Hadley Twp.- The answer that won her a $4,600 tropical vacation was the same as her first name: Karen.
Karen Hope, 59, has been a regular viewer of the ABC morning talk show ‘Live with Regis & Kelly? since 2000. She has entered numerous contests on the show, either online or by sending in a postcard, but never received a call. The most recent show contest was Fall Travel Trivia-A-Go-Go, in which viewers can enter online once a day. Hope hadn’t entered for about a month, only entering when she thought about it. But about 8 a.m. Dec. 7, her phone rang.
‘I had looked on the caller ID and it said, ‘New York,? and I thought, ‘Who would call from New York??? recalls Hope.
It was an assistant from the show, wanting to know if she would be available in an hour to play the trivia game.
‘I was excited,? said Hope, who felt fortunate to be at home that Friday, one of only two days she watched the show that week. However, she knew that it was likely they would ask her a question about the previous day’s show, which she missed. So she quickly went online and googled the guests from the previous day to read their biographies.
When the show called back, Hope went into a room by herself while her husband watched their 14-month-old grandson. She stayed on the phone for 20 minutes listening to the show, before co-host Kelly Ripa and guest co-host Ted McGinley were ready to talk to her. They chatted, asking Hope if it was cold in Michigan and if there was snow. Hope told them she was expecting a second grandson anyday now. They read off several trips available on a wheel they would spin and asked her which she would like. Hope said Barbados. They spun the wheel, and it landed on 7-day, 6-night all-inclusive trip to St. Lucia in the Caribbean.
All she had to do was answer the question, ‘What was the name of Megan Mulally’s character on the show ‘Will & Grace???
The answer: Karen.
‘I guess it was meant to be,? said Hope. ‘When they told me I was right, I said, ‘Fantastic!? I heard my husband clapping.?
They enjoy traveling and plan to take their trip as soon as permitted, probably in March.
? It was my 90 seconds of fame, I guess,? said Hope, who will also be entered for a grand prize drawing Jan. 7. ‘It was completely unexpected, but we’re tickled to death. It’s the first time I’ve ever won anything really good.?