Here, Gelman pays tribute to his longtime colleague and friend for EW.
I couldn’t agree more.
Regis embodied the old adage “what you see is what you get.”
Credit: Courtesy of Michael Gelman
And boy, could he tell a story.
His whole life and everyone in it were up for discussion during his signature Host Chat.
Not much was more exciting than hearing the words “Regis talked about you this morning.”
Often imitated but never duplicated, Host Chat has become part of the lexicon of American entertainment.
But he didn’t chat alone.
His favorite fill-in co-host was always his wife Joy.
Their spicy husband-and-wife banter could be considered the first reality show on television.
Talking about their children and then grandchildren gave the audience yet another peek into his life behind the cameras.
Regis used to say “I’m only one man.”
And they broke the mold when they made him.
He was the son I never had and a bonus father all in one.
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