Henry Winkler, beloved for his role as Fonzie on Happy Days, had a childhood far from the glamorous image associated with celebrities. Born to immigrant parents who escaped Nazi Germany, Winkler faced challenges due to an undiagnosed reading disorder.
His parents, unaware of his dyslexia, labeled him as “dumb” and even referred to him as a ‘Dummo Hund,’ or dumb dog. Teachers and peers followed suit, leading to a difficult upbringing that impacted his self-image.
Despite these hardships, Winkler pursued his dreams relentlessly. Applying to 28 colleges, he secured admission to two and eventually received an acceptance letter from the prestigious Yale School of Drama. His talent shone during an improvised Shakespearean monologue, catapulting him to success.
While thriving on-screen, portraying the charismatic Fonzie, Winkler grappled with dyslexia affecting his reading and coordination. Even when offered the lead role in Grease, he declined to avoid typecasting.
At 31, Winkler’s perspective changed during his stepson Jed’s dyslexia test. Realizing they shared the struggle, Winkler acknowledged dyslexia as a barrier that had silently impacted his life. Overcoming auditions by memorizing scripts, he used humor to mask any inadequacies, claiming he provided the ‘essence of the character.’
Post-Happy Days, Winkler ventured into various acting roles and contributed to creating the MacGyver series. Despite transitional phases, his determination and talent prevailed, showcasing that overcoming personal struggles could lead to significant accomplishments.
Henry Winkler’s journey from being labeled “dumb” to becoming a beloved figure highlights the power of determination and talent in achieving greatness. His story serves as an inspiration, emphasizing that personal challenges can be conquered with resilience and dedication.
“Wheel of Fortune” Viewers Are Livid Over This “Zero Sense” Puzzle That Cost Contestant a Car
Wheel of Fortune often provides great fun to its viewers with clever puzzles to mull over with your family members. But the game show gets not so hilarious when there are a thousand of dollars on the line and one mistake gets too costly. This is exactly what happened to one unlucky contestant, who lost out on a grand prize, but gained Internet’s support.
Lucky streak that ended badly.
Laryn Nelson, a school principal from Atlanta, was on fire during her Wheel of Fortune run that didn’t end exactly as she expected. During the episode, Nelson seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit and racked up a total $24,250 in winnings. She gladly stepped up to complete the bonus round, which is where her troubles began.
The puzzle presented to Laryn read “_ _T_INING M_ G_ _LS”. The contestant quickly figured out the “MY GOALS” part, but was struggling to zero in on the verb. She suggested that the solution was “PITCHING MY GOALS”, but was seemingly incorrect. Once the time ran out, the answer was revealed as “OBTAINING MY GOALS”.
Nelson was visibly frustrated with the solution and said: “Oh my goodness. Alright. Alright. That’s okay. I’m gonna do that one day though, obtaining my goals.” The host, Pat Sajak, then went on to reveal that the grand prize that Laryn could’ve taken home was a brand-new car, which made the contestant scream frustration. At least, she did win $24,250.
Fans online call out the nonsensical puzzle.
After the show aired, many Wheel of Fortune viewers took to social media to voice their confusion over the puzzle presented to Laryn Nelson, saying that no one uses the phrase “obtaining my goals”.
And in order to avoid that happening to you, if you ever end up on Wheel of Fortune, we offer you a selection of riddles that’ll get your brain in shape. You can exercise your thinking chops here.
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