Tavaris Williams, a "Wheel of Fortune" contestant, explains the surprising thought process that led to his now-viral risqué answer, "Right in the butt."
Florida-born and -raised Tavaris Williams made "Wheel of Fortune" history when he gave a shocking answer to a puzzle during his May 23 appearance on the show. Faced with the phrase "_ _ _ _ /I _ /T _ E /B _ _ T!," Williams quickly buzzed in and confidently declared, "Right in the butt."
Williams' answer was met with a mixture of laughter and disbelief, and it quickly went viral on social media. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Williams explained the surprising thought process that led to his infamous guess.
"I tried to just beat my contestants by buzzing in first and letting my brain catch up," Williams said. "And when my brain was ready to speak, I saw the R, I saw the B, I saw the T. I went for ‘Right in the butt’… And once [host Pat Sajak] said ‘no,’ oh, it was the worst feeling."
Williams admitted that his answer was completely out of character. "I have never in my life said those words in sequential order before the show," he said. "I picked a great time to start."
Despite the unexpected nature of his answer, Williams said he was immediately supported by host Pat Sajak. "So right then and there, he tried to make me feel better and move on," Williams said. "And in the break, Pat was very gracious and he was very supportive and said, ‘Oh, you made a name for yourself. We're going to see how we can edit that tastefully. I don't know how, but we'll figure it out.’ He was very accommodating."
Williams also praised Sajak for being understanding and supportive, even though his answer made the production team's job more challenging. "They are consummate professionals. I may have exchanged a couple of glances, and I got a ‘He's going to make us work today' look," Williams said. "But they were great. They were gracious."
Williams' family and friends have been supportive of his viral moment, though they were initially surprised and confused. "They couldn't believe it," Williams said. "And just the eye contact alone with everybody made them laugh again."
Despite the potential for criticism, Williams has embraced the viral attention and sees it as an opportunity to make people laugh. "It's allowing people to laugh and take a moment of levity and just enjoy life a little bit," he said. "So, when I meet somebody who is either extremely helpful or it looks like they're having a hard day, I'll ask them, ‘Hey, you want to smile right quick? Google Tavaris Williams, ‘Wheel of Fortune.’"
Williams' positive attitude and ability to laugh at himself have made him a beloved figure among "Wheel of Fortune" fans. His now-viral answer will undoubtedly go down in the show's history as one of the most memorable and unexpected moments.
