We've seen how Press Your Luck is full of excitement, twist and turns with every spin at the big board. Lee Newcom may well be someone who can attest to that. A contestant in August of 1985, Lee pulled an incredible comeback with 3 Whammies, culminating in a Double Your $$ shot that made the opening montages from that point on.

For his two days, Lee walked away with $23,022, and vivid memories of his experiences. Several months ago, Lee discovered my website in an effort to reclaim his episodes. Thanks to my good friends on the West Coast and GSN, we've both been able to see them again, and we've had a chance to talk since then about those wild games from 20 years past.

Sonic Whammy:
For those of us that don’t know you, tell us a little about yourself and where you’re from.

Lee Newcom:
I am originally from Southern California, growing up in the San Fernando Valley and graduating from Glendale Community College and Cal State L.A. with a degree in political science. In 1982, I moved to Illinois where I have worked in the computer software business, owned an automotive service business and headed two statewide political organizations. I also am a political commentator and appear often on the nationally broadcast Sunday evening radio program "Beyond the Beltway with Bruce DuMont". I have been a county elected official, and am now in county-wide office. You can check my website for more on that: www.leenewcom.com

Just to get an idea, what does your game show resume look like?

I have made it on several TV game shows, including Card Sharks (won a car and $3,000), Whew! (won a washer and dryer), The Dating Game (won the date), and my favorite, Press Your Luck (won $23,000!!!).

Ah, another Whew! player. A lot of us game show fans have a connection to that show because of a dear friend of ours. We’ll have to talk about that sometime.

But back to THIS show now. What led you to try out for Press Your Luck?

During the 1980s, TV game shows were big business. Every week, the Sunday LA Times would have large classified ads inviting people to try outs for contestants. Every time I flew home to California to visit, I would pick up the paper and look for the ads. They all worked the same and I interviewed for at least 8 shows.

You called in, and they would give you a time for the tryout. Typically the interview was a cattle call with 20-40 people crammed into a room full of folding chairs in an office building in Hollywood or on Wilshire Blvd. down by the CBS Television City studio. Some had a written test, similar to questions on the show. For all of them, you would fill out a colored 4x6 card with your name, address, occupation, etc. They took and stapled a Polaroid photo of you to it. After they were collected (and the test graded if there was one), the contestant coordinator would come back in and ask you to stand up and introduce yourself as she called the names on the cards. They would take notes on you as you spoke.

My device to make myself remembered was to emphasize that I sold computer systems to farmers, "so if any of you in here need a good hog genetics software package I am your guy," I would confidently announce. Of course, the Hollywood types loved that line and it usually got me in, as I was so rural and un-California sounding. What they didn't know was I was very Los Angeles and had lived there most of my life. After the introductions, the coordinator would leave and come back in a few minutes to deliver the following speech. They all gave this speech:

"Now, I am going to call a few names and if I call your name, we invite you to stay for the next section. If I don't call your name, it doesn't mean you would not be a great contestant, it just means you are not the person we are looking for today. You may come back and try out, but please wait at least 30 days."

I usually got in when they called the list (that hog software line always worked). The now smaller group of maybe 6 to 8 people would go to another room where you played a mock game, sometimes with realistic looking sets. You would play for and win play money. One of the producers usually sat in on that one and they whittled the number down to just several. They would then dismiss you saying you would receive a call asking you to come to a taping if they needed you. On PYL, I got the call that day to come to tape that weekend and was asked to bring 2 to 3 changes of clothes. I remember the Press Your Luck interview because the producer sat in on it and was wearing a Boy Scout uniform shirt.

Well, I can understand now how you’ve gotten onto these shows. And I’m sure that hog computer line worked great on your Dating Game date. ;-D

So you’re on the show now. Take us through the day.

Of the four shows I appeared on, they all operated exactly the same. For PYL, I was told to arrive at CBS Television City at 9 AM on Saturday. You were taken to a holding room until all of the contestants arrived. The same contestant coordinators you met at the tryout reintroduced themselves (now 2 or 3 of them) and gave you a description of the day. They introduced a person from CBS Standards and Practices who would give you the contracts and releases, explain them, and get them signed. You were asked to put on a large name badge with the word "CONTESTANT" in big black letters on it. That person then gave you the speech telling you that you must wear that badge at all times.

You were to stay in this room (the green room) all day and could not leave the room unless you were accompanied by the contestant coordinator. You could not make or receive any phone calls. A message would be forwarded if you need to contact anyone. You could not go to the bathroom without the coordinator. If you were seen speaking with anyone other than the producer or coordinator as you walked to and from the set, or to any of the crew on the set before the show, or violated any of these rules you were instantly off the show. No questions asked. These rules were obviously to insure that no cheating could take place where anyone could communicate the answers to any questions. They were very strict on this. The room was stocked with plenty of catered sandwiches and soft drinks and they made it fun, interesting and friendly.

