Whammy (Press Your Luck)
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For other uses, see Whammy.
The Whammy was the villain of the game shows Press Your Luck and Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck.
In every show, each time a contestant would hit a Whammy, a short animation of the character would appear of the villain doing something to steal the contestant's money and embarrass himself. The contestant would lose all of their money that they had collected up to that point in the game. If a contestant got four Whammies, they were out of the game. Often, the contestants would be heard to say excitedly, over and over again, "No whammy! No whammy!"
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[edit] Press Your Luck
The Whammy was created by Savage Steve Holland (who went on to create television cartoon Eek! The Cat on Fox Kids). Bill Kopp provided the voice. The Whammy was patterned after the devils on the game show Second Chance. The Whammy donned a yellow cape, yellow mask and a dollar sign on his torso. Whammy had a girlfriend named Tammy Whammette, and his pet, a big yellow dog named Fang, occasionally appeared with him.
[edit] Quotes
- "All I hear is 'BIG BUCKS, BIG BUCKS!' I got your BIG BUCK!" with an elk.
- "All right, girls, I wanna see sweat!! 1 and 2, 1 and 2, and OW!!"
- As a swami: "Umm-hmm, it's coming to me now... I see financial disaster in your future!"
- Running for office: "If elected, I will raise your taxes!" and gets pied in the face.
- Cheerleaders: "Gimme a W-H-A, gimme an M-M-Y!" Megaphone falls on one Whammy's head.
- Weightlifter: Whammy strains and grunts lifting the barbell, then falls through the floor. "Uhn...uhhn...unn...uhhmmm!..." Crash! "Not again..."
- Saying goodbye on a cruise ship: "Hasta luego, arrivederci, bon voyage, that means goodbye!" (Often seen when player hits their fourth Whammy)
- Scrooge: "BAH HUMBUG! Gimme your money! There'll be no presents this year!" (Used on Christmas Week episodes.)
- Santa Whammy with Fang pulling the sled, "On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Fang! Get the money, get the money!" (Also used on Christmas week episodes)
- Whammy decorating the tree singing, "I wish me a merry Christmas", then tree falls down on Whammy. (Another Christmas episode sketch).
- Slim basketball player: "LOOK OUT BIRD! LOOK OUT KAREEM! LOOK OUT MAGIC! HEE HEE HEE!!" Glass shatters off-screen.
- As umpire: "You're Out!" (Often seen when player hits their fourth Whammy)
- Demolition man: "Hee hee!! This oughta do it!!" (explosion) "Oh no..awww." (re-created for Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck)
- As window washer: "De-de-dee-dee-de...Ok, take it away!" Off screen is CRASH! "Aww geez!"
- Indian warrior on canoe: "Money Money, Ay-yi-yi-yi, Money Money, OH NOOO..." as the canoe sinks.
- Making a pizza: "We gotta cheese, pepperoni, tomato, sausa...(dough falls on Whammy's head) How about some spaghetti?"
- UFO Whammy: Whammy flies in a UFO, gets electrocuted and flies away. This was the Whammy Michael Larson got on his very first spin.
- Eye doctor: "Can you read this? U-L-O-S-E!" Whammy gets rolled up in the eye chart.
- Waterskier: "Hit it Tammy!! I'm up, I'm up, I'm up!!" and both get eaten by a shark. Footage of that is used for the German version of Press Your Luck.
- Deep sea diver: Whammy rides a shark eating the money. That scene is also used in the German version.
- Riding a magic carpet: "A thousand and one pardons for taking your money... AAAAAAHHH!!"
- On a picnic (with Tammy): "Isn't this romantic? Our first picnic! A lovely day, a beautiful girl, and... FANG?!?" This was used until the spring of 1985. The dialogue was then changed to "Springtime is so romantic! Spring...when a young whammy's fancy turns to...FANG?!"
- Fang chasing a cat: Whammy (holding on to Fang's tail): "Hold it Fang, hold it, DON'T FORGET THE MONEY!!"
- Suicide bomber: "Fire in the hole!", and the car explodes.
- Movie star: "Now that I'm a star, I need makeup. Make-up!!" A powder puff is thrown in his face.
- Holding a credit card: "Hello, do you know me?" Then the name "WHAMMY" is typed in as a spoof of the American Express commercials made popular during the 1980's.
- A barbershop quartet singing "You're Out!" one at a time, usually on the fourth whammy in the game eliminating a player.
- As a toreador: Whammy waves a red cape and is carried away by a bull.
