He keeps on truckin’ to $1 million prize
It’s taken a little longer than its prime- time cousin, but the daytime version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” hosted by Meredith Vieira, finally has a $1 million winner.
Kevin Smith, a 52-year-old retired trucker from Los Angeles, wins the grand prize on tomorrow’s show (4 p.m./Ch. 2) – nearly two years after making it to the “fastest-finger” round back in April 2001 on the nighttime version hosted by Regis Philbin. Smith spent up to 10 hours a day, 3-4 days a week, in his local library, brushing up on topics in order to prepare for his shot at the big bucks. He begins his journey on today’s show.
The Vieira-hosted version of “Millionaire” kicked off last September. The nighttime version of “Millionaire” kicked off in August 1999, but it wasn’t until that November that it crowned its first million-dollar winner (John Carpenter).
Silver mettle: Foster kids feted on the Island
Rhona Silver, who owns The Huntington Town House on Long Island (Huntington Station), is a huge fan of Ch. 4’s feature, “Wednesday’s Child,” which has counted Al Roker and Janice Huff among its anchors and tries to find adoptive homes for children. It airs during Wednesday’s “Live at Five” and on “Sunday Today in New York.”
Silver is so impressed with the public- service program that she’s throwing a huge party for 1,000 foster kids tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Huntington Town House, promising a “carnival-like” atmosphere for the children.
This just in . . .
* Dan Rather anchors the “CBS Evening News” all this week from Kuwait (6:30 p.m./Ch. 2).
* Diana Williams (Ch. 7), Marvin Scott (Ch. 11) and Jane Hanson (Ch. 4) will announce the 2003 New York Emmy Nominees tomorrow (9 a.m.) at Shelly’s New York (104 W. 57th).
* “Dr. Phil” McGraw told his studio audience that he was thinking of “opening up a serious can of whup-ass” on David Letterman when he visits “The Late Show” tonight (11:35 p.m./ Ch. 2). McGraw has been a frequent target of Letterman gags since his show kicked off.
* Tomorrow at 12:30 p.m.: Ch. 5’s Dave Price (“Good Day New York”) emcees the ASPCA National Humane Awards Luncheon at The Pierre (61st St.).
* Get-well wishes to PR maven Saul Richfield, who’s been under the weather lately. Saul handles Joe Franklin and Remo Capra, among others.