While his co-host got teary when she said a few words about their 11-year stint, Philbin preferred to joke about his last day on 'Live with Regis and Kelly'.
- November 19, 2011
AceShowbiz -
On Friday, November 18, Regis Philbin went for his final "Live" show and Kelly Ripa shed a tear for him. The co-host prepared a speech on a piece of paper and read it to him, despite his advice not to write anything down, while fighting back tears.
"How many steps does it take to change the course of a person's day? I happen to know that it is 43 exactly. I have the privilege of walking 43 steps with you from my dressing room to the studio floor five days a week, for the past 11 years," Ripa said emotionally. She added, "You always wanted to make me feel like a million bucks."
Philbin himself ended his 28-year run on "Live with Regis and Kelly" with a speech. "Let's get this over with," he joked to his producer Michael Gelman. He went on thanking all the people he could think of and reminded the audience that the show will continue with Ripa. Looking back, he felt that he has had "some success" in television that he enjoyed along the way.
A number of celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Selena Gomez and Anne Hathaway appeared in a video that bid him farewell. New York mayor Michael Bloomberg also took the stage, saying "You have been New York's biggest fan for years and I'm here to say, New York feels the same about you." Bloomberg handed Philbin the key to the city.
