"Wheel of Fortune" longevity question

[byrd62]

The now-retired Pat Sajak, as you may know, holds the Guinness World Record for "the longest-serving career as a game show host for the same show", which, of course, was Wheel of Fortune.  I think his run ended at 42 1/2 years or so, right?

If Vanna White serves out her new two-year contract (by June 2026) on Wheel alongside its new MC, Ryan Seacrest, she will have outlasted Pat by more than a year, at about 43 1/2 years, but by definition, she isn't the host/MC.

That leads me to ask:  Will Guinness World Records create this new category for Vanna: "Longest-serving career as a game show performer (non-host) on the same show", or some such words?

[Joe Mello]

If Sony pays for it, sure.

[Kevin Prather]

This will turn into a game of opinions in a hurry. There are plenty of people who will argue that she *is* a host in her own right, even if she's not in the traffic cop role.

Interestingly, she is now the longest-tenured game show host currently on the air, with Drew Carey I believe a distant second.

[TLEberle]

This will turn into a game of opinions in a hurry. There are plenty of people who will argue that she *is* a host in her own right, even if she's not in the traffic cop role.

Interestingly, she is now the longest-tenured game show host currently on the air, with Drew Carey I believe a distant second.

Without going into the is she/ain't she (which doesn't interest me overmuch) GWR has changed from a reference book compendium into a marketing outfit--my opinion was cemented when seeing that the hardcover annuals increasingly devoted space to the bizarre and out-there stuff as opposed to the 1991 edition which was still in the business of keeping records. You're correct that if Guinness is sufficiently incentivized they would show up with plaque in hand.

I wonder how Meredith's episode count would compare--she made it to 1500 with Millionaire and 25 Words or Less is the little game show that could.

[Kevin Prather]

I wonder how Meredith's episode count would compare--she made it to 1500 with Millionaire and 25 Words or Less is the little game show that could.

25WOL is up to 835 according to Wikipedia. She and Wayne Brady are not far behind Drew, but still light years behind Vanna.

[Neumms]

…by definition, she isn't the host/MC.

They were introduced as “your host and hostess.” Hostess being the feminine form of host, Vanna is that, in name at least.