How are the flippers constructed?

Are the flippers actually made of rubber? I would think it's a harder material judging by the sound the wheel makes.

And I remember seeing a video on tvguide.com many years ago that interviewed two crew members. One of them was responsible for painting the flippers. They're originally black and painted white with a special leather-vinyl paint, and they're usually changed daily. If you look closely at their tips in frontal views, you can sometimes see that the white paint has rubbed off from the Wheel pegs, showing a bit of black.

Are they really rubber? They sound plastic to me. I can also recall reading a YT comment where one guy spun the wheel (not as a contestant) and managed to break the flipper.

Also, here's an image showing the black sides of the flippers.

This is the photo he is referring to. The screws are what holds the flipper to the mechanism. If you look closely, you'll see 2 screw holes directly across from each other.

Did you keep the flipper? Plus, how do you become a VIP?

Nope, the crew guys fixed it immediately. I never noticed until a bunch of crew guys came in with a drill, and I was like "Uh oh". Also I have my ways of getting VIP, I am a good friend with Mark Corwin, for he got me tickets with VIP and the gold star.

I can recall from being on the show that the flippers are actually thicker than they appear, and they have a hollowed-out underside that allows the clicking sound of the Wheel to almost resonate more. Plus, any contestant knows that before each round, you're permitted to tap the flipper for good luck before the round begins. When I did so, it felt very solid, almost like wood or steel. Plus, if you tapped it hard enough, you can produce the Wheel's famous clicking sound.