Yep, that’s what I’ve heard, they need to keep a close eye on you under all circumstances. So you’re in the green room, just waiting there...

As you were together for several hours in that one room, all of the contestants get to know each other quite well out of the long boring waiting. The contestant coordinator tells you all about the game and goes through the strategies to win: You have a 1 in 6 chance of hitting a Whammy. When Peter is asking the quiz questions you can only hit your button to answer when he has reached the critical part of the question. Your light goes on then and you can buzz in. (That is why you often see a contestant hit that button once and it does not register. They have them locked out still.)

You learn to like each other from the shared excitement of the experience. In my experience, all of the contestants wanted each other to do well. That is the reason you often see contestants hugging each other or acting excited for the other person that wins. They usually like each other and have established a relationship. There are usually 2 to 3 weeks of shows taped in one session so there are a bunch of you. You never know when you will go on, I suppose because they choose how to mix and match contestants as they go.

Well, that’s USUALLY how it goes. During the game, I’m sure everyone’s out to whip each other.

That’s true, we all want to win, but we’re never mad at the next person if they beat us.

So, the monitor in the green room is always on so you can see the show being taped. On previous shows, I had been in that room for hours watching others win and lose before I was on. On Whew!, I never got on after spending a whole day there waiting and had to come back again. I did get on the second time. On PYL, when they were ready to start taping at about 11 AM, the coordinator walked in to call the names for the first show. I was the first name called and I never saw my fellow contestants in that room again except on TV when it was broadcast.

Well, that was quick. Didn’t have to wait for your big moment. What was it like?

The coordinator leads you to the set. You walk through a big studio hall. There are sets for Price Is Right and Card Sharks (taped on the same stage) sets for a recent special for some movie star, etc. When you got to the set your CONTESTANT badge was removed and the name badge for the show placed on your lapel. You get to the big studio and step over the camera cables and thread through the set elements. I pass by the big studio camera and cameraman on a platform behind the game board. So that's how they get that shot of the contestant saying "no whammy, no whammy...STOP!"

Yep, that’s where they keep him.

Right, his lens is in the little black half moon shape in the middle of the game board logo.

Gee, the set looks so much plainer and less snazzy in person. Unimpressive. The carpeting looks faded and lousy. That slanted light thing in front of the contestants just looks like cheap plastic. How does it look so spectacular on TV?

Really? I’m surprised. Didn’t take away from the enthusiasm, I assume.

Absolutely not. The audience is buzzing, the crew working on setups, the director’s voice barking on the speaker, and you are just seated on the set, waiting, facing away so you are not seeing any of this. The coordinator gives you a little pep talk about having a great show and really showing some energy. She moves away. Then the place starts to quiet down, everyone is in place, the director barks his orders, and lights and the music start.

Then there is that voice, "From Television City in Hollywood, it's time to..."

Something goes wrong. The tape is stopped. There is activity for about 2 or 3 minutes, and it starts over. The music again, the lights, and Rod Roddy. Now the set turns and suddenly you are facing lights, cameras, microphone booms, the audience, the cue card guy off to the right for Peter, and the audience cheering just about 20 feet away. There is your contestant coordinator behind one of the cameras smiling big, clapping and urging you on. Funny, the audience is only a few rows deep and yet the cheering sounds like a stadium. And then, Peter Tomarken walks on and you see him for the first time. You act like you know him because you have been watching him on TV.

The show is a blur. It happens so fast I have to watch it on TV to remember it all and see what I did. Very exciting and you could see it in the faces of the audience and crew facing me.

Just in general, what were your personal strategies for playing the game? I always like to know the mindset people have about when they press or pass.

When you tried out and the morning of the taping they talked to you about strategy. Everyone clearly knows that there is a 1 in 6 chance of hitting the Whammy. So you try to judge if you have enough money to stay out-of-reach to the other two contestants, and pass if you have 4 or more spins to go to one competitor. The odds are in your favor that they will Whammy out.

Makes sense. But that first game was really rough on you. You had to make a comeback, facing 3 Whammies. Then you hit the Double $$ to get yourself the lead on the next spin. That hit, which made the credits, was what we remember you for. Truly a great moment, yes?

Oh gee, I was really far out of contention. Then all of a sudden like swoosh, here I am up at high $$ again and contending. You bet it was great. Very exciting.

