ABC has opened the official “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire” hotline again.
To try for a chance to become a contestant on the most successful gameshow of the last millennium, wannabe brainiacs can call (800) 433-8321.
Contestants for the game are chosen by calling a toll-free phone number and answering a series of questions. A computer then ranks the speed with which the questions are answered — and chooses the quickest responses. Those people are then flown to New York to qualify for the show.
The phone lines opened yesterday at 6 p.m. and will remain open for two weeks until Jan. 16, from 6 p.m. through 2 a.m., seven days a week. One call per person will be allowed each day.
The powerhouse Regis Philbin-hosted quiz show begins its eight-day run on Jan. 9, before it settles into its regular three-day-a-week time slot on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
The show is based on a highly successful British version that has been airing on England’s ITV since last year.
The $1 million prize — the largest in TV history — was won by IRS agent John Carpenter last November.