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Press Your Luck

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TV Series

The Resume

    (September 19, 1983-September 26, 1986)
    Aired on CBS (1983-1986) and Game Show Network (2002- )
    Peter Tomarken, host (1983-1986)
    Todd Newton, host (2002- )
    Rod Roddy, announcer (1983-1986)
    Outline: Contestants would answer trivia questions to gain a ‘spin,’ and then used those spins to on a board with different dollar amounts, in hopes to win money and not get a ‘Whammy,’ which took away people’s money.

Why Press Your Luck might be annoying:

    The trivia questions were extremely easy.
    The show took little-to-no skill.
    Contestant, Michael Larsen won over $100,000 by taping the show, and memorizing the light patterns.
    Its time slot was moved in 1986, to make room for ‘Card Sharks.’
    It was a rip-off of the unsuccessful ABC game show, ‘Second Chance.’
    When the show was brought back in 2002, they chose Todd Newton over the original host, Peter Tomarken.
    Many believe it would not have been successful without their cartoon Whammy.
    It coined the phrases, ‘Big Bucks’ and ‘No Whammy.’
    Before making it big, Jenny Jones won over $18,000 on the show.
    At one point on the show, Peter Tomarken told all of the contestants that they were wrong, when in fact they had the right answer. The question was about one of Mel Blanc’s characters on Looney Toons. Tomarken realized the mistake days later, after Mel Blanc called and corrected him.

Why Press Your Luck might not be annoying:

    It produced the memorable ‘Whammy’ character.
    It brought the entertainment of watching contestants get stuck with a ‘Whammy,’ thus losing all their money.
    After blowing a large lead by getting a Whammy, one contestant said ‘Jeez, fucking shit!’ unbleeped on national TV.
    Although the original series only lasted three years, it is one of the most well-known game shows.
    They used a lot of creative different animations for the Whammy.
    The show was brought back by popular demand in 2002.

Credit: Rocky


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 8 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 17 Votes: 5.88% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 88.89% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 87 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 14 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 19 Votes: 63.16% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 16 Votes: 56.25% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 22 Votes: 59.09% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 30 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 74 Votes: 68.92% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 217 Votes: 48.39% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 545 Votes: 43.12% Annoying