And then, it started getting even more interesting. After getting the lead, you bust the champ Julie with a Whammy. Then Tricia passes you 4 spins after building up 11K, and you start with this cry "We're going for $20,000!" And you kept that going for the rest of your stay on the show? What inspired that battle cry all of a sudden?

I have no clue. Just came out.

When Tricia passed me the 4 spins she had $11k, which she thought enough money and now I would whammy out with those four. Even if I had spins left, the remainder of the 4 she sent and my own, I still was out if I hit any Whammy as I had 3. You can see from the interaction between Peter and I when she did it, the well known and often repeated fact among the contestants that you have a 1-6 chance of a Whammy. Peter emphasized "Lee, you HAVE to get through FOUR spins!"

I start hitting the big bucks. The audience is cheering for me. Momentum is building and the excitement. As the amount starts to get higher Peter is loving it and encouraging me on. I keep hitting BIG BUCKS and a spin. Those three Whammies are right there in front of me. I am up to $20K and have one spin left I have to take. I'm gonna have a heart attack. I take it...have over $23,000 and Peter asks me with that knowing twinkle in his eye what I want to do with those remaining couple of spins. We laugh. I pass them. After a couple of spins that don't amount to much for my opponent, I win.

We go to a commercial and when we come back Peter says "Rod, tell Lee what he has won." I can hear the voice but can't make it out. So I am cheering and yelling as if I know what he is saying, but the truth is I cannot understand him. I always laugh when I see it on TV, watching myself clapping for the gifts and prizes when I have no idea what he is saying. Until that last "TWENTY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS!" That I understood!

Who wouldn’t? That would excite anyone, and exhaust you, too.

Your second show was pretty exciting, too, because all of you were over 12K at one point. It was just that you were still in 3rd and a late Whammy wrecked it for you. Before that Whammy, did you think you were gonna make it?

I sure hoped I would make it back. Quite frankly, the first show was so exciting, and I had winning TWENTY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS on my mind, and then you only have what seems like 10 minutes (although it probably was much longer) to change and begin the 2nd show. It was all a blur. I can't remember what the 2nd show was like at all until I recently saw it again on tape.

I’ll believe you. I still hope to get caught in that whirlwind experience myself one of these days. So once it was all over, what happened?

As I left the set after the end of the second show I was taken behind a curtain to the side of the audience seats, still there on the main sound stage, separated from the audience and set only by this black curtain. At a card table with a couple of folding chairs and a calculator, an accountant lists out my prizes and parting gifts on a form to sign. While we are doing this, the next show is about to start. She tells me the prizes will be sent after the show airs. Until the show airs you actually have not won anything. I guess that is to prevent paying off if it were cancelled with shows still in the can to be broadcast. (I wish it were consistent. If they don't pay if it doesn't air, shouldn't they keep paying me when it airs in reruns?)

(LOL!) Hey, why not?

Right. Anyway, she tells me I can leave right then and points to a door behind the audience, or I can sit in the audience and watch all the shows I want. I chose to leave wanting to call my friends to tell them what happened. The studio is cool and rather low light (except when you are on). As I walked through the door to the parking lot the bright summer sun blinds me for a few seconds. I got in my car and drove down Beverly Boulevard. It was the oddest feeling. Just 10 minutes earlier I had been in the middle of all this excitement, a studio audience cheering wildly for me, Peter Tomarken urging me on, and now, just 10 minutes later, I was driving down a peaceful, almost empty street with the radio on. It was a bizarre feeling.

When I got back to my parents house, where I was staying on my visit, my mom was startled that I was back so quickly, remembering my ordeal with Whew! a few years before. "Didn't you get on" she asked. I just handed her the folded prize sheet from my pocket. She opened it and read it. Remembering me coming home and joking about how much money I had "won" at the tryouts, she didn't think it was real. She asked me what I really won. "That is it," I beamed at her. "I was the first contestant on the first show they taped and I am all done. TWENTY-THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS! That is what I won for real." In a reaction I still tease her about today, she said, "This is awful. Think of all the taxes you will have to pay." I roared in laughter. "Mom, I don't care what they take. I still get to keep the rest of it."

What were my parting gifts again?

Well, from what the tape says... an electric broom, Kleenol spot remover, a pair of binoculars, a clock radio, and supplies of Country Time lemonade and Control diet pills.

I still use the Sony clock radio on my night stand, I returned the electric broom to a local store and got credit to buy a real vacuum cleaner that I still use, still have the binoculars, left the spot remover back in California with my mom, have not a clue as to where the diet pills went. I don't think I ever got them.

Well, I did remember the TWENTY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS!!

You sure did, and we still remember you. Thank you for sharing the experience, and all the best in county office.

And thanks for the tapes. I really appreciate the efforts.