New images have emerged showing Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton appearing to conduct an urgent Google AI search on his phone after he was allegedly spotted in a “pedophilia” chatroom during a flight — an incident that led to his dismissal from the show on Friday.
Earlier Friday, the Daily Mail obtained photographs said to have been taken by another passenger, which allegedly show Thornton, 61, accessing the site while traveling aboard an American Airlines plane in May.
A close-up image of the laptop screen appears to show deeply troubling chat messages, including one user referring to a restaurant as “a nice hangout for kids” and mentioning a “couple of cute boys and a hot little girl.”
The fellow passenger reportedly alerted a flight attendant after seeing the screen, and the attendant then told Thornton to close his computer. Afterward, the passenger claimed Thornton seemed visibly nervous, she told TMZ.
The Daily Mail has now obtained additional photos that appear to show Thornton turning to Google AI on his phone shortly after he was allegedly ordered to shut his laptop.
Although the search result is partly obscured by his hand, a segment of the AI response is visible, reading: ‘No link to your room: Unless you explicitly told someone, “I am hosting this specific chatroom on for right now,” nobody can….’
The Daily Mail has contacted Thornton’s counsel for comment.
Pictures have surfaced of Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton entering a frantic Google AI search on his phone after being caught on a ‘pedophilia’ chatroom during a flight
Although the search result is partly obscured by his hand, a segment of the AI response is visible
The response read in part: ‘No link to your room: Unless you explicitly told someone, “I am hosting this specific chatroom on for right now,” nobody can….’
Sony Pictures Television announced Friday afternoon that Thornton had been fired, four days after he was suspended from the program.
‘Following a thorough investigation, Jim Thornton’s employment with Wheel of Fortune has been terminated, effective immediately,’ a representative told the Daily Mail.
One unsettling message in the chatroom Thornton was seen visiting read: ‘All-you-can-eat Boyffet.’ There was also a message referencing ‘CP’ which the passenger who took the photos believed to be short for ‘child pornography.’
From the timestamps on the photos – which show Thornton wearing a Wheel of Fortune jacket – it appears he was in the chatroom for at least 57 minutes.
Thornton’s lawyer, Allison Hart, told TMZ that the voice actor clicked on the site by mistake.
Hours after he was fired, Thornton’s Facebook account was no longer publicly accessible. The account was active earlier that day and featured behind-the-scenes photos and videos of Thornton on the popular game show set.
Thornton’s name and photos were also removed from the show’s social media channels.
Hart said that Thornton had ‘become active in suicide-prevention advocacy since losing a close family member to suicide two years ago, and he has spent time visiting chat rooms offering support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation.’
Earlier Friday, the Daily Mail obtained images allegedly taken by a fellow passenger showing Thornton, 61, visiting the site on board an American Airlines flight in May
Thornton was fired from Wheel of Fortune on Friday afternoon
Hart said that Thornton often visited a suicide prevention website named 988lifeline.org and its chat forum, chat.988lifeline.org.
Thornton claims he was sent a link to a different chatroom, lifeline.chat, by an acquaintance from the suicide prevention group. The site is intended for people experiencing pedophilic thoughts.
Thornton claims he left the chatroom after realizing what it was.
His lawyer added that the website he visited is ‘not unlawful, there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophilic content, and my client never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child pornography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time.’
Hart said that the announcer ‘did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime.’
The attorney claimed: ‘When questioned about the complaint made by a fellow passenger on the flight, law enforcement spoke to him for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no wrongdoing had occurred and told my client he was free to go.’
Thornton, 61, was looking at a laptop screen during an American Airlines flight in May, in images taken by a fellow passenger and obtained by the Daily Mail
From the timestamps on the photos – which show Thornton wearing a Wheel of Fortune jacket – it appears he was in the chatroom for at least 57 minutes
Thornton’s lawyer, Allison Hart, told TMZ that the voice actor clicked on the site by mistake
Hart said that Thornton had ‘become active in suicide-prevention advocacy’ and ‘spent time visiting chat rooms offering support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation’
Thornton claims he was sent a link to a different chatroom, lifeline.chat, by an acquaintance from the suicide prevention group
Thornton claims he left the chatroom after realizing what it was
His lawyer added that the website he visited is ‘not unlawful’ and that ‘there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophilic content’
Thornton’s attorney said her client ‘never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child pornography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time’
Hart said that the announcer ‘did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime’
Thornton is rarely seen on the show, which is hosted by Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest
According to TMZ, another passenger allegedly complained about Thornton to a flight attendant back on the American Airlines plane back in May.
The plane’s pilot arranged to have law enforcement waiting for Thornton once he reached the gate.
Thornton was questioned by the officers before he was allowed to go on his way.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, American Airlines said: ‘On May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport following concerns reported by a customer onboard.’
Thornton’s tenure with the show began in 2011, when he replaced former announcer Charlie O’Donnell after his death in November 2010 at 78.
Thornton is rarely seen on the show, which is hosted by Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest.
In addition to being the announcer for Wheel of Fortune, Thornton is also a voice actor who has recorded small roles in high-profile Disney–Pixar films, including Monsters, Inc and Wall-E
However, TMZ noted that in 2023 he filled in for then-host Pat Sajak to host a round of the competition because a contestant was hoping to meet him.
Thornton had a brief stint as an announcer on The Price Is Right in 2004.
He’s also done voice work in Disney-Pixar’s film Monsters, Inc and the video game adaptation of Wall-E.
The live-action announcer is best known for appearing on the animated comedy The Cleveland Show and MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch.