After thirty years of hosting the same show, there’s gotta be some sort of medicine that can keep you sane in the wake of mediocrity. In the case of host Pat Sajak, that medicine included margaritas from a nearby Mexican restaurant before the taping of some earlier episodes of the Wheel of Fortune. 

Along with Vanna White, the two would jump across the street to the restaurant, have several drinks, come back and do the shows under such a serious buzz that they had trouble recognizing the alphabet. Here’s what Pat Sajak told the Hollywood Reporter in an interview:

Vanna and I would go across (to a restaurant across the street) and have two or three or six and then come and do the last shows and have trouble recognizing the alphabet. They’re really good tapes to get a hold of. I had a great time. I have no idea if the shows were any good, but no one said anything, so I guess I did OK. I would be hesitant to have anything to drink now.

Matt Stopera even found an interesting tape of Sajak downing an indistinguishable bottle while on set…we’re pretty sure it’s not water, but we’ll let you be the detectives on this one:

Elie AyrouthTwitterFacebook

Elie is a product of Orange County, CA. In early 2012, his dentist diagnosed him with 8 different cavities, three of which on the same tooth, as a result of his 23-year Sour Patch Kid addiction.