Jim Thornton Scrubbed From Marshall University Website After 'Wheel' Firing

Jim Thornton is being removed from parts of Marshall University’s website following his recent “Wheel of Fortune” firing tied to a pedophile chatroom scandal, according to TMZ. The university appears to have taken down multiple references, including pages that previously celebrated Thornton as the 2026 Spring Commencement speaker and the 2025 Homecoming Grand Marshal; links now return 404 errors. A Marshall University spokesperson told TMZ the school is aware of media reports and is actively monitoring the situation. Thornton was reportedly fired last week after Sony investigated an incident aboard an American Airlines flight. A passenger told crew they saw him in an online chatroom they believed was for minors; police later questioned him at LAX but he was not arrested or charged.