Lucky Numbers (ABC; Pilot Episode)

[dougmorrisontheair]

All right, the wait's almost over. Time to launch our pilot episode of Lucky Numbers.

This is based on the unsold pilot from the mid 1980s -- and was based on Craps.

For the rules: www.DougMorris.net/lucky

We'll bypass qualifying and ask -- who wants to play? First two to respond get to play the pilot.

[Deleted]

I'll play!

[palmer7]

(You should probably create some alternate credits because.....)


I'm in!

[dougmorrisontheair]

All right, we've got our players. James and Greg, please PM me fifteen buzz codes from 1-100.

Proper open coming up in a bit.

[dougmorrisontheair]

---

KGO SAN FRANCISCO/OAKLAND/SAN JOSE

Staff announcer: ABC 7 News -- where you live.

---

(opening theme plays)

Bill Kennedy: It's time to play -- Lucky Numbers.

Ladies and gentlemen -- Doug Morris.

(audience cheers)

Thank you, Bill Kennedy. Hellooooo, everybody -- and welcome to this sneak preview of Lucky Numbers. It's great to be back on ABC -- and in familiar and yet unpredictable surroundings. Throughout this next half hour, you'll be hearing some screams of joy -- and probably some moans and groans as well.

Right now, I'm sure our first two contestants would like to hear some cheers. Please make welcome James Greek and Greg Palmer.

(audience cheers)

Greg, let's find out something about you.

[palmer7]

Well, Doug, it's great to be here. My name's Greg Palmer, and I work in a movie theater in Durham, North Carolina. I don't know my title because I do everything. Whatever they tell me to do, I do it. Clean theaters after movies, concessions, box office, you name it, I've done it. Well, maybe not projection..... Just want to say hi to John, Valerie, Ed, Mike, Jarrod, Tyrese, and anyone else at Northgate Stadium 10!

[dougmorrisontheair]

I'm sure the folks at Northgate Stadium 10 are rooting for you today.

And, James, as we welcome you, a lot of folks in the L.A. area are rooting for you. L.A. as in Lower Alabama.

[Deleted]

That is so true Doug. I'd like to say hello to my friends and family in Elba, AL. You know who you are.

[palmer7]

Indeed. Hey, James. You remind me of a man.

[Deleted]

*Arnold Jackson* Whatchu talking bout Gregory?!

[palmer7]

You remind me of a man, the man with the power.

[Deleted]

lol

[palmer7]

OK, smart guy. You tell me the rest of the joke.

[Deleted]

Ha ha I'd like to say hi to my aunts: Rhonda and Renita who are watching and my Uncle Robin and Aunt Lynne who are watching in Montgomery and my friends in Elba and my dad and family who are watching in Virginia along with my grandparents.

[palmer7]

OK, we'll try it with your announcer, Bill. Hey, Bill! You remind me of a man.

Bill: What man?

Greg: Man with the power.

Bill: What power?

Greg: Power of hoodoo.

Bill: Hoodoo?

Greg: You do.

Bill: Do what?

Greg: Remind me of a man...

Bill: What man?

Greg: Man with the power.

Bill: What power?

[dougmorrisontheair]

(scattered laughter from the crowd)

This is just the sneak preview show and I've already lost control.

(audience laughs)

Let me take back control by telling you how Lucky Numbers works.

Take a look at the game board, please, James and Greg. Those are the lucky numbers in play for every game on every show -- 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. Attached to five of those numbers are cash awards. Anytime your dice roll totals one of those lucky numbers, you seize control of that cash award.

However, the remaining number is the luckiest of them all. It's our winning point. And the winning point in the first game we're about to play is...

(ding)

...the number 9. Roll a 9 in any combination and you'll win the cash you've seized *plus* the money in the pot.

(ding)

At the start of every game, we seed the pot with $1500 -- and it could go up by as much as $500 on a particular roll. More on that later.

But in every game of Lucky Numbers, rolling a 7 is not lucky. Any roll of 7 does this.

(danger zone cue; lights briefly flicker in certain parts of studio)

The game then goes into the danger zone. The complexion of the game will change from there. More about *that* later. Let's turn off the danger lights, please, because that was just a test.

Now -- to get control of the dice, you must correctly answer a toss-up question. If you anticipate and you're wrong, the roll automatically goes to your opponent.

So -- Greg, James, hands on the buzzers, please -- because here comes your first question.

Ruta, rupee or resh. What is the official currency of India?
31 jman8606
95 palmer7
84 random.org

(Greg buzzes in)

Greg?

[palmer7]

That would be the rupee.

[dougmorrisontheair]

And you'd be right. (audience cheers) Greg, the first roll of this game is yours. With any luck at all, it could be the last roll. (Doug hands Greg the dice) Roll a 9, win 1500 quick and easy dollars.

