So long, Regis.
After 28 years and three different co-hosts, Regis Philbin says this will be his last season on his morning talk show – the program currently known as Live! with Regis and Kelly.
"It's been a long time, it's been 28 years since I've been here. And it was the biggest thrill of my life," Philbin, who will turn 80 in August, said on the program Tuesday morning.
He added jokingly: "Everything must come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people."
Philbin's program began in 1983 as The Morning Show, a local New York City broadcast which he co-hosted with Cyndy Garvey. Kathie Lee Gifford replaced Garvey in 1985, and the show, renamed Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, went national in 1988.
Gifford left in 2000, and the show became Live with Regis for a season. It was renamed in 2001, when current co-host Kelly Ripa joined full-time.
"I think I can only speak for America, and all of us here, when I say it has been a pleasure and a privilege and a dream come true [working with you]," Ripa told Philbin on Tuesday. "And I wish I could do something to change your mind."
Sure, Regis Philbin is irreplaceable. But for the sake of argument, who could potentially fill his shoes when he retires from Live! with Regis and Kelly at the end of this season?
Mark Consuelos and Jeff Probst are possibilities. Both have guest-hosted in Philbin's absence, and Consuelos would have an easy time lobbying for the job – as he's married to current co-host Kelly Ripa.
Some other fun choices: comedian Kathy Griffin, who energizes any talk show she's on; Project Runway's Tim Gunn, who's a friend of the show; and Nick Cannon, who currently hosts his own morning radio program in New York City.
Actor Nick Cannon and Atlantic Records are launching a worldwide search for three girls to resurrect Josie and the Pussycats, a band based on the Archie Comics characters.
Cannon, who dubbed them "the first rock 'n' roll girls group," hopes the search will yield a reality competition series and a scripted comedy-drama, both to air on Nickelodeon's TeenNick channel where he serves as chairman.
The characters inspired two cartoon series in the 1970s and a 2001 live-action feature film starring Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid and Rosario Dawson.
The "Josie" project is one of many in the works at Cannon's recently launched production company NCredible Entertainment. Its slate includes a comedic year-in-review special that will air on New Year's Day on MTV, and a hip-hop puppet show for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programing block.
NCredible also is venturing into publishing, signing a deal with Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division to produce a multimedia book series to coincide with the upcoming premiere of the Cannon-written and -directed Nickelodeon movie "The School Gyrls."
The film features the NCredible-signed three-girl singing group whose debut album will be released by Island Records. Cannon penned the first book, a movie novelization, and plans to be involved in the writing of the six original novels under the pact. There also are plans for potential second movie and a possible TV series.
Cannon also is making his foray into radio with a daily morning drive show on CBS Radio's WXRK-FM New York (92.3 Now). He debuts on the top-40 station January 19.
"I always wanted to do radio," said Cannon, who has frequently filled in for radio hosts Ryan Seacrest and Steve Harvey.
Cannon, who married Mariah Carey last year, is keeping his summer job and will return as host of NBC's "America's Got Talent" next year.
So long, Regis.
