In the wake of Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton’s shock shooting, the organizers of the ‘pedophilia’ chat room he was allegedly caught on a plane are speaking out.
Thornton, 61, was captured in May 2026 by a fellow passenger on a flight from North Carolina to Los Angeles while appearing to visit the website Lifeline.chat, which is for people with pedophilic thoughts.
News of the incident became public last week, when Sony Pictures Television announced that Thornton had been fired on Friday after a brief suspension.
On Monday, Lifeline.chat organizers shared a statement TMZ distancing the website from the controversy, noting the chat room’s rules against “any form of illegal behavior, including the sharing of criminalized images.”
“LifeLine operates a supportive chat room for people attracted to children and adolescents,” the statement read in part, adding that those who break the rules “will be quickly banned and their messages deleted as quickly as possible.”
“Many commentators wonder why a place like Lifeline even exists, because most people who are attracted to minors are fully capable of behaving responsibly, yet are extremely saddened by the stigmatization of their feelings.”
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives from the show and Thornton’s attorney for comment but has not yet heard back.
In the wake of Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton’s shocking shooting, organizers of the ‘pedophilia’ chatroom he allegedly used on a plane are speaking out
Organizers said offering people ‘a place to talk’ would ensure ‘better mental health’.
Organizers emphasize that “as a support service we do not encourage users to be ashamed of a sexual orientation that can never be changed,” adding: “We believe that validating their feelings, while encouraging responsible and lawful behavior, is the best way forward.”
They also noted in the statement that “posts that the public might consider ‘offensive’ are permitted” as long as they do not cross legal boundaries or place anyone at risk of harm.
“In most cases, there is no safe way for minors to access professional support,” amid a “serious risk of being reported to authorities simply for making their feelings public.”
‘The metaphorical lynching of the celebrity who allegedly visited our chat clearly illustrates this.’
The statement ended with Lifeline.chat organizers reiterating that the site “exists precisely because the world is so incredibly hateful and punitive that people attracted to minors have no other means of support.”
Days ago, Thornton’s attorney Allison Hart said the television personality had visited the site by mistake, as he often visited a suicide prevention website called 988lifeline.org and the chat forum chat.988lifeline.org.
Thornton claims he was given a link to another chat room, Lifeline.chat, by an acquaintance at the suicide prevention group. Thornton claims he left the chat room after realizing what it was.
Sony Pictures Television announced the news of Thornton’s firing in a statement Friday afternoon, four days after the announcer was suspended from the program.
Sources told TMZ on Monday that the show went without an announcer as filming for the 44th season kicked off on Tuesday at Sony Studios in Los Angeles.
Sony Pictures Television announced the news of Thornton’s firing in a statement Friday afternoon, four days after the announcer was suspended from the program.
“Following a thorough investigation, Jim Thornton’s employment with Wheel of Fortune has been terminated with immediate effect,” a representative told the Daily Mail.
Sources said TMZ on Monday that the show went without an announcer as filming for the 44th season kicked off Tuesday at Sony Studios in Los Angeles.
The show’s Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White were both optimistic about Monday’s taping, insiders told the outlet, noting that there was “no mention” of Thornton or the events since May.
On Friday, the Daily Mail obtained footage allegedly taken by a fellow passenger aboard an American Airlines flight in May, showing Thornton visiting the location on board the plane.
A close-up of the computer screen shows disturbing messages, including one participant describing a restaurant as “a nice hangout for kids” and mentioning a “couple of nice guys and a pretty girl.”
Another disturbing message reads: ‘All-you-can-eat Boyffet.’ There is also a message referring to “CP,” which the passenger who took the photos thought was short for “child pornography.”
The timestamps on the photos, which show Thornton wearing a Wheel of Fortune jacket, show he was in the chat room for at least 57 minutes.
Thornton is rarely seen on the show, which is hosted by Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest
As previously mentioned, Thornton’s attorney, Allison Hart, shared this TMZ that the voice actor accidentally clicked on the site.
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.
Thornton’s name and photos were also removed from the show’s social media channels.
Hart said Thornton “had become active in suicide prevention advocacy since losing a close family member to suicide two years ago, and has spent time visiting chat rooms to offer support to those suffering from suicidal ideation.”
His lawyer added that the website he visited “is not unlawful, there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophile content, and my client never viewed, downloaded or consumed child pornography, either on that commercial flight in May or at any other time.”
Hart said the announcer “did not engage in any illegal behavior, was not arrested and was not charged with any crime.”
The lawyer claimed: ‘When questioned about the complaint of a fellow passenger on the flight, the police spoke with him for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no foul play had occurred and told my client he was free to go.’
According to TMZ, another passenger allegedly complained about Thornton to a flight attendant on an American Airlines plane in May.
The plane’s pilot arranged for police to wait for Thornton as soon as he reached the gate.
Thornton was questioned by officers before being allowed to proceed.
In addition to being the announcer on 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.
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 on board.”
Thornton’s tenure on the show began in 2011, when he replaced former announcer Charlie O’Donnell following his death in November 2010 at the age of 78.
Thornton is rarely seen on the show, which is hosted by Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest.
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 has 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 his appearance on the animated comedy The Cleveland Show and MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch.
