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Jim Thornton's 'panic' Google search after pedophilia chatroom incident revealed
Page Six • • general
Key Points:
- Former “Wheel of Fortune” announcer Jim Thornton was fired following an investigation into an incident on an American Airlines flight in May, where he was seen allegedly participating in an online chatroom linked to pedophilia.
- Photos published by TMZ showed Thornton in the chatroom, with messages referencing children, while a passenger alerted a flight attendant who asked him to close his laptop; Thornton appeared nervous.
- Thornton’s attorney stated he did not engage in illegal conduct, was not arrested or charged, and was mistakenly directed to a website offering mental health support for individuals with pedophilic thoughts, which he left upon realizing its nature.
- American Airlines confirmed law enforcement met the flight upon arrival due to a passenger report, but authorities quickly cleared Thornton of wrongdoing after a brief interview.
- The game show began recasting Thornton’s role for the upcoming season, describing the effort to remove him from episodes as a major undertaking; Thornton has not publicly commented on his termination.
