UNC sophomore David Hill becomes ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant

Growing up, the hosts of “Wheel of Fortune” were fixtures at sophomore David Hill’s dinner table.

But while watching “Wheel of Fortune” Thursday night, Hill saw another familiar face on screen — his own.

“It was pretty strange to see myself on TV,” Hill said. “The whole experience was such a blur. I felt like I was watching it for the first time.”

He taped Thursday’s episode of the popular game show in January.

Hill became a contestant on the show after entering his and his mother’s names into a drawing at a Wheelmobile event last summer in Virginia.

Although his mother got cut, Hill made it to the next round. He received a letter later that month telling him he had been selected for the program and to expect a call within the next 18 months.

The experience of being chosen was surreal after watching “Wheel of Fortune” every weeknight as a child, Hill said.

“You see someone from your state and say, ‘Oh, they are from Charlotte or from Greensboro or Winston-Salem’ … Then you think to yourself, ‘What if we were those people?’” Hill said.

“I was just fortunate to be that person.”

Hill said the most surprising part about being on the program was the set’s size and the heaviness of the wheel — and hostess Vanna White’s freckles.

Of all the questions he has been asked about the program, he said, “What does Vanna look like?” has been the most popular.

“We weren’t too interested in Pat, but all the guys were interested in what Vanna White looks like in person,” said sophomore Stefan Hansen, Hill’s friend.

Watching the program on TV, Hill said he felt like he was watching it for the first time — except for one memorable mess-up.

On the game show’s prize puzzle segment, he got the opportunity to solve a puzzle, but he got carried away in the moment and blurted out, “The moon shape of a palm tree.” The real answer was “the cool shade of a palm tree.”

“It was a smart move to solve it. I just didn’t end up getting it right,” Hill said.

“The only thing I could think of was when we did practice with the 50 states earlier and for some reason the South Carolina flag popped into my head.”

Although Hill did not win any money on the program, he received a $1,000 consolation prize, and a T-shirt from his mom commemorating his flub.

“It’s even funnier that he didn’t win,” said Stephanie Sistare, Hill’s girlfriend. “It makes for better memories.”

Hill agreed, saying the experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“It is going to be hard to top,” he said. “Everybody I know knows what ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is.”

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