He didn't win a million dollars, but Dallas med student Andrew Tyler walked away with a cool quarter-million on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Tyler, who is a medical student at UT Southwestern and was once the president of Harvard's boxing club, began his run on Tuesday's show and concluded it on Wednesday's episode when he chose to walk instead of attempt to answer the $500,000 question: "In the center of our Milky Way galaxy is a black hole that appears from Earth to be in what constellation?" The multiple-choice answers were A) Orion; B) Ursa Major; C) Cassiopeia and D) Sagittarius. Tyler showed some knowledge of astronomy, and was leaning toward Sagittarius, but wasn't sure enough to risk losing $225,000, so he chose to walk away.
Tyler may not have gone with his gut that time, but on the $250,000 question, he did. The question: "What playwright was literally born on Broadway, with his mother giving birth in a NYC hotel room situated at 43rd Street and Broadway?" The choices: A) Eugene O'Neill; B) Tennessee Williams; C) Edward Albee; D) Arthur Miller. "I've had a great time," Tyler said. "I only get to be on the show once, so I'm gonna go for it." He then correctly guessed O'Neill, earning a standing ovation from the audience, and leaving his mother Judy, who was in the audience, slack-jawed. Tyler said he'd read that O'Neill's life had been unusual. "I figured if the rest of his life was unusual, why shouldn't the beginning of it be unusual as well?" he said.
Tyler is studying for his PhD in multiple-sclerosis research in 2015 -- which earned him a compliment from Millionaire host Meredith Vieira, whose husband has multiple sclerosis. His previous jobs have included shoveling manure at a horse stable and serving food at “Legoland.” He is engaged to his girlfriend, Grace, and says in a Millionaire release that he plans to use his winnings to pay for a wedding and to travel.
Who Wants to be a Millionaire airs at 11:30 a.m. on KXAS/Channel 5.
