A recent "Wheel of Fortune" episode ignited a social media firestorm following a controversial ruling on contestant Arzice Salonga's pronunciation. Salonga, a law student and former Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader, attempted to solve the puzzle "A F _ I _ _ N / _ A _ A _ _" with "African Safari." However, her pronunciation of "safari" as "sa-FAIR-ee" was deemed incorrect by the judges, leading to another contestant solving the puzzle.

Host Ryan Seacrest confirmed the judges' decision, stating, "Yes, safari is the way you have to say that. I just checked with our judges to make sure." This sparked immediate backlash online, with some viewers arguing that Salonga was unfairly penalized for a slight variation in pronunciation, while others supported the ruling, emphasizing the importance of correct pronunciation in a word-based game.

This incident follows other unusual occurrences on Seacrest's watch, including being tackled to the ground by an exuberant contestant last month. The contestant, Daniel from Pittsburgh, correctly solved a puzzle and, in his excitement, knocked Seacrest over while celebrating. Though momentarily stunned, Seacrest assured everyone he was unharmed.

The recent pronunciation debate has reignited discussions about the show's rules and the role of judges in interpreting them, adding another layer of intrigue to Seacrest's relatively new tenure as host.