"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire'' Kicks Off Coast to Coast Bus Tour

"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire'' Kicks Off Coast to Coast Bus Tour
50-City Tour Starts in San Diego July 26, Culminates in NYC on September 16 For Debut of New Weekday Version of Hit Game Show

"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" is hitting the road this summer as anticipation builds for the premiere of the new weekday version of the hit game show, featuring Meredith Vieira as host.

Producers will travel cross-country on the 'Millionaire Tour Bus,' meeting viewers face to face in more than 50 different cities. The tour kicks off July 26 in San Diego, CA and will travel more than 7,000 miles before hitting New York City on September 16 to celebrate the premiere of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" in nationwide syndication.

Traveling coast to coast, the 'Millionaire Tour Bus' will visit thousands of fans from all around the country. Highlights of the tour include:

-- Local radio and television station contests with on-site Millionaire giveaways

-- Auditions in 20 cities in search of contestants for "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire"

-- Visits to several college campuses to recruit undergraduate contestants for a special 'College Edition' of the game show

"Our goal with the weekday version of `Millionaire' is to return to the roots of our program -- everyday people from all over the country getting the chance to win life changing amounts of money. What better way to celebrate this new version of the game show than to have the Millionaire Bus Tour traveling coast to coast meeting the very people who made the original show such a success," executive producer Michael Davies said.

The new weekday version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" will feature Emmy Award-winning Meredith Vieira (of daytime television's "The View") as the host. Produced by the same team that brought "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" to American primetime television, the show will build on the excitement of the original with a faster-paced, half-hour format. Additionally, the "fastest finger" competition has been eliminated, and instead, the show will send contestants directly to the hot seat. Each contestant still will be given three "Lifelines" to aid in the climb to the million dollar question. Contestants will be selected from nationwide auditions and flown to New York City for show tapings.

The weekday version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," featuring Meredith Vieira as host, premieres on Monday, September 16 in nationwide syndication (check local listings). Log on to www.millionairetv.com for more information.

"Millionaire Tour Bus" Schedule

Below is a list of cities in which the "Millionaire Tour Bus" will stop on its nationwide tour this summer (please note that this list is subject to change). The tour will kick off in San Diego, CA on July 26, 2002 and will cover 7,000 miles before wrapping up in New York City on September 16. Cities and college campuses in which we will be holding contestant auditions are earmarked below. Hosted by Meredith Vieira, the new weekday version of the game show will premiere on September 16 in nationwide syndication. Check local listings or log on to our website www.millionairetv.com to find out where and when "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" is airing in each of these cities.

Bus Tour Auditions - 7a - 11:30a
Audition Space is limited

--Posted July 26, 2002
Source: Buena Vista Television