Librarian Konerding Contestant in Millionaire

Will Erhard Konerding become a millionaire?

The Wesleyan librarian may know already, but the rest of us will have to wait until a mid-May broadcast of ABC’s “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire” quiz show. Originally scheduled for April 14, the broadcast is now scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 at 10 a.m.

Konerding, a documents specialist in Olin Library, is a contestant in an episode that taped Nov. 17, 2010, in New York City. The top prize is $1 million.

Renowned on campus for his handlebar mustache, Konerding has previously been a contestant on three other television game shows –”Jeopardy” (1994), “Remember This” (1996) and “History IQ” (2000).

One of his opponents on “History IQ” was Leszek Pawlowicz, Wesleyan ’75, who has been called “the Michael Jordan of game shows” in The New York Times Magazine. Pawlowicz won “Jeopardy” in 1992, among many other victories.

“I won a mountain bike, Leszek got the $5,000,” said Konerding. “He went on to take second place overall in the tournament.”

By agreement with ABC-Disney, contestants on “Millionaire” may not reveal how they performed prior to broadcast.

“Any proceeds do not come until 30 days after the show’s air date, so there is that incentive to keep quiet,” says Konerding, who joined the university staff in 1972 and received an MALS from Wesleyan in 1982.

In any event, he has no immediate plans to quit his day job at Olin: “I’ll definitely stay at least until my 40th anniversary party,” he said.

That’ll be in 2012.

“Millionaire” broadcasts locally on WTIC Fox 61.