"Feeling Like A Million Bucks"

Jane Oviatt's been on the cover of TV Guide, posed in national advertising campaigns, appeared in Good Housekeeping, and been featured on Entertainment Tonight.

"It's been awhile, but the hoopla continues to go on and on," laughs Jane. "Every time I think things have died down, it starts again." The Wheaton stay-at-home mother was the first woman to win $125,000 on the "Who Wants to

Be A Millionaire?" show.

"It was a little crazy at first," said Jane, who was met at the airport by ABC7's Cheryl Burton and a camera crew, and has been interviewed on "a bunch of radio shows" from Canada to Rhode Island. It ends up being the first woman to make it to $125,000 was a pretty big deal.

"I had no idea. Six out of ten of the contestants were women (on my show). I just didn't expect to be the only woman who'd won that much," said Jane. "I never really thought about that." But the show's producers did. They flew Jane back to New York for a photo shoot.

"I got my hair done, makeup, wardrobe put together, it was like playing dress up," said Jane, who was made up to look like a million bucks. At the shoot she got to know Regis Philbin, the show's host, a bit better. "He was really funny. We had a ball," said Jane. "But, I think he's a little overwhelmed himself."

Regis isn't the only one who's a bit overwhelmed. Jane's had a lot of attention-- friends call her out of the blue, strangers stop her on the street, and she's become the town celebrity. One of her recent appearances was at the Wheaton Municipal Band Concert.

"They're big fans (of Millionaire)," said Jane, who was glad to pass out prizes after a trivia contest. While she may be overwhelmed, Jane's having a great time and wouldn't change anything. Not even her strategy on the show. "I used the lifelines precisely as I needed them," said Jane, who used her first lifeline at the $16,000 question.
    In the musical Fiddler on the Roof, what prompted Tevye and Golde to sing "Sunrise, Sunset?"
    A. A daughter's wedding
    B. A parent's funeral
    C. A grandchild's birth
    D. An attack by soldiers
Jane used her 50/50 lifeline and chose "A." She was right and moved on to the next question.
    What signal from the Vatican indicates the election of a new pope?
    A. Bells B. Doves
    C. White Smoke
    D. Black smoke
Jane phoned a friend on this one. Her cousin's husband, Mike, was 100 percent confident that the answer was "C." He was right. Jane got to the $125,000 question.
    Which artist popularized the sculpture with movable parts known as the mobile?
    A. Pablo Picasso
    B. Alexander Calder
    C. Auguste Rodin
    D. Henry Moore
Jane polled the audience and followed their lead, choosing "B." It was correct. Now to the $250,000 question.

Which of the following letters does not exist in the traditional Hawaiian alphabet?
A. H
B. M
C. N
D. T

Jane had no ideas, and was out of lifelines. She walked away with the $125,000 and no regrets. However, maybe there's one thing Jane would have changed.

"I wish I'd known the answers. Of course, you always wish you'd won more," laughs Jane.

Jane won't get the chance to win anymore money on Millionaire since she can never qualify for the show again. But, that doesn't mean her money won't grow. Jane's investing what she has left (after making home improvements and setting up college funds for her kids) online. Just one splurge-- a big screen TV so she can watch a life-size Millionaire.

Well, of course, she's still a fan of the show, as is her daughter, who calls Regis "the final answer guy."

"I'm still as devoted as ever to the show. It's unreal, I can't believe I was on there," said Jane. But it's hard to forget you were on a national TV show watched by millions of people when you're on the cover of TV Guide. It's even harder when your husband bought 50 copies of that issue.