Donny Osmond just couldn’t find his groove on “Wheel of Fortune.”
Donny Osmond appeared on ‘Wheel of Fortune’
In a celebrity edition of the game show that aired on Sunday, where the contestants competed for charities, Osmond was continually dismayed as he called out letters you can often bank on, like “R” or “T,” only to get an “I’m sorry” from host Pat Sajak.
At one point, Osmond came tantalizingly close to solving a big puzzle for $20,000. The singer racked up money as he inched his way closer to solving, but when he decided to guess the puzzle and read it out loud — it was the phrase “the brains of the operation” — he accidentally left off the “s” in “brains.”
“Donny, we’ve been on the air for many, many years,” Sajak said. “One of the most ironic mis-solves we’ve ever had here.”
But Osmond didn’t come up completely empty-handed during the hourlong episode, which also featured comedian Jeff Garlin and singer/actress Amber Riley. Over two games, Osmond solved three puzzles and earned $12,000 for his charity of choice: Caesars Cares. “Wheel of Fortune” added $18,000 to that total, bringing Osmond’s overall sum to $30,000 — the same amount Garlin won for his charity.
Riley, meanwhile, walked away with a staggering $243,600 for her charity.
Donny Osmond talks about Las Vegas show
Despite his setbacks, Osmond — who appeared on “Wheel of Fortune” with his sister, Marie Osmond, in 1998 — seemed to have a good time on the show, especially when it came to interacting with Sajak.
At the start of the episode, he talked about his new residency at Harrah’s on the Las Vegas Strip — a solo gig after an 11-year run with his sister at the Flamingo.
“I’ve got my own show — probably the biggest I’ve ever produced,” he said.
That show includes a lengthy rap that explores Osmond’s six decades in music, as well classics like “Puppy Love” and music from his new album, “Start Again,” according to the Deseret News,
In a recent interview with the Deseret News, Donny Osmond said Marie Osmond wanted to continue their show for another year, but that he had already been talking to a producer about doing a solo show and felt like it was time for a new chapter.
During the “Wheel of Fortune” episode, when Sajak alluded to Marie, Donny Osmond gave his sister a heartfelt shoutout.
“It was the sweetest thing. When I made the announcement (about the new show), she calls me up and she said, ‘Donny, you make sure I have a seat there opening night,’” he recalled. “Just the sweetest conversation.”
“So she still likes you,” Sajak quipped.
“Yeah, kind of,” Osmond responded.
What is Marie Osmond doing now?
In a recent interview with the Deseret News, Marie Osmond revealed how she has embraced this time in her life. At the moment, the “Paper Roses” singer is preparing to release a new album, “Unexpected,” and is gearing up for a Christmas tour.
“I don’t mind closing doors and opening new ones,” she said. “As a young girl, I got shut down a little bit by change — I hated it. … So I just decided I wanted to embrace it. If anybody’s going to cause change, it’s me. When I’m done with something, I have no problems closing that door.”
“I’m kind of at a really nice place of peace in my life,” she continued. “That doesn’t mean I’m content and I’m done. But I’m also not the kind of person that feels like I’ve got to be out there. I only want to be out there if I feel like there’s something new or fresh, or something that I can give back.”