Is that your final answer?
A former University student and Cavalier Daily alumnus answered this and other money-making questions Sunday night on ABC's popular "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" show, bringing home $2,000.
"It was a lot of fun ... just to get on," 1995 graduate Matt Phillips said. "Whether you win or not, it's a great experience."
Phillips also will be seen in tonight's show, but would not disclose how much money he won.
But Phillips did describe his behind-the-scenes encounters with the show's famous, charismatic host, Regis Philbin.
"During the break we shot the breeze, talking about baseball and politics," Phillips said.
He said he also enjoyed getting insight into how a high-profile show is produced and videotaped.
"It was interesting to see how lighting affects everything ... the studio didn't look all that different from a local TV station," he added.
Before becoming a contestant, producers conduct a pre-interview to get anecdotes for small talk during breaks and airtime.
During his time in the hot seat, Phillips used his "phone-a-friend" lifeline, a help strategy allowing contestants to call their friends on-air to ask them the answer to a challenging multiple-choice question - one which Phillips could not describe because the show had not yet aired.
Phillips called fellow University alumnus Mark Staton, who got the answer right.
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Staton is a former Student Council Appropriations Committee chairman and former president of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society.
The show begins with relatively easy $100-dollar questions; these become progressively difficult, and with each successive question double the amount they're worth. Contestants must answer 15 questions to win the coveted $1 million prize. Only two contestants have walked away from the show as millionaires.
Phillips encouraged all University students to try out for the show. "Everyone at U.Va. is brilliant and should call that 1-800 number to try to get on the show," he said.
Phillips was a history major and served as News Editor and then Assistant Managing Editor of The Cavalier Daily during his time at the University.
He is now press secretary for Steve Horn, congressman of California's 38th District.
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