Following news that a KNBC staffer and her husband were the $266 million winners of the Mega Millions, a new shocker this morning: *another* NBC newsroom staff has won the lottery.
KNTV staffers Brent Cannon, Laura-Garcia Cannon, Mike Inouye, Rob Mayeda and 32 others pooled their money to buy 32 $1 tickets. Several tickets in the March 4 drawing matched a few numbers, creating a total payoff of $14.
"We heard about the KNBC winner and thought 'well, what are the chances that another NBC employee could ever win the lottery?'" said anchor Brent Cannon. "But then we looked at he ticket and sure enough, we had $14."
Each NBC Bay Area employee who participated will get 43 cents. There was much discussion in the newsroom whether employees would "keep working" given their winnings.
Business reporter Scott McGrew declined to contribute money to the lottery pool, explaining to his co-workers that the statistical liklihood of winning the lottery was "like getting hit by lightning and then getting into a car crash on the way to the hospital, which then burns down." That and he didn't have a dollar at the time.
Proven wrong, McGrew is now considering legal action, declaring he "clearly MEANT to participate in the lottery pool" and thus should be party to the winnings.
Clearly, the sudden windfall has divided the once harmonious newsroom into the "haves" and the "have nots." Newswriter Kellie Onaga is considering using her Lottery winnings to buy part of a Vitamin Water. She says the biggest problem is choosing between the risque "triple XXX" flavor and the "revive" flavor, which she doesn't particularly like, but gives her an added boost on the early shift.
Newscast director Ken Portwood would not discuss his plans, citing privacy needs. Crew chief Jennifer Garcia says she just likes hearing the coins jingle.
No family benefitted more than the Cannons, however, as the anchor team of Brent and Laura are married. Each contributed a dollar, meaning together they will collect 86 cents.
