Regis Philbin dishes on his Irish roots, Bing Crosby and Notre Dame

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Regis Philbin believes part of his job is to cheer up America .“The news is so grim in the newspapers and on television that I just feel like people deserve a little cheering up, