University of Dubuque Staff Member Appears on Popular Game Show

I love keeping an eye out for eastern Iowans on popular TV shows. Two years ago, a Preston, IA native competed on Survivor. Last year, an Altoona, IA man competed on and won Gordon Ramsay's MasterChef. You generally don't have to scan the primetime TV guide too intensely to find someone local on one of these popular programs.

Last night, Dubuque, IA got some primetime representation on one of the longest-running and most popular game shows still airing. Despite undergoing a recent host change, the show remains as popular as ever, and I predict that numerous Dubuquers tuned into KWWL last night to watch a local boy find some success on the show.

Josh Crowell, a University of Dubuque staff member and class of 2008 graduate, appeared on Wheel of Fortune last night.

Crowell was up against Janine Crum, a teacher and owner of an artist studio, from Westerville, OH, and DeShannon March from Huntsville, AL. Per TV Insider, the first round of the show was pretty even, with Crowell holding the lead with $3,250, followed by March with $3,100 and Crum with $3,000. Things took a seismic turn in the Express Round, however.

By the end of the Express Round, after solving a three-word puzzle ("Cherry Blossom Season"), Crum led with $22,448. She wound up ending with a massive jackpot of $31,948, vastly ahead of Crowell's $5,250 and March's $5,100. Unfortunately, the Dubuque, IA native appeared to run into the Ken Jennings of Wheel of Fortune during his appearance.

After solving the bonus round (which you can watch here!), Crum added $40,000 to her bank, bringing her total winnings to $71,948 cash + a trip to Japan. It was an incredible run, as that has to be one of the larger sums of money dolled out by Wheel of Fortune in recent time.

Ultimately, Crowell didn't win, but the experience undoubtedly had to be memorable and fun.

Wheel of Fortune has looked a lot different over the last couple months since the retirement of longtime host Pat Sajak. In 2023, Sajak announced he'd be leaving Wheel at the conclusion of the 41st season. Weeks later, Ryan Seacrest of American Idol fame was announced as his successor. He'd be taking the reigns of the show alongside mainstay Vanna White. Seacrest debuted on the show on September 9th, 2024.

Along with Ryan Seacrest's debut, the show took on an even more modern look and feel. It looks nothing like the Wheel of Fortune I grew up watching, at least cosmetically. The show's ethos, however, remains firmly in tact.

Read more about University of Dubuque staff member and alum Josh Crowell's appearance on Wheel of Fortune on TV Insider's website.