the biggest comedy stars on the planet. She killed it in one-woman plays on Broadway, annually hosted Comic Relief with Billy Crystal and Robin Williams and won an Oscar for her hilarious “psychic” in Ghost. But all of those dizzying heights are mere sandcastles in comparison to the prospect of Goldberg joining Wheel of Fortune as the new Pat Sajak. We haven’t seen anyone this excited about Wheel since Ed Grimley.

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After 40-plus years on the job, Sajak is divorcing his work-wife Vanna White and turning in his free spins. “Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” Sajak announced on Twitter. “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months.” We’ll leave Sajak’s future comments for his occasionally problematic social media feeds and focus on what really matters: Whoopi. 

She staked her claim this week when Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings stopped by The View. Goldberg’s co-host, Alyssa Farah Griffin, asked Jennings what he thought about Sajak stepping away from the wheel. But before she could even finish the question, Goldberg jumped in: “I want that job!”

Jennings weighed in with some blah-blah-blah about game-show succession plans, but Joy Behar already saw what the future held: “Whoopi wants that job.”

“I want that job,” Goldberg confirmed once more, lest anyone miss the point. “I think it would be lots of fun.”

To recap: Goldberg wants that job. But why does she dream of becoming the new Sajak? The guess here is that if there’s any easier way to make a living than chatting it up on The View, it’s asking contestants if they want to buy a vowel. And unlike The View, which requires showing up daily to discuss current events like Sajak’s AWOL status, Wheel of Fortune regularly tapes six shows in a single day. That means a few days’ work is all that’s required for a month’s worth of shows. What’s not to like? Plus, she’s got that center square experience from Hollywood Squares so she’s practically game-show royalty. 

Consider her hat officially in the ring. We can just imagine what Goldberg’s going to look like if she actually gets the job.