After his appearance on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" last week, sophomore English major Paul Hebert walked away $32,000 richer.
On Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. on NBC, a month after the show's taping, the world watched as Hebert worked his way up through the legion of questions, stopping only four short of the million-dollar mark.
The fatal topic asked about the inscription at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Hebert used his third and final lifeline on this question, eliminating half of the possible answers, but it proved to be of no use.
Hebert said that nerves might have been to blame.
"The question I remember being asked is different than the question I heard them ask me when I watched the show on TV," said Hebert.
When asked to finish the famous last line of the inscription at the base of the Statue of Liberty - "I lift my lamp beside the golden door" - Hebert chose "I lift my lamp beside the darkened night."
Regardless, Hebert still was able to walk away with half of the $64,000 dollar question's worth. He said he plans to use his earnings to acquire a wider view of the world.
"I want to study abroad in Ghana and teach English in China," he said.
Through a study abroad program at SUNY Brockport and the help of his Chinese professor Xuehong Lu, Hebert should be able to make this plan a reality.
"I'm also going to put some of the money away," Hebert said. "And save a little for partying - but just a little bit."
A celebration was held for Hebert in the Commuter Lounge Thursday night, during which time WGRZ-TV Channel 2 taped a story for the 11 p.m. news. Attendants also watched a taped copy of the show, and Hebert was able to see himself from a third-person perspective.
"Everyone was saying that I looked really comfortable. And I agree, I thought I looked a lot more comfortable than I felt at the time," said Hebert.
Michael Basinski, associate curator at the Poetry and Rare Books Collection, who works with Paul, was equally nervous during the time of the show. During the show, he was Paul's "phone call" lifeline, one of three people Hebert could have used to narrow his answer selection down.
"The show called me hours before and you have to wait by the phone," Basinski said. "I was at least as nervous as Paul. I mean, what if I guessed wrong and ruined his life?"
Basinski helped Hebert guess the correct answer and Hebert was able to continue on and earn his $32,000.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
