'Wheel of Fortune' Contestant Loses After Mispronouncing Word
Contestant Renee Durette was on a roll toward thousands of dollars on the game show "Wheel of Fortune."
She had the winning answer to the word puzzle - "Seven Swans a Swimming" - or so she thought.
Durette, a Navy Intel Specialist from Merritt Island, Fla., dropped the "g" - pronouncing "swimming" as "swimmin'."
Host Pat Sajak had to backtrack and said he couldn't accept her answer, costing her the $3,850 she had accumulated.
"That's kind of how I speak, you know, being from Florida and I asked for the 'g' so I knew it was there," Durette said.
Judges said the answer violated the rules because it was spoken in vernacular.
Watch: Woman Wins Prize with Just One Letter
The decision sparked outrage on Twitter and even the other contestant who was handed the win couldn't believe it.
"It definitely spun the tone of the show and the momentum that I thought I had. And I lost it and it wound up costing me the show," Durette said.
While the outcome did not go her way, it did not dampen Durette's overall experience on the show.
"I had an absolute amazing experience. It's just been so funny to see where I've been and what kind of Internet footprint I have now and it's kind of been so crazy," she said. "I feel like I should be out with big sunglasses and a big hat."
