She didn’t win $1 million, but Angela Watt still enjoyed her 15 minutes of fame on national television.
‘It was just an incredible experience,? said the 36-year-old Oxford resident. ‘I would do it over again in a heartbeat.?
Last week, Watt appeared on a special primetime edition of ABC’s ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?? celebrating the show’s 10th anniversary.
With millions of viewers? eyes upon her Aug. 12 and 13, Watt answered question after question delivered by the show’s original host, the energetic Regis Philbin.
Ultimately, she only won a $1,000 due to an incorrect answer provided by her ‘Phone a Friend? lifeline.
Question #10 (out of 15) was, ‘If you walked due north from El Paso, Texas to Canada, which of these states would you not pass through on your journey??
Idaho was the correct answer, but unfortunately her lifeline, Clinton Township resident Linda Joiner, told her to say Wyoming.
Had she answered the question correctly, not only would Watt have advanced in the game, she also would have won a minimum of $25,000 even if she got a future question wrong.
‘I am very sorry,? Joiner said. ‘I just feel horrible. I really do.?
Joiner noted she ‘never felt such pressure in my life? as when she picked up the phone and heard Philbin’s voice.
Just in case anybody’s thinking about grabbing some torches and pitchforks and heading over to Joiner’s house, they should know two things.
One, Joiner gave Watt the answer provided to her by the person manning the internet at her home when Philbin called.
After she said it, Joiner realized the answer was wrong, but time was up and she was disconnected.
Two, Watt isn’t carrying a grudge.
‘I don’t want her to feel bad. She did the best she could and I did the best I could,? Watt said. ‘I’m laughing about it now. I feel bad that she’s taking it harder than I am. She is a such a good friend.?
‘It was a bad question to ask a phone a friend,? Watt admitted. ‘It was just a bad question in general.?
She felt the El Paso part of the question was a trick because ‘you can’t do a straight line north anywhere from Texas and go through Idaho.?
The irony is Watt thought the answer wasIdaho because on the plane trip to New York City she studied a map of the United States.
But when you’re sitting in the ‘hot seat? answering questions on national television, nerves and self-doubt are your biggest opponents.
‘I had so psyched myself out about not being good at geography,? Watt said. ‘When you’re up there, you really have to have the ability to be calm and think under pressure. And I don’t think I have that ability.?
She regrets using her first two lifelines on two relatively easy questions during the first seven questions.
‘I just didn’t trust myself,? he said.
Watching the show 10 years ago, Watt said, ‘It seemed so easy from my family room.?
‘I think I’m a good armchair person, but maybe not so good in the actual hot seat.?
Her initial view of this whole experience was that it was ‘kind of a lark? and ‘something fun? to do.
‘I never really thought this all the way through ? that I could actually get in the hot seat,? said Watt, an attorney who works from home doing estate administration for Comerica Bank.
The whole thing happened so fast.
She submitted a video audition around July 14, then she, along with her fiance David Aycock and friend Joiner, took the on-line test July 17.
‘They were difficult questions,? Watt said. ‘We figured we got 25 out of 30.?
On July 22, Watt learned she’d been selected to be a contestant. She and her fiance were winging their way to New York City on July 30 and she was on the show the next day.
‘Everything happened so quick,? she said. ‘It was perfect for me because I’m not a very patient person and it was a bang-bang-bang process.?
No one was more surprised than she when she won the ‘Fastest Finger? challenge ? a question in which contestants are asked to put four answers in some type of order ? and the right to sit in the hot seat.
‘It took me a while to get up there,? Watt said. ‘I swear to God the thought flashed through my mind was ‘Oh my God, I don’t want to do this.?
‘I was so nervous. I felt like if he had asked me to spell my name, I would not be able to do that. It’s just crazy. I thought I would be totally comfortable on camera.?
It was when the contestant immediately before her won $100,000 that Watt knew she was now playing in the big leagues.
‘That’s when I started getting really nervous,? she explained. ‘There really is potential here to win a bunch of money.?
Although she didn’t win a million bucks, Watt was grateful for the thrilling experience.
‘Even if I knew I was going to go up there and crash and burn, I would still do it,? she said. ‘It was fun.?
One of Watt’s favorite parts was meeting the other 19 contestants, all of which were locked in a room together for about six to eight hours with no cell phones.
‘We really got to know each other,? she said. ‘I kind of thought it might be a competitive thing, but it was not at all. I wish every single one of them could have done it.?
Watt is very appreciative of all the people who helped her along the way such as her fiance and Joiner. Even a past ‘Millionaire? winner was gracious enough to have lunch with her and Joiner to give them some tips.
That winner was Ann Arbor resident Dr. Kevin Olmstead who won $2.18 million back in April 2001.
Watt asked him to be one of her ‘Phone a Friends,? but Olmstead couldn’t do it because he too was scheduled to appear on one of the 10th anniversary shows as a returning champion.
Last, but not least, Watt wanted to thank a man she simply knows as Ryan.
When she received the qualifying phone call July 22 from the ‘Millionaire? show, Watt was standing in a security line at the Kansas City Airport. The only problem was her cell phone’s battery was dying.
But as luck would have it, a gentleman standing in front of her named Ryan had his battery charger handy and it was compatible with her phone. Without that charger, Watt might have missed her chance.
‘He was really nice and I completely forgot to thank him when I was on the show,? Watt said.