Las Vegas Weekly

July 14, 2010 · 1:42 PM

Photos: Pat Sajak and Vanna White spin Wheel to 30th anniversary

By Robin Leach

Vanna White and Pat Sajack host Wheel of Fortune at The Venetian on July 13, 2010.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Thousands of Wheel of Fortune fans will pour into The Venetian’s convention center over the next eight days, as hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White are taping six weeks of episodes for the 28th season of the ever-popular game show.

“It’s the biggest number of shows we’ve ever filmed in one location. It’s the most time we’ve spent shooting in one city,” Pat said during the first day yesterday.

“This is our longest stay of nine days in one place, and we’ve got off days every second day of taping, so we’re going to see the Hoover Dam and helicopter into the Grand Canyon. We’ve taped in Las Vegas before, obviously, but this is the first time I’m actually going to see it. It’s a real rarity to goof off! I love Las Vegas, and it’s great to be able to both work and play here this trip.”

But the biggest news Pat and Vanna told me is that they are so close to the magical 30th anniversary that they’ve agreed to sign on for another three-year contract extension. “We’re definitely going for it,” said an excited Pat. Vanna chimed in: “I keep thinking, ‘How can this continue?’ but I’m going for it, too.”

The Venetian shows kick off the 28th season premiere Sept. 13 and run through to April alternating with other shows shot in the L.A. studio.

Vanna explained: “These are six actual shooting days of our 35 days of total filming a year. So I’m not surprised we’re doing all of this in Las Vegas. It economically makes sense, and we’ll have started our year with one-fifth of the work already done by the time we leave town!”

Wheel was created by TV legend Merv Griffin, and Pat and Vanna have hosted the show together since 1981 when it began on NBC. The current syndicated version has aired in primetime since Sept. 19, 1983, and more than 5,250 episodes have been recorded. Michelle Lowenstein became the first contestant to win $1 million in October 2008.

This Las Vegas shoot is a real Hollywood invasion, with a crew of more than 100 technicians who built the set in The Venetian and rigged the lighting and sound systems. Pat told me in his dressing room: “This so-called celebrity-hood is odd for me being the face of the show because fans think it’s just the two of us. But this is one huge undertaking. It’s the biggest TV show on the road, and there’s well over 100 people who really do all the work.”

Pat admitted with a laugh that people are so used to seeing him nightly over 28 years that he doesn’t appear to have aged. “I am genetically blessed, but people become so familiar with us, they don’t see us aging. If you played the video of my first show against a show we’re taping here, you’ll really see a difference, though.”

Vanna has brought her two teenage children with her for this trip: Nicholas, 16, and Giovanna, 13. “They had only one day here last year, so we’re definitely going to go sightseeing at the Grand Canyon. Las Vegas is the best place for today’s adult fun,” said Vanna, who slides in and out of here regularly under the radar. She is friends with her next door California neighbor Alex Yemenidjian, who owns the Tropicana, which is undergoing a $100 million makeover.

She told me: “We’ve added some new categories for Wheel contestants this year, and the bonus wheel has been increased up to $30,000, so that will be exciting.” Vanna and her stylist decided to select all of her wardrobe gowns for the filming here from designers at our local boutiques.

Contributing photographer Erik Kabik had his cameras clicking when Vanna selected 14 sexy and stylish outfits from Australian designer Dana Mathers at the luxurious boutique Lior in The Venetian’s Grand Canal Shops.

Dana said: “It’s funny because our Down Under version of Wheel of Fortune has an almost perfect Vanna lookalike! But I don’t provide her gowns. It’s solely that Vanna’s stylist discovered me here in Las Vegas.”

Vanna said the only problem of shooting six weeks of shows in such a tight time frame is that her feet will hurt: “I literally will walk miles in those high heels and gowns over six hours of taping a day. I don’t need any time to cool down after that. I’ll just go straight to bed and get a good night’s sleep.”

I’ve known the bubbly blonde beauty for years, so I knew that I could ask about her romantic status. “I’m still dating the same boyfriend, but no ring or wedding bells yet. I joke, ‘Why mess up a good thing?’ But now I am thinking I do want to get married.”

I once flew with Vanna as my seatmate to Philadelphia from L.A. when we hosted a WWF (now WWE) showdown in Atlantic City. She crocheted the entire flight. When I reminded her, she pulled out her current crochet project from her bag.

“I’m still doing it all the time. I give them away as gifts, but now I have my own line -- Vanna’s Choice -- which is on sale at Walmart and Michael’s stores, and I give half of all the proceeds to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospitals.”

As I left and Vanna prepared for the first taping, she concluded: “I just couldn’t think of life without Wheel, so that’s why I’m going for the 30th!”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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