Access all your favorite blogs from myajc! Home > Channel Serf > Archives > 2007 > April > 26 > Entry
REEEEEGE Returns!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lose a cranky morning show host one day. Gain a cranky talk show host the next day.
Regis Philbin just made his triumphant return to “Live with Regis & Kelly,” six weeks “and one day” (as he repeatedly pointed out) after undergoing heart bypass surgery, and 22 hours after news broke that Rosie O’Donnell was quitting “The View.” And if anyone feared that Regis’s surgery would make him too, well heartfelt, he immediately put their minds at ease.
Walking arm-in-arm with co-host Kelly Ripa into the balloons and streamer-festooned studio, Philbin gave the on-its-feet audience his patented old man’s crabby “You kids get off my lawn” dismissive wave: “Yes, all right, Regis is here,” he said several times, a little later adding, “Leave me alone!”
Right off the bat, his first joke picked up on his constant theme of how underappreciated he is. Saying that the newspapers were all obsessing over his return, he held up a couple of New York tabloids with — who else? — Rosie splashed all over their front pages. He got in jabs at fellow patients who came out of their own rooms whenever they heard he was walking the hospital halls — “‘How are you feeling, Regis,’” he mimicked them. “I’m dying, how do you think I feel!” — and at his perennial whipping boy, “Live” executive producer Michael Gelman. Informed by Ripa that there was an unbelievable special surprise upcoming, Philbin sighed heavily, “Knowing Gelman, it’ll be coffee and a piece of cake for all of us.”
(We interrupt this blog to bring you a breaking news report. Some 20-plus minutes into the show, WSB-TV interrupted “Live” with the breaking news that three current or former Atlanta police officers had been indicted in connection with the fatal shooting of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston. You’ve got to admire this commitment to actual news in the Age of Anna Nicole TV, but you also couldn’t help thinking that if anyone’s triumphant return was going to be interrupted, of course it would be Regis’s.)
OK, back to our regularly schedule blog. The show was full of big moments starting with the very first guest: David Letterman, who can barely stand to do his own TV show, let alone anyone else’s. He was simply returning a favor. Regis was Letterman’s first guest when the late-night host returned from his own bypass surgery seven years ago, and after some heartfelt best wishes, he offered Philbin this recovery tip: “Stay away from ‘The View,’ cuz they’re dropping like flies.”
We learned a few other things about Reege’s operation and recovery: He reluctantly had 24-hour security in the hospital (“People are sicker than I am there. Who’s going to come in and bother me?”); he finally started watching “American Idol” and Sanjaya was his favorite (coming back from one commercial break, Sanajay appeared on the Times Square jumbotron with a “Welcome back, Regis” message); among the celebs he got gifts from were Renee Zellwegger, Ringo Starr and Halle Berry, who sent him a bathrobe.
Throughout the show, Ripa kept teasing an amazing unexpected surprise. Part of the Serf (the wicked part) desperately hoped Kathie Lee would come walking onstage, still nattering on about Cody and Cassidy as if she’d never left. But the nicer part of me realized that that would probably be so terrifying, Regis would collapse onstage clutching his heart.
The surprise turned out to be an all-male dance troupe, “The Dancing Regi.” They were no great shakes. But really, what could compare to just seeing Philbin back where he belonged, in his chair, complaining and namedropping (he’s been giving advice to Joe Torre on the Yankees woes)? While everyone’s talking about what Rosie will do next and who might replace her, it occurred to me that Thursday’s show proved that Regis really is the irreplaceable one. He’s actually a treasure. A cranky old treasure.
Dang, where’d a heartfelt thought like that come from … ?
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By ispeakthedrewth
April 26, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this
As evidenced by the lack of postings on this “news” item, how many people really care about the comings and goings of Regis Philbin. He’s an obnoxious, egomaniacal windbag. End of story.
By bulldogbubba
April 26, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this
AMEN!!
By glenn
April 26, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this
Although I appreciate Jill Vejnoska’s column on Regis, I wonder if she really knows anything about him? His crankyness is an act and always has been. You would have had to kept up with his start in show business from the beginning, like The Joey Bishop Show, to see what a great en tertainer and comedian he really is. I think it was very unprofessional of channel 2 to interrupt his show with news that could have waited until the noon news, even if there was a commercial break. So was printing the very rude comment from some ignorant, illiterate bulldog fan.
By glenn
April 26, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this
Excuse me, I didn’t realize that there were 2 people lambasting Regis so far , so the illiterate, ignorant ispeakthedrewth comment goes for the Amen person also.
By Big Fan
April 26, 2007 12:42 PM | Link to this
Regis is the man, an old man….
Still kickin’ it old skool style!!
By Jon1964
April 26, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this
I enjoy watching the guy. I find his ranting and name dropping funny and entertaining. He’s not a personal friend, he’s a guy who gets on TV and does an act for an hour a day. If he’s a great guy in person then those who know and work with him are lucky. If he’s a jerk then those who know him are unlucky.
By Steve
April 26, 2007 12:53 PM | Link to this
In his weakened recovery state, he better not challenge Ripa to armwrestle again. Her guns are getting bigger every show.
By Martha Mae
April 26, 2007 1:10 PM | Link to this
I am so glad you posted this blog since I had to go into work early and missed the BIG RETURN! But of sourse leave it to WSB to rain on the parade… I enjoy watching the show and especially Regis because he is SO NYC! I love NYC (to visit) and I know so many folks like him in the City! Classic.
By CJ
April 26, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this
Regis is cool! I think Letterman’s joke about The View was great. You can tell who has the right stuff to be a show host and who does not.
By Jen
April 26, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this
Is there something about heart surgery that makes people orange? Because Reege sure looks like an oompa loompa to me.
By pc
April 26, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this
I also think Regis is cool and tape the show every day. His chemistry with Kelly is wonderful. If you don’t know that Regis is joking when he’s complaining, you have not been watching him for years like a lot of us have. I’m glad this blog was posted also, as I did tape it this morning, but to hear that WSBTV cut in with the story on the cops. Why couldn’t they just run a ticker on the bottom of the screen and break in after the show was over.
By lori
April 26, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this
It’s weird because I actually felt scared for Regis when he said he worried about when the pain in his chest was going to go away.