Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal (2003)

Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal (2003)*** 1/2 (out of 4) Highly entertaining documentary taking a look at Michael Larson, an out of work ice cream truck driver who made his way from Ohio to Los Angeles where he got on the Press Your Luck game show and ended up walking away with over $110,000. How did Larson do it? For months he studied the game at home and caught a pattern that would allow him to rack up the big bucks without hitting a whammy. To say this is the biggest scandal in game show history might be an understatement. There's certainly something interesting about what Larson did as some are going to call him a genius while others are going to call him a cheat. Personally speaking I can't help but call him a genius and I would never use the word cheat since there was a way to break the board and he found out how to do it. I think most of the blame has to go to the network for not having a plan in case something like this ever happened. The documentary does a very good job at telling the story of how a man from Ohio won a ton of cash from CBS who were pretty much dumbfounded by what was going on. The documentary features host Peter Tomarken talking about what was going on during the taping of the show but we also get interviews with the director, creator and others involved in the show including the two other contestants that Larson was going up against. The film also features the entire episode that was originally aired over two days but was never seen again until this documentary. Fans of the show or just scandals in general will certainly want to check this out as the entire thing is just bizarre to say the least.

When this aired on Game show network and some others gathered with me to see this I could not believe how Peter Tomarkin had become such a sore looser. He was at times insulting Larson. He in some of my friends views was also giving Bob Barker, Regis Philben, Pat Sajak, Vanna White and Alex Trebek bad names because of how he was fussing over a mere 100 thousand dollars being won by one man where at the time this aired in 2003 Bob Barker and the others were giving away prize combinations that would be higher value than what Larson won. Some people that were with me were wanting to see Alex, Pat and Regis come in and slap Peter with a white glove then have Vanna hit him with her purse and have Bob give him a Chuck Norris Karate Kick because of how those who were with me felt that Peter was insulting all those other hosts by fussing over how a man won a mere 100 thousand dollars where all these others were giving away money amounts and prizes that valued over the amount that was won by Larson.

One day I saw an article about Michael Larson, and wondered if he really had done this. Searching for it turned up little if anything. About a month later, I saw this on TV and taped it. I don't know where the tape is, but it is an interesting documentary.It tells how Michael Larson, a self-employed ice-cream truck driver, changed from having almost nothing, ending up with a fortune, and then losing it all in the end.It also provides a look back at how Press Your Luck producers did not realize that the game was fallible. Looking at this documentary, I realized it was very insightful. I do wish Game Show Network (now GSN) would release this as a video/DVD.

Press Your Luck was one of my favorite game shows as a kid. I loved the enthusiasm of the contestants (although a lot of it was forced) and the big money you could win at the time. Peter Tomarken was the perfect host for the show with his zaniness. However, I didn't know until a couple of years ago about the Michael Larson incident that nearly brought the show down.Mr. Larson was a gambler with a Ralph Kramden zen for quick rich schemes. He stumbled upon PYL and studied the patterns until he cracked the code that would allow him to win unlimited money if he could hit the buzzer correctly. He managed to get himself on the show and walked away with a sailboat, two vacations, and over 100,000 in CBS's money.This documentary on the once great GSN talks about the incident with PYL execs, Tomarken, relatives and friends of Larson, and the two contestants that were playing against Larson that day. They show the very patterns that Larson was able to exploit, the stress that was coming onto Larson as his pot grew bigger, and his facial expressions via a split-second camera that CBS happened to have on them during the tapings. It's very well done and very engrossing.Sadly, you can see this documentary only when GSN airs it and you'll have to wade through the worst commercials ever made. Still, it's worth watching to learn about how greed can eventually do you in.One funny thing. An exec who met with Michael Larson, who claimed he drove an ice cream truck, was leery about putting him on the show. He felt that there was something not quite right with him. Today, if Mr. Larson were alive and wanted to appear on GSN's "Whammy:The All New Press Your Luck" in an attempt to break their bank he'd be brought in with open arms. There have been some very colourful looking people appearing on that game.