A “Wheel Of Fortune” backdrop for Vanna White and Pat Sajak promoting “Southern Charm Week” has some people calling out the letters WTF.
The game-show icons promoted the week by standing in front of a picture of an antebellum mansion. If you look closely at the screenshot, below, you can see what appear to be two African American woman slaves in the background.
The game show’s “Southern Charm Week” episodes first aired in March, according to the New York Daily News. It was when the episodes were rerun this week that heads started spinning.
Harry Friedman, executive producer of “Wheel of Fortune” gave this statement to HuffPost:
“We regret the use of this background image, and we will be replacing it moving forward on any rebroadcast.”
The structure behind White and Sajak is part of the Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, which was built by slaves, according to the Daily News.
The plantation has exhibits dedicated to the slaves who lived at Oak Alley. Many employees are African Americans who dress in period costumes.
A “Wheel Of Fortune” rep told HuffPost the plantation photo is a screen-grab from footage shot on location in 2005 for a New Orleans “Wheel of Fortune” remote.
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