Dear Doctor Magazine - Issue 13 - (Page 18)
coVeR sToRY The smile Defining america’s favorite game show – Wheel Of Fortune Vanna white W ithin the first few minutes of talking with Vanna White, it is quite clear why she continues to be one of America’s favorite television game show hosts. As she says when describing herself, “what you see is what you get!” And even though she has been a household legend for over two decades, she continues to radiate the warm, friendly, down-home appeal that you have when talking with a dear friend you have known for years. Born on February 18, 1957 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Vanna was raised by her mother, Joan, and stepfather, Herbert White Jr. After graduating from high school, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia where she attended the Atlanta School of Fashion and became one of the area’s top models. However, she made Hollywood her home in 1980 and landed her job on Wheel of Fortune in 1982 as the first female co-host of a game show. At the time, she had beaten out 200 other hopeful applicants and had no idea that this single job would catapult her into international success that would lead to an NBC movie and a book deal in 1987 about her remarkable career. In 1992, White was recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as TV’s most frequent clapper, with an average of 720 claps per show and over 28,000 per season. In 2006, she received her star on the famous “walk of fame.” And her infamous designer outfits on the Wheel of Fortune have now topped over 5,100 making her a fashionable, pop-culture icon. She also discovered a way to translate two of her passions, crocheting and helping children, into her own line of yarn called “Vanna’s Choice.” Half of its proceeds are donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. When off camera, Vanna leads a normal life and considers her favorite job as being a mom to her son and daughter. For over 2 decades on Wheel of Fortune, Vanna has radiated warmth and friendliness through her smile. 18 Dear Doc tor w w w. D e a r D o c to r . c o m
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