Arlington woman no millionaire, but richer for experience

The fringed ornamental tarantula took a big bite out of Sarah Wolek's winnings Friday, but the Arlington Heights woman said her first game show experience was fun and well worth her time.

Wolek, 32, of Arlington Heights, appeared on Friday's episode of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” which was taped in September. After getting up to $18,100, Wolek stumbled on, “Severe pain can be inflicted by the ‘fringed ornamental' variety of what creature?”

Not knowing her tarantulas Wolek went with “tree frog” and lost everything but the $1,000 the show hands out for playing.

She said the experience was so positive she didn't mind.

“I wouldn't change anything, I had a lot of fun,” said the self-described trivia buff.

“Who Wants to be a Millionaire” held auditions in July at Arlington Park. Wolek waited in line three hours to take the preliminary 30-question test.

“I've got a lot of random facts in my head so I figured I might as well make some money off it,” she said.

After a few more hours and two interviews with producers, Wolek was sent home. Two weeks later she got a post card congratulating her on making the candidate pool, meaning she would be called anytime in the next two years to compete.

Six weeks later Wolek was on her way to New York with her mom and sister.

The night before the taping she could hardly sleep.

“It's kind of like your wedding day, you don't realize it's happening until it's over and then you want to go back and do it again,” she said.

The show's host, Meredith Viera, was “very nice, very genuine,” Wolek said. After the taping, she got a handwritten card from Viera.

Wolek nailed easy questions about Nielsen TV ratings, Lady Gaga and dunce caps (“which of these hats is traditionally cone-shaped?”) and a harder one about the German leader (a “chancellor”). She jumped over a question about the 1820 Missouri Compromise, and then got caught up short by the fringed ornamental tarantula.

Wolek wasn't able to divulge the outcome until her show aired, and she joined family, friends and co-workers Friday afternoon at Stormy's Tavern and Grille in Northfield to watch the show.

With a degree in chemistry and employed by chemical company Stepan, in Northfield, Wolek said she was just hoping she wouldn't flub a science question.

“I think I did OK, I think they'll let me come back (to work) on Monday,” she said.

As far as game strategy, Wolek had opposing advice from her 13-year-old, Jonathan, who told her to be careful and use her lifelines well, and her husband, Rich, who told her to go for it and take risks.

“Anytime I can impress my 13-year-old son I try to jump on that,” she said. “It doesn't happen very often anymore that I get to be the cool one.”