Last week, during an episode of Wheel of Fortune (which was itself a re-run, as the show in question originally aired in March) a background shot showed two black women in slave-era clothing standing outside a plantation. The episode was part of the game show's "Southern Charm Week," and the 12-second long shot provoked some viral outcry on Twitter:
According to The New York Daily News, the shot was actually taken by Wheel of Fortune's producers over a decade ago, in 2005, during an on-location shoot at Vacherie, Louisiana's Oak Alley Plantation.
A spokesperson for that particular plantation, Hillary Loeber, stated that they don't employ actors to depict slaves. Loeber went on to say that they do hire tour guides who don period clothing, like the "Annabelle-style hoop skirts" that can be seen in the clip, but that people of all skin colors can be hired for those roles.
Despite that claim, an executive producer for the show, Harry Friedman, apologized for the usage of the footage, and said that it will be altered during future airings. "We regret the use of this background image," Friedman said in a statement "[A]nd we will be replacing it moving forward on any rebroadcast."