- Mardi Gras: Six Whammies play a jazz number. The big one slams cymbals accidentally boxing one of them in the ears.
- As Sherlock Holmes: Whammy walking Fang in detective clothes holing a magnifying glass. "Elementary, my dear Fang, it was greed that got him." and both disappear in the fog.
- As a torch bearer: During the 1984 Summer Olympics. Whammy runs with Olympic Torch and gets drenched by a bucket of water. "Anybody got a match?"
- A pole-vaulting whammy while running with the pole, "This is it! A new world's record!" before flying off the screen.
- A whammy flying a kite (used mid-1986), saying "The chances of you winning this game are about as good as my getting hit by..." before getting electrocuted by lightning.
- A whammy in a cannon after "NOW APPEARING IN THE CENTER RING, THE GREAT WHAMINI!" is heard booming through the ringmaster's microphone offscreen. Half of the cannon blows up, leaving a charred Whammy to say, "Holy smokes, guys, no..." Appeared mid-1985.
- A bowling whammy: "I'm bowling for bucks! And it's a strike...uh-oh..." when a monster-sized bowling ball comes after (and squishes) him.
- As a boxer jabbing across the screen: "I'm ready! Bring on Rocky! Bring on Rocky! I want him! I want..." Whammy gets hit with a giant boxing glove and the clang of the ring bell can be heard.
- As a pilot: Whammy decends from the top of the screen, shooting the plane's gun and laughing maniacally.
- As a photographer: "I wanna get a picture of you losing your money. Say cheese!" The camera explodes as he pushes the shutter button.
[edit] References to real-world people
- Willie Nelson: Whammy sits on a horse, singing "Your bucks again, I can't wait to get your bucks again".
- George Washington: Whammy appears as Washington on a dollar bill, saying, "I cannot tell a lie... you lose!"
- Michael Jackson: Whammy moonwalks and spins around with stars in his eyes. Dances to Jackson's "Billie Jean".
- Cyndi Lauper: This Whammy sings "I WANT MONEY, I WANT MONEY!!"
- The Supremes: A quartet of female Whammies sing together. "All I need is cash, so gimme all your money. Give back the money. Say gimme all your money. Give back the money."
- Liberace: Whammy plays a piano, but a chandilier lands on him.
- Rodney Dangerfield: Whammy does a horrible dance and gets the hook.
- Tina Turner: Tammy takes Tina's hairstyle and sings "I got money.. it's everything".
- Paul Revere: Whammy riding Fang says "One if by check, two if by cash the Whammies are coming to steal your stash!"
- The Beatles: Whammies in black hair sing "OOOOOOHHH.. I'D LOVE TO TAKE IT BACK FROM YOUUU..."
- Boy George: A Whammy dressed in a wig and coat sings "Who would ever hurt a Whammy (, who would ever want-OW!)" to the tune of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" and gets hammered on the head.
- Tarzan: Whammy swings on the vine and hits an angry elephant.
- Elvis Presley: Does a dance in place before spraining his back.
- Tammy Wynette: Tammy sings "It's good to have your money back again!" Whammy announces "Ladies and gentlemen, Tammy Whammette!" and gets pied in the face.
- Tim Brown: "I'm open! I'm open! Throw me the bomb! Throw me the..." Whammy catches a bomb instead of the football and blows up.
- Eddie Van Halen: Whammy plays a nice guitar solo, then gets electrocuted into a pile of dust by the amplifier.
[edit] Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck
In the new Press Your Luck, the Whammy is given a huge makeover, complete with a green mask, spiked hairstyle, and a yellow shield-shaped emblem with a black "W" on his belly. He is much slimmer and taller, and he also now has a new space called a "Double Whammy" where the Whammy not only takes all of the contestant's money, but dumps the contents of the cut-scene over the contestant's head.
Starting in Season 2, he sometimes appeared with his gullible fall guy, Dollar Bill.
[edit] Quotes
- (in a spelling contest) "Spell 'loser'." "Loser. Y-O-U. LOSER!"
- (as a bungee jumper) "Bungie bungie bungie! Bungie bungie bungie! Bungie bung-" (drops to the floor)
- (accepting an award) "I'd like to thank my agent, but most of all, YOU!!!!"
- (While eating M&M's from a huge bowl.) "Mmmmmmmm. M&M's." (starts swimming in the bowl)
- (as a rapper, complete with gold tooth) "Go Whammy!" "Well, I'm the rappin' Whammy, and it ain't no joke, I'm cleanin' you out and leavin' you broke!"
