Rudy de Leon Dinglas, the chief of staff for Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence, will compete on an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” airing Jan. 23. Photo courtesy Wheel of Fortune.
Rudy de Leon Dinglas, the chief of staff for Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence, will compete on an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” airing Jan. 23. Photo courtesy Wheel of Fortune.

The category is: “Wheel of Fortune” contestant from Johns Hopkins University.

The puzzle is: R_dy d_ L__n D_ngl_s

We’ll let you buy some vowels.

If you offered the solution “Rudy de Leon Dinglas,” you would be correct!

Dinglas, the chief of staff for Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence, or GovEx, will compete on an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” set to air Jan. 23.

The game show, which has been on air for 43 seasons since 1975, has contestants spin the wheel for money and prizes, with the goal of gradually filling in letters of empty blocks and guessing the answer before their competitors. Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest currently host the program.

In an article on the Hub, Hopkins’ news site, Dinglas shared how his family would watch “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” together in their East Baltimore home, playing along after dinner every night. The game shows provided comfort to him and his family, who immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in 1996.

Thirty years later, Dinglas’ father and two of his oldest siblings watched him from the audience as he answered puzzles. His mother, who passed away right before Dinglas joined GovEX seven years ago, was there too in the form of a tattoo of her handwriting on Dinglas’ wrist, which he looked at every time he spun the wheel.

“OK Mom, let’s make sure I win something over here!” he thought to himself, according to the Hub interview.

Viewers can watch Dinglas’ episode Jan. 23 by tuning into their local ABC affiliate (WMAR here in Baltimore) or to streaming services Hulu or Peacock.

Marcus Dieterle is the managing editor of Baltimore Fishbowl, where he covers the environment and education (among other topics). He helped lead the team to win a Best of Show award for Website of General...

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