Science teacher on Wheel of Fortune

A G N U E E S D S U C A T E D

Science teacher appears on Wheel of Fortune

Sophia weil reporter

What the TV screen at home captures is incomparable to the true vastness of the Wheel of Fortune set. For science teacher Jeff Brocketti, there is only time for a deep breath before the lights shine on his face as the cameras start rolling.

Brocketti never considered the possibility of being on Wheel of Fortune, but one application changed it all.

“I have been watching [Wheel of Fortune] since I was a little kid. I never once considered trying to be a contestant,” Brocketti said. “I was watching the show, and there was a commercial that said, ‘Hey, you want to be a contestant?’ [I filled out] an online application, and things snowballed from there.”

Brocketti was officially selected as a contestant in January 2022 after an online interview. In mid-July, he was told that it was time to fly to Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles to tape his episode, which aired on Sept. 26.

“[The process was] incredibly simple,” Brocketti said. “It took five minutes to fill out an application and the Zoom [interview] took 45 minutes at my house.”

Prior to filming, Brocketti made sure to prepare as much as possible.

“Once I found out I was going to be a contestant, I would watch the show with my family, and we’d play against the people that were on the TV,” Brocketti said.

While on the show, Brocketti was surprised at how he was able to remain calm once the cameras started rolling.

“I was anxious leading up to [taping], but by the time the show started, I wasn’t nervous,” Brocketti said. “It was just like playing at home. I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I’m playing for real.”

During the game, Brocketti landed on the bankrupt wedge four times, which prevented him from being able to guess the puzzles and made him miss out on cash and prizes.

“When you’re [being filmed], everything is happening a mile a minute,” Brocketti said. “[I didn’t] have time to comprehend what was going on.”

During commercial breaks, he had the chance to engage with the Wheel of Fortune host, Pat Sajak, which proved to be a surreal experience for the long-time fan.

“[I was] sitting there, staring at the guy that I’ve been watching since I was a little kid,” Brocketti said. “He is a normal person, there to support us, and I was pleasantly surprised.”

Although he walked away with $5,000, the lowest prize of the day, Brocketti stayed focused on the real reason he came on the show.

“I wanted to win a lot of money, I wanted to win a trip, I wanted to win a car, but the point was to have fun, and I did have fun,” Brocketti said.

Brocketti encourages those who want to try new things to pursue the opportunities available to them, regardless of the likelihood of success.

“If I hadn’t [filled out the application], none of this would have happened,” Brocketti said. “You don’t know unless you try.”

Fortune Fame — Jeff Brocketti waits for his chance to spin the wheel.

(Photo courtesy of Eric McCandless/Wheel of Fortune ®/© 2022 Califon Productions, Inc. ARR.)

Car 1 2 Wheel of fortune

“IT WAS LIKE PLAYING AT HOME. I WASNT THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT I’M PLAYING FOR REAL.”