Vanna White Graces Cover of Parade
In This Article:
The iconic Wheel of Fortune host opens up on working with Ryan Seacrest, how she landed the plum role over 40 years ago and what she wears on her days off.
NEW YORK, September 20, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Parade, the premium legacy entertainment and lifestyle brand, released its latest cover story featuring the iconic "Wheel of Fortune" co-host, Vanna White.
The story covers a wide range of topics including why she didn’t retire, what it’s like to film with new co-host Ryan Seacrest, how many dresses she has worn on the show and how she got the iconic role in the first place.
Read the full interview here. Notable quotes are below:
On when she’ll retire:
"Everybody chooses when it's time to retire, and that was [Pat’s] choice. I wasn't ready to retire, so that's why I'm continuing on. I love coming to work. I love watching people win. I love changing people's lives."
On working with Ryan Seacrest:
"It was obviously very different after working with someone for 41 years. But I don’t compare the two. I just think of it as a new era."
On bringing her personality to the show:
"The whole reason I wanted to be on TV since I was a little girl was because I wanted to give people a good feeling—try to show them kindness, be a good person, and be a good role model. I feel like by playing myself on TV, I'm able to do that. I'm not playing a character. I am who I am, so let me share it with you."
On her ‘Wheel of Fortune’ audition
"I was so nervous when I auditioned, I just thought, There's no way I'm going to get this job. My knees were shaking. My mouth was quivering. I just could hardly do it. I wanted the job so bad."
On whether she has a tattoo (her daughter is a tattoo artist):
"Not yet, but I’m seriously thinking about getting a little heart right here on my wrist so I can look at it every day and have a piece of her with me."
On her presence on the show:
"My role on the puzzle board has changed. When I first started, I had to physically turn every letter. Now the board is operated by a laser. It’s like a flat screen. And when I go to touch the letter, the laser catches my movement. It’s crazy, right?
"But I’m telling you right now, don’t say it. They need me!"
On her fashion:
"I probably try on 40 or 50 dresses every two weeks. So, for the 8,000 dresses that I’ve worn, I’ve tried on about 100,000. They’re all so pretty, but to me, that’s a job. So, when I’m at home, just put me in a comfortable sweatsuit and I’m happy."