(Greg rolls)

Woah! (one cube rolls off table; scattered laughter from the crowd) No roll! No roll! That's headed to India for sure.

(more laughter from the crowd; cube with 4 up rolls back through courtesy of Junior G-Man Magic Carpet; Doug offers Greg two dice)

Okay, Greg, I have two spare dice here. Please take one of them and roll that and the one that's on the table -- gently.

(Greg takes right cube; Doug takes back the other cube)

All righty then. Still looking for a 9 in any combination.

(Greg rolls)

(scattered cheers)

And he legitimately rolls a 4 -- with two dice. Greg, that means you seize control of...

(ding)

...$500. Now you haven't won that money yet. Greg, if you answer the next question correctly and roll a 9, you win a total of $2000.

Greg, we're lighting up the numbers you have control of in blue. James, if you seize control of a cash prize, it lights up red.

On to our next question.

In 2015, truTV aired "Breaking Greenville", a reality series centered around the daily operations of the newsrooms of two television stations. Are the stations based out of the state of Mississippi, North Carolina or Ohio?
25 jman8606
19 palmer7
17 random.org

(Greg buzzes in)

Greg?

[palmer7]

I'll say Ohio.

[dougmorrisontheair]

No, it's actually Mississippi. The stations in the show were WABG and WXVT in Greenville, Mississippi.

So that means the dice go to James. James, pick 'em up, please -- and roll 'em.

(James rolls)

Oooooh. (danger zone cue)

(lights in parts of studio flicker) (audience groans)

Gentlemen, we're in the danger zone. Here's the situation. The next player to roll a 7 will automatically lose the game -- meaning you opponent will win the money in the pot -- and any other cash he has seized.

So -- if you answer the next question correctly, or if your opponent misses, you'll have the option to roll or pass the dice.

Crucial decision coming -- after this question.

Gary Collins, Jackie Collins or Joan Collins. Who wrote the book entitled "Lucky"?
15 jman8606
45 palmer7
19 random.org

(James buzzes in)

James?

[Deleted]

Jackie!

[dougmorrisontheair]

(Doug looks to judge; judge nods head "yes" -- as does Doug)

Yeah, we can take that as an answer. Jackie Collins is right.

(audience applause)

Now -- James -- you got us in this mess -- but you can get yourself out of it one way or another.

In the danger zone, the odds are five-to-one that you or Greg will come up with a good roll. But all it takes is one more roll of 7 to bring about disaster.

On the other hand, any roll of 9 still wins the game and some cash.

So -- James -- do you want to roll or pass the dice to Greg?

(audience shouts suggestions)

[Deleted]

Pass to Greg!

[dougmorrisontheair]

Passing to Greg. Greg, he thinks you're gonna roll a 7. If you do, game goes to James. If you roll a 9, you're the winner. Anything else and we keep on rollin'.

(Greg rolls)

(scattered cheers)

It's a hard way 6. That means you seize control of another cash award.

(ding)

$300. So that means, Greg, this game is worth a minimum of $2300 for you -- if you win it.

As those of you looking in are getting an idea of how Lucky Numbers works, let's talk about the rolls worth less than 4 and more than 10. Those are difficult sums to roll on the dice.

So any roll of 2, 3, 11 or 12 is a considered a wild roll. Any wild roll means we add another $500 to the pot -- and you may roll again.

Now it's on to another question as we're still in the danger zone.

Richard, Rigdon or Robert. Which is Ringo Starr's original first name?
17 jman8606
72 palmer7
20 random.org

(James buzzes in)

James?

[Deleted]

Richard!

[dougmorrisontheair]

James says "Richard" with confidence -- and he's right.

(audience cheers)

James, the option is yours again. Now if you win the game on this next roll of the dice, all you get is $1500 from the pot.

Roll any wild sum and we up the ante. Another thing to think about -- if you take the roll and the dice add up to 4 or 6, you steal a cash award from Greg.

But if you roll a 7, game over and Greg's ahead $2300 in the match.

A lot to think about early on. Roll -- or pass?

(audience shouts suggestions)

[Deleted]

Roll!

[dougmorrisontheair]

(scattered cheers)

He's gonna roll 'em. Can James get a 9 right on time?

(James rolls)

(scattered groans)

Oh -- close. An 8. That's good for a cash award.


(ding)

$300 for you. That and the pot will be yours to take if you win the game.

On to another question.

True or false: During his administration, President Jimmy Carter pardoned draft dodgers.
21 jman8606
27 palmer7
88 random.org

(Greg buzzes in)

Greg?

[palmer7]

True.

[dougmorrisontheair]

The day after he took his oath of office, President Carter granted an unconditional pardon to those who dodged the draft during the Vietnam War. "True" is right.

(audience cheers)

Greg, choice is yours -- roll or pass?

(audience shouts suggestions)