Watch Michigan Contestant Explain Yooper Culture to Ryan Seacrest on “Wheel”

How much does host Ryan Seacrest know about Yoopers, eh?

Judging by this recent Wheel of Fortune clip-- not much! Michigan woman Kiki Maples recently competed on the game show and during an on-air chat with Ryan she had to explain the difference between a Yooper and a Troll.

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On Friday, January 31 Maples appeared on the game show and ultimately walked away with $7,150 in prizes. The bartender from Manistique, Michigan mentioned she was a "proud Yooper" which raised an eyebrow from Seacrest. Maples explained,

Yoopers are born in the Upper Peninsula. So I was born in southern Michigan. Now I live in the U.P

Please tell me you at least know the difference between a Yooper and a Troll? While both terms apply to those living in Michigan, they each lead wildly different lifestyles!

In Michigan, the term "Troll" applies to those of us living below or beneath the Mackinac Bridge. The word "Yooper" refers to those living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and comes from the abbreviated "U.P."

In fact, the word Yooper was officially added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2024 thanks to the efforts of one Michigan man!

I know we are all considered Michiganders, but as a proud Troll myself I cannot fathom what day to day life in the U.P. is like. First, where is the nearest Meijer store? Even "bigger cities" like Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie seem isolated up there, and what about when a cool concert comes around? For some U.P. residents it's probably closer to drive into Wisconsin than to drive all the way to Grand Rapids, or Detroit, or even to the casinos in Manistee.

Like I said, wildly different lifestyles but I know those Yoopers wouldn't have it any other way. Congrats again to Kiki for making all of Michigan proud!