Gonna be missed!
News of Regis Philbin’s death shook social media Saturday as his former castmates, stars and even politicians paid tribute to the late TV personality.
The “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?” and “Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee” host died Friday of natural causes at 88, his family confirmed in a statement sent to USA TODAY by his representative Kay Lewis.
“We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,” his family wrote, remembering “his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about.”
Shortly after news of Philbin’s death broke, tributes poured in on Twitter and Instagram.
Kelly Ripa, his former co-host on “Live! With Regis and Kelly,” shared an old photo her and Philbin took with Mickey Mouse and Ryan Seacrest and wrote a loving joint tribute with Seacrest.
“We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes everyday on Live for more than 23 years……..We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place.”
Kelly Ripa
President Donald Trump recalled Philbin’s advice to him once upon a time and offered his condolences to Philbin’s wife, Joy Philbin.
“One of the greats in the history of television, Regis Philbin has passed on to even greater airwaves, at 88. He was a fantastic person, and my friend. He kept telling me to run for President,” Trump tweeted. “Holds the record for “most live television”, and he did it well. Regis, we love you.”
Josh Gad was saddened by Philbin’s passing, writing that “this one hurts.”
“A staple in our household growing up, his joy was infectious and his hosting skills among the greatest I’ve ever seen. Whether on ‘Live’ or leading ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ he was always captivating & hilarious,” Gad tweeted.
Tony Bennett wrote: “Regis Philbin always made me laugh and I loved being on his show as he made everyone feel so welcome. We will miss him.”
Craig Ferguson tweeted: “Awful news. Regis Philbin was a friend and a mentor to me. I will never forget his kindness and support. He truly was a mensch.”
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio wrote about Philbin’s friendly demeanor.
“Regis Philbin brought humor, warmth and wit into so many homes. Many people who never met him feel as though they’ve lost a personal friend and that’s a testament to his character,” he wrote. “He will be missed.”
Calamity Jane