To be honest, they don't need to find the "perfect person" for WoF. Just someone that fits in with the show, has pretty good chemistry with the cast, and can relate to the contestants / make them feel comfortable.
I agree wholeheartedly with this comment.
Here's the thing: On social media, there's already a certain group who are suggesting that, when Pat's final show airs – likely, sometime in early June 2024 – the Wheel should stop spinning ... forever. (Ergo, the show should be cancelled, everyone says their goodbyes, the studio disassembled and its pieces put in a museum or somewhere, and the idea of first run-WOF should never be spoken of again ... ever.)
Just the same as when Bob Barker announced his retirement, in that TPiR should end (and perhaps one last big show with the ultimate prizes offered, etc.), or after Alex Trebek's passing that Jeopardy! should have ended. A common reason is that no one else could ever host their favorite show and that (fill in the blank) will fail miserably or become a completely different show (and not in a good way) after the legend's departure/last show. One poster even implied Richard Dawson's last ABC/(original version) syndicated show should have been the last we ever saw of first-run "Family Feud" (although I think he was thinking more of Steve Harvey being the host rather than his immediate 1999 version predecessors).
But, going along the lines of what SeaBreeze said, remember that at one time, the legends of TPiR and Jeopardy! were the newcomers, and there were people I'm sure asking if they could ever fill the shoes of the hosts that came before them. For Price, remember that – despite its different format – memories of Bill Cullen and his version of Price were likely still relatively fresh in viewers' minds in 1972.
A few early histories of the Trebek version – including, IIRC, Harry Eisenberg's book "Jeopardy!: A Revealing Look Inside TV's Top Quiz Show" – had some excerpts from newspapers reviewing "Jeopardy!" shortly after its premiere, and how the press contacted Art Fleming to get his opinion. I'm sure there were some older viewers who wanted Art back and that it was a grave mistake to invite a relatively young host to helm a program fit for only Art Fleming.
Shows what they know.
A lot of us have gotten comfortable with Drew Carey as host of Price. It's still some getting used to with the Ken Jennings-Myiam Balik tandem on Jeopardy!, but as I see it it's going smoothly.
The same will happen with Wheel, when a new host – be it Maggie Sajak, Vanna White or someone else – takes over. Proof came on December 28, 1981, when a young man from Nashville took over for a show thought to be Chuck Woolery's exclusive domain.
Brian
