September 29, 2021
A Langhorne, Bucks County, man will live out a lifelong dream when he competes on "Wheel of Fortune" next week. Ari Lipsky will be a contestant on the game show on Tuesday Oct. 5.
Lipsky grew up watching "Wheel of Fortune'' with his mom and remembered when the show once came to Philadelphia when he was 12 years old.
"I begged my mom to go to the audition," Lipsky said in a press release from Sony. "We waited in line for a few hours, but ultimately she never got to audition."
Years later, Lipsky decided to take a chance himself and apply to be a contestant on "Wheel of Fortune." He now lives in Berkeley, California, where he is the director of development for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.
After sending in a video submission and going through a virtual audition, Lipsky will have the chance to fulfill his lifelong dream of spinning the wheel. He'll also get to finally meet the show's hosts, Pat Sajak and Vanna White.
"I feel extremely lucky to be selected, knowing how many people's dream this is," Lipsky said. "I can’t wait to walk onto that iconic set and meet Pat and Vanna!"
Lipsky said he plans to put any winnings he gets towards purchasing his first home with his husband of six years. Everyone competing goes home with at least $1,000.
Next week "Wheel of Fortune" pays tribute to national parks, and contestants will be tasked with solving puzzles to win vacations geared toward those who love the outdoors, along with the chance to win cash prizes. Lipsky is a fitting choice for the show's heme; he loves to travel, hike and has visited more than a dozen national parks.
Among the previous contestants from this region to appear on "Wheel of Fortune" is Dawn White, Philly native and Eagles fan, who won $47,000 in November 2018.
"Wheel of Fortune" dedicated an entire week of episodes to celebrating Philadelphia in May 2016. The week-long event featured 15 contestants hailing from the Philly area and homages to the city in the show's custom set at its Culver City, California studio.
"Wheel of Fortune" can be seen weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on 6ABC.
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