Pat Sajak, who knew?

It’s hardly news that “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak is an ardent conservative. He wrote, for instance, several articles with headlines like “Opposed to Obamacare? Then You Must Be a Racist” for the website Human Events between 2007 and 2013. But his latest rhetorical flourish is the most bizarre yet.

[on twitter] I now believe global warming alarmists are unpatriotic racists knowingly misleading for their own ends. Good night.  4:38 PM - 19 May 2014

Sajak’s unhinged denialism — throwing wild allegations of racism against the overwhelming majority of scientists, for instance — exists only within the context of his own Twitter feed and writing online, where he’s perpetually making purposefully incendiary remarks wildly at odds with his sunny on-air personality.

But Sajak’s hardly alone as a prominent conservative who saves his vitriol for the off-air hours.

Alex Trebek, of “Jeopardy!.” made allusions, in a recent New Republic profile, to beliefs including, of the Tea Party, that “There are a lot of people out there who are not happy with the way things are going, and they’ve banded together,” though he described himself as apolitical even despite having hosted a 2010 Republican fundraiser.

Drew Carey, of “The Price is Right,” has been an outspoken libertarian since his sitcom-actor days, telling Reason magazine: “As far as your personal goals are and what you actually want to do with your life, it should never have to do with the government. You should never depend on the government for your retirement, your financial security, for anything.”

Bob Barker is better-known for his animal advocacy than for his endorsement of conservative lobbyist David Jolly in last year’s House special election in Florida.

Chuck Woolery, the original host of “Wheel of Fortune,” is as active as his successor on Twitter and has written for the Washington Times.

But is it that surprising these fellows trend towards conservatism? For one thing, they’re older, affluent white men — a group that, outside of Hollywood, doesn’t vote Democratic, at least not lately. And these men are as outside-of-Hollywood as you can get while still being paid to be on camera.

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Meanwhile, The Huffington Post can't help adding,

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just announced that April 2014 tied for the warmest April on record. Last month was also the 350th consecutive month with global average temperates at or above the 20th century average.

Recent reports from the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.S. government's own National Climate Assessment and a recent report from retired U.S. military leadership all echo what has been well-understood for at least 50 years: Human beings have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, trapping more heat, acidifying the oceans and altering normal weather patterns.

[5/21/14]

So should Sajak's tweet be taken as an indication that he has continued studying the matter, finally made up his mind, and decided to join the name-calling?

Well, no. His spokesman tells CBS News it was just a joke.

In a statement issued Wednesday evening, Sajak said, "Of course I was joking. Just mocking the name-calling that is directed at global warming skeptics within and without the scientific community."

Looking at other tweets in his Twitter feed, it's obvious that Sajak doesn't always take things too seriously. In the past week, he's posted humorous comments on issues ranging from the Tooth Fairy to the debate between paper or plastic, and presidential birth certificates.

@patsajak

Even though I told him it was settled folklore, my young nephew remains a Tooth Fairy denier. (Those kids today!) 4:10 AM - 19 May 2014