The number one rule of any game show is to pay attention and listen. For some game show contestants, that can be hard. You know, with the added pressure of studio lights, a live studio audience, and real money on the line. But many moons ago, the Patterson Family joined Steve Harvey for one of the most iconic appearances in Family Feud history. So iconic for all the wrong reasons.

Back in 2016, a woman named Sheila Patterson went viral for her performance on the Steve Harvey-led Family Feud. It’s not because she was exceptional at a relatively easy game in comparison to other legendary TV shows. No, it was just how bad she was. To this day, Sheila is referenced as a lesson on how not to play any game. It’s time to take a trip down memory lane and reignite the trauma. Ms. Patterson experienced on national television.

Sheila Patterson Is Not Mothering on ‘Family Feud’

When the Patterson family episode aired, the clips went viral, specifically for Sheila and the mother question. In the aired version of this segment of the episode, which ran around four and a half minutes, Harvey asked, “What’s another way people say mother?” Before it was Sheila’s turn, the previous guesses were “mommy,” which was on the board, and “nana,” which was not. So, what does Sheila go with? “Nana.” Just with a slightly different tinge. Harvey was perplexed, asking the audience to stop clapping, because he had just heard the answer guessed, but clearly Sheila had not. But because of how she said it, Havey asked, “Was you trying to say it in Spanish or something?” He gave it to her again. “What’s another way people say mother?”

This time, not only can she not hear, she cannot read. She responds with, “What about mommy?” And he’s going to goat her, as once again, she’s just trying to pronounce it in a slightly different manner. He addresses the entire family, “Let me ask y’all something. Y’all crazy?” One more try, Sheila. “Mom-me!” The audience is laughing, and the host is just about ready to quit, but instead just mocks Sheila with a hilarious performance of saying the word with different tones and inflections. What’s clear is that Harvey cannot move on until she gives a right or wrong answer. He throws it to her again. “Nana.” He then starts to sing the classic Steam song lovingly known as “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” for obvious reasons. He pulls an audible and tells her whatever she says is going to be it. She says, “I’d say mom, but it’s already up there.” Buzz her, Steve! The Pattersons are out of the round.

Now, you must be thinking, what was seen on air is the full thing. Oh no no no. Sheila gave us more. The entire uncut segment runs approximately eight minutes. So what was cut for air? After seeing the first two incorrect answers from the Pattersons, it’s time for Sheila to do the most by doing the least. Not only do we get those subtle looks and reads from the show’s team, we see in real time how Steve Harvey is slowly losing his mind. His rant went on much longer. But before she said “nana again,” the unedited version finds the host walking straight to the audience with a guttural response: “This s—t can’t be happening.”

It’s what we were all thinking! He continues to address the crowd, including the Paterson kids in the audience, that they are going to edit this to one or two “mamas” and “nanas.” Thankfully, for us, we have the full clip to remind us how not to play Family Feud. This unearthed clip showcases the beauty of what it’s like to be able to sit and watch a live show taping. Oh, to be in that studio for this iconic moment.

The Pattersons Bombed ‘Family Feud’ Yet Still Won

Now, if you thought this was how we said goodbye to the Pattersons, but their opponents, the Camenzind, botched it. They ended up losing to the Pattersons, even as they continued to give some of the most iconically bad answers. Wonder what something chickens do that you’d feel pretty silly doing? Well, according to Miss Sheila, “quack quack.” Sheila, no! That’s a duck, Sheila! Not to outdo his sister, Sam Patterson says, “Using the restroom… on themselves.” Listen, the casting department managed to find television gold with the Pattersons. They must be plants, right? The Patterson family is quite iconic because they not only managed to play so hilariously bad, but they still managed to find their way into the Fast Money round. How? Television magic, I suppose.

After their game went viral, many media outlets raced for the chance to bring the family on screen to help them relive their viral television moment. During an appearance on Good Morning America, Sheila revealed, “What had happened was, I had a moment there, and I really think my nerves got the best of me. It just really got the best of me. There were a couple of questions, answers that I had already prepared, but those answers were already given, so basically, my nerves just got the best of me trying to come up with something else.” For Sam’s part, he was glad the question didn’t get turned over to him as he was equally as closeless as to what to say next. When we discuss the history of epic game show fails, we’ll always have Mother Sheila in our hearts.

Family Feud

Release Date

September 20, 1999

Network

Syndication

Directors

Paul Alter