Everybody's crazy old morning talk show host, who occasionally gave people one million dollars, embarks on his last day on Live! today. Regis Philbin, 80, announced at the beginning of the year that he would be leaving Live! with Regis & Kelly after 28 years due to contract renewal disputes.
The day has finally come to say farewell. And to help prepare, some of Regis' favorite guests are stopping by to show their support. Throughout the week, people like Jimmy Fallon, Donald Trump, David Letterman, Tony Bennett, and his former co-host, Kathie Lee Gifford, stopped by to share their fondest memories of Philbin.
Today's Live! guests include Katie Couric, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Tony Danza, with taped clips from Justin Timberlake, Anne Hathaway and other celebrities. "#RegisFarewell" began trending worldwide on Twitter as of 9:00 a.m. as well so that fans can offer their own well wishes.
As much as one may hate to admit it, Philbin has certainly made his mark on television history. According to ABC News, Philbin has clocked 16,780 hours on television, beating his own world record, as logging the most time of anyone on air.
Meanwhile, Deadline announced a few weeks earlier that his current co-host, Kelly Ripa, has renewed her contract on Live! for another 5 years, ensuring we'll be seeing Ripa's cheery face until 2017. The show's name will be changed to Live! with Kelly until they find another person to replace Philbin.
But who could replace Reg? After today's show, the morning talk show will feature a revolving door of guest hosts, starting with comedian Jerry Seinfield, who was announced earlier this month as the first guest host.
Who do you think would make the best morning talk show host?
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Regis' Final Farewell airs today at 9:00 a.m. on KVUE and KXAN