- (doing Zen) "Ooohhhhmmmm. Ohhhhmmmmm... (spins through the air) ...mmmoney! Hee hee hee hee hee hee!"
- (in a one-hour photo shop) "Hello Bill! What've we got here? Vacation photos?" "No!" "Pictures of your new baby?" "No!" "A birthday party!" (camera starts flashing)
- (as a model) "Work it Superwhammy! C'mon, work it honey!" "I'm so hungry I could eat all your money! ("eats" the contestant's winnings) *burp*"
- (as a drill sergeant) "*whistle* Drop and give me 20!" (Bill begins doing push ups) Hmmmm.... gimme-gimme everything! Hee hee!"
- (as a massage therapist, working on Bill) "Now just relax, and I'll work on that knot. (pulls hard and Bill falls apart; dollar bills fly everywhere) There, no more knot!"
- (Bill goes to an ATM and Whammy appears on the screen.) "Sorry, you've got insufficient funds." (A hand comes out and grabs the wad of cash.)
- (Bill is a ventriloquist and Whammy is the dummy) "Nuh-uh. I'm not the dummy, you're the dummy. You look like you could use a drink. Ha ha! Now who's the dummy?"
- (painting a picture, screengrab of the contestant appears on the easel) "Ahuhuh! You are spectacular! I think you will agree, I have captured you beautifully. (paints a red "X" on the picture) And your money."
- (with a cell phone) "Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? You're out of range. And money. (imitating the Verizon Wireless commercial; this version used in Season 1 only)
- "I'm losing you, you're dropping out, you're out of range, and money. (Alternate version of the above whammy, used in Season 2)
- (as Judge Judy) "All rise for Judge Whammy." "I don't want to hear about your money problems. Dismissed."
- (as The Godfather) "Don't ever press your luck with the family!"
- (as George Foreman) "You can get this lean, green, grillin' machine for (machine begins to malfunction) *cough* one *cough* easy payment of *cough* all your money *cough cough*..."
- (as Harry Potter) "(incantation) I'm stealing your winningness."
- "Hi, this is Whammy Fae Baker here, and I just want to thank you for all your - generous donations!"
- (as Steve Irwin) "The secret is to catch the crocodile by surprise."
- (as Martha Stewart) "This is one of my favorite dishes, and it doesn't cost any money. (knocks pot off the oven accidentally) It's a good thing..."
- (as Britney Spears) "I'll make all your dollars mine, kiss me where the sun don't shine!"
- (as Anne Robinson) "Who's one spin short of being the winner? Bye-bye!"
- (as Ozzy Osbourne) "Well (bleep)in' fabulous (bleep)! All I have to (bleep)in' do is, walk around being my (bleep)in' self. And (bleep)in' get paid for it!"
- (as Emeril Lagasse) (walks to a sack of money) "Hey, let's kick it up a notch. (begins pounding sack with a hammer)BAM! BAM! BAM!"
- (as 'N Sync) "You better cry, cause your money's gone, bye, bye, bye."
[edit] Double Whammies
- (Singing with an Italian accent) "Though the losers may try, no one makes pizza pie like the Whammy!" (pie drops on contestant)
- "Mommy's home, and I've got some lovely fruit and vegetables. Oops! (trips, groceries drop on player)
- "Hmmm....the money's gotta be around here somewhere." (climbs to attic, clothes fall on player)
- "Money money money, money!" (mows the bucks, grass falls on player)
- "I better file these important financial documents." (shreds money and it falls on player)
- "And now, here's Whammy with the Whammy Weather." "Thank you, Jan. It appears we'll have patches of hail moving in today, especially around......your money! HEHEHEHEHEHE!" (takes out umbrella, player is hailed)
- "Okay, we're gonna take just a little bit off the top, and a little bit off the side, and we're gonna leave you with NOTHING! HEEHEEHEE!" (hair is cut, falls on contestant)
- "Look out, it's Whamzilla" (a giant Whammy crushes a city, foam bricks fall on the contestant)
- Making popcorn (Jiffy Pop stove style) until the top explodes (popcorn falls on contestant)
- Snowboarding on the half-pipe (fake snow lands on contestant)
- Uses a firehose and it goes out of control. (water gets squirted on contestant.)
- Dribbles a basketball and makes a slam dunk (loads of basketballs fall on contestant; also used as a regular Whammy without the basketballs)
- Getting married to (presumably) Tammy Whamette, rice is thrown (rice [and, in later episodes, the bouquet] falls on contestant)
- Shoots self out of a cannon and falls back to Earth completely burnt (Whammy fur falls on contestant)
