Medford man wins $32,000

Contestant can't reveal Tuesday's `Millionaire' results

By BILL KETTLER

Only Steve Kummer knows whether he's a millionaire.

The rest of us will have to wait until Tuesday to find out whether Kummer had all the right answers for Regis Philbin.

The 43-year-old Medford man won $32,000 when "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" ended Sunday night. Kummer's quest for cash continues Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. on KDRV (Channel 12).

Kummer taped Tuesday's show in New York on Feb. 28, but confidentiality agreements prevent him from disclosing how he fared.

Kummer breezed through eight questions on Sunday night's show that were so easy he still can't remember them. But he needed help from the audience to name a famous hairstylist who had served in the Israeli army (Vidal Sassoon). And he called on an old friend when he didn't know which anthropologist created a public television series on the role of myth in history (Joseph Campbell).

"Art or literature of any kind is where I stink up the place," said Kummer, a network technician for US West.

A geography question earned Kummer a chance to sit in the "`hot seat." Contestants were given the nicknames of four states and had to rank them from north to south. Kummer knew the names of the Sunflower State (Kansas), the Keystone State (Pennsylvania) the Evergreen State (Washington) and the Sunshine State (Florida) and beat everyone with the answer to earn a chance to win the grand prize.

He said he felt tremendous pressure sitting across from host Regis Philbin, and knowing he was being watched by millions of people.

"My heart went from about 80 beats a minute to about 8,000," he said. "I thought my heart was coming right out of my shirt."

An avid trivia player, Kummer said the show tests contestants' knowledge of basically useless information.

About 40 friends gathered at Kummer's home to watch him in the hot seat.

"Everybody wanted to come over and watch," said Kummer's wife, Annie.

To win a place on the show, contestants have to answer two sets of questions correctly over the phone from home. Kummer tried for six months before he landed a spot on the show.

"We said for persistence alone we were going to have a party," said his wife.

Annie Kummer stayed at home when her husband flew to New York, to be available as a "phone friend" to help him with tough questions.

"She said if you win enough money we'll be able to fly there," he recalled.

He said a few long lost friends called his home this week -- not looking for money, just to offer encouragement.

So did strangers.

"I got calls from people I didn't even know -- all wishing me well."

Kummer has no plans to quit his job, even if he wins a million bucks. "Maybe if my wife goes on the show and wins a million, we'll think about it."

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