My experience as a contestant

I don't mind at all. I won $50,000.

Thanks. I was very lucky to get picked for the show. I tried an audition in New York City last June, but I failed the 30-question test that they give. I then found out that auditions were being conducted in East Chicago, Indiana, about 50 miles from where I live, on August 1. I passed the test that time and then had a brief interview with a production staff member. About two weeks later, I got a call informing me that I had been picked for the show and my tape date was in mid-September. I had to go to the studio on two successive days because I didn't get on the first tape day. I think that was actually a break because I was less nervous the second day and more comfortable with the surroundings. I really enjoyed meeting and pulling for the other contestants. One of them looked like she had a shot at the million when she got the first ten questions right without using a lifeline and, seemingly, without any problem. She ended up using three lifelines on the $50,000 question, though, and she missed it.

I'd be glad to. I had been told to arrive at the studio entrance at 8:30 a.m. for a 2 p.m. taping. I was about 45 minutes early. When other contestants arrived, I chatted with them. They opened the doors and let us in at 8:30. From that point on, we were in isolation. We had to be escorted to the washroom by a production staff member, and we could not look at any trivia books or other study aids. Several production staff members spoke to us about the show's rules and various other things. We were warned not to disclose the outcome of the taping to anyone. Each of us was assigned an assistant producer, and I had a 15-minute meeting with mine in which we discussed the personal stories Meredith would talk about with me on the air. At about 10:30 or so, they took us into the studio, showed us around a little and actually had us practice getting into and out of the hot seat. We then returned to the contestant room. About 12 noon, three holdover contestants from the prior tape date arrived, making a total of ten contestants. They had food for us, but I didn't eat much.

When the taping started, the hot seat contestant went to the studio with four others and the rest of us stayed in the contestant room. They had a monitor so we could see the taping. I was called into the studio late in the taping but I didn't get on. While a contestant is in the hot seat, there will be one contestant getting miked up and three others who are miked up already. One of those three will get on next. When the hot seat contestant quits or misses a question, they tap one of the three on the shoulder and say "You're on."

Because I already had my orientation, I didn't have to go to the studio the second tape day until about 12:45 for a 3 p.m. taping. I was a holdover along with two others and we met the seven new contestants when we got to the studio. As holdovers, we knew we would be the first three contestants to get on that day. We went backstage about two o'clock. One of the contestants was in the middle of his run--he had reached $1,000 the prior day. He resumed play, and got to the $16,000 question with no lifelines. He took a complete guess and missed. I was then tapped on the shoulder and told I was on.

Like I said before, Meredith Vieira was very nice and talked to me a lot during breaks. The assistant producer, whose name was Kevin, talked to me a lot, too, to remind me what personal story Meredith would ask me about next. I got the $16,000 question right and then the first show of the tape day ended (they do four a day). I then had to go to a dressing room and change clothes for the second show. I returned to the studio with $16,000 and two lifelines. I used both on the $25,000 question, but got it right. I knew the $50,000 question, but switched out of the first $100,000 question. I was unsure of the second $100,000 question and thought for a little while before I decided to walk away. Meredith asked me to guess and of course my guess turned out to be right. I then hugged Meredith and left with my $50,000 prop check.

After my taping was done, they took me to a little partitioned off area where the show accountant had me sign some papers. He asked me to stay until the second show taping was done in case any rereads were needed. There was a monitor and I watched the contestant after me go out on the $8,000 question, which surprised me because she was very smart. She was also very unhappy when she came back to the area. I kept my $50,000 prop check out of her view because I knew she felt pretty bad and I didn't want to rub it in. I didn't have to do any rereads but she did, including a reread of the question she had missed.

I then left the studio, and got a very nice ovation when I passed the contestant waiting room. Outside the studio, I ran into a few exiting audience members who congratulated me (they change audiences after the second show of the day is taped). I was still in shock. I was also darned lucky. I almost blurted out the wrong answer to the $200 question, which would have made for a very embarrassing moment. Fortunately, the contestant before me had told me to take my time during the first few questions. Instead of blurting out the wrong answer, I thought about it some more and figured out the right answer.

If there's anything else you want to ask about, please feel free. Like I said, it was a great experience.

Congratulations, jpsesq! Great result! But unfortunatelly, I can't watch your episode because I live in Russia:(

In response to the questions, the two Millionaire shows I was on aired in late October. I don't know if they will be rerun. The show only tells you the date of the first airing.

All the contestant does during a reread is sit in the hot seat. Meredith rereads the question and that's it. I didn't have to do any but a couple of other contestants did.

Here's how the show got personal information from me for stories on the show. First, when I showed up at my audition in Indiana, they gave us questionnaires. Questions included:

What would Meredith Vieira find most interesting about you?

What is the first thing you would do with one million dollars?

Complete this sentence, you'd never believe it but I ...

I could be in the Guiness Book of Records for?

What is it about you that the audience would find really compelling?

Is there anything else we should know about you?


After I was picked to be on the show, the contestant coordinator e-mailed me another questionnaire which asked questions like:

What is your most embarassing moment?

What is the craziest thing you've done to make a buck?

Do you have any good dating stories?

What is the worst job you ever had?

Then, while I was at the studio, an assistant producer asked if I had any other good stories to tell, and a couple that I mentioned ended up on the show.

If you apply for a New York audition, they will e-mail you a questionnaire like the first one I mentioned. I think it's important to come up with good answers, that make you sound like a fun and interesting person who would appeal to an audience.

Each contestant signs a contract. One of the provisions states that the contestant will not disclose the results of the taping to anyone before the show airs. The show itself may disclose the result or hint at the result beforehand but contestants may not tell anyone.