It’s a puzzling move!
A Marine Park resident and Brooklyn College student had a dream come true last month when he flew to California and stood next to Vanna White, Pat Sajak and the iconic Wheel of Fortune, where the 21-year-old student, who claims he has watched the legendary American game show for as long as he can remember (it premiered more than 20 years before he was born), said he was able use his expertise to spin and win.
“I would always guess the puzzle correctly before the contestants did and I wanted to show that off on the big stage,” said Matthew Epstein. “Which I did.”
Epstein applied to be on the show last winter and went through a few rounds of tryouts before receiving the congratulations letter in the mail this July. A physical education major at Brooklyn College set to graduate next year, Epstein represented the school amongst 14 other university students from across the country.
His classes haven’t exactly prepared him for figuring out semi-complicated word puzzles, but he has definitely improved throughout the years, he said.
“I’ve gotten better over time, I would always play word games with my family from a young age, and as time progressed, I’ve just become better with word lingo,” Epstein said.
The word-game-connoisseur isn’t planning on making an appearance on any more game shows any time soon, he’s still trying to take this one all in, he said.
“There was so much adrenaline running through me, I couldn’t even tell you the topics,” he said. “But I still might have to conquer another one.”
Brooklynites can see how he did — or, should we say, how much he won — when the episode airs March 29 at 7:30 pm on ABC. That’s channel seven on the dial.
