BY MICHAEL ALERHAND
Correspondent
Cesar Grullon of Freehold Township had a short stay on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” but he enjoyed his appearance on the ABC-TV game show. FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – On June 14, 42-year-old township resident Cesar Grullon got his chance to appear as a contestant on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” in front of a national television audience.
Grullon, a former banker, was hoping to win enough money to fulfill his dream of becoming a math teacher. He ended up winning $1,000 at the ABC studio in Manhattan.
Because another contestant from a previous episode had to finish up her round on the show’s “hot seat,” Grullon had to wait “five extremely nerve-wracking minutes. You don’t know if you’re next or if you will appear at all. They just tap you on the shoulder and yell ‘Go!’ It was really very exciting.”
Once he had been selected to play, Grullon was introduced to host Meredith Vieira and quickly answered the first five questions correctly, ensuring that he would leave with at least $1,000.
“I was very anxious at first, but I got less nervous as the show went on,” he said.
After correctly answering questions with topics ranging from the Watergate scandal to an affair that was scripted on TV’s “Desperate Housewives,” Grullon approached the $25,000 question with all three of his “lifelines” remaining. Unfortunately, he incorrectly answered that Althea Gibson was a distance runner, rather than a champion tennis player.
“I did leave a little earlier than I wanted, but I was really happy to be there and meet Meredith,” he said.
Although Grullon received a round of applause as he left the stage, he knew that he had no bigger fan than his son, Stephan, 13, who had told everyone he knew that his father was going to be on television.
Before his father appeared on “Millionaire,” Stephan reminded the soon-to-be contestant not to worry. He said he would still love his father even if he did not win $1 million.
“But please win the million!” he exclaimed.
“He was so thrilled and proud,” Grullon said. “He reminded me that just being on the show was an accomplishment, which really made me feel better.”
Now that he is $1,000 richer, Grullon has decided to use the money to help pay for an upcoming trip to Florida, leaving the show “with absolutely no regrets at all. It was a lot of fun and a blast just to be there.”