This week, Scott Thompson at CHML asks about my ol’ pal Regis Philbin. Why is he leaving Live? Who is going to replace him? Will daytime TV ever be the same?
I put in a request to interview Philbin last July when I was in New York but the word back was he felt it was too early then to talk about his departure. I’m not sure he ever wants to talk about it. At 80, you’d think he would be ready to retire and he hinted a few years back at press tour that he wanted to slow down, especially around the time he was doing double duty on America’s Got Talent. The bi-coastal commute was killing him, one reason he only did the first season of that series. After all, as he often says, “I’m only one man!”
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| Reege greets his successor. “I have to get up when?” |
Philbin has survived heart and hip surgery and, really, why push it? Still, he lives across the street from his studio on Central Park West. He’s just as peppery as ever and he’s still got it as a broadcaster. Checking in in recent weeks, he seems as Reege as ever. He will be missed when he signs off for good Nov. 18.
Still, it’s time. Even Lloyd Robertson has hung ’em up. Larry King, Andy Rooney, both gone. No more of those Barbara Walters specials. John Madden long ago parked his bus.
Jerry Seinfeld has been announced as a guest host when Reege departs but there’s no word yet who will be Kelly Ripa’s permanent new partner. Big shoes to fill, but at least Philbin will have more time now for those Letterman appearances.
My out of nowhere nominee to sit next to Ripa: Arsenio Hall. Hey, if Rosie O’Donnell can make a comeback, why not Arsenio? He hinted he was itching to get back in the game last summer at press tour. Kinda makes you go, “Hmmmm.”
Scott also asks about the stupid Kardashians and I don’t even care enough about them to check and see if I’ve spelled their name right. You can listen in here.
