County man appears on game show> Presque Isle lawyer ‘Millionaire’ finalist

PRESQUE ISLE — Frank Bemis, a local attorney, wouldn’t say much earlier this week about his scheduled appearance Tuesday night on the hot new game show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.”

But, by now, we all should know whether his financial status has changed dramatically.

Other than to say that he was a finalist on the program, Bemis was adhering to an ABC network contract that he signed requiring that he consult with the game’s sponsor and the network regarding any and all publicity surrounding the contestants’ appearance on the show.

That contact included any interviews with the media regarding his appearance on the hit game show.

“I was a finalist,” he said Tuesday with a sweet smile. “You’ll have to watch.”

Bemis and his wife, Ellen, were in New York City last week for the taping of the show that was scheduled to air last night. The all-expense-paid trip came after Bemis apparently qualified during two preliminary rounds for the on-air segment.

According to the popular show’s Web site, the first two rounds are conducted by contest officials via telephone with potential on-air contestants from across the country. The top 10 finishers are flown to New York City and put up in a hotel, courtesy of the network, according to the contest rules found on the Web site.

During the first part of the hour-long show, the finalists are asked a question that involves putting a series of items in the correct order. The contestant who is able to do that in the least amount of time is selected to compete for up to $1 million in cash.

During that last segment of the competition, contestants answer 15 multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty posed by the host, Regis Philbin. The contestant can ask for help from the audience or make a telephone call to get assistance in answering the question.

Bemis, about 30, works for a law firm in Presque Isle and is a familiar figure in Aroostook County’s Superior and District Courts. Currently, he is recuperating from a broken wrist suffered playing basketball.

Found Tuesday at the Maine District Court in Presque Isle, Bemis politely declined to discuss how well he did on the show and whether other attorneys and court officials were rubbing elbows with a millionaire.

But one unidentified court employee wondered out loud whether Bemis would still be representing clients in the court on Tuesday if he really came back from New York with $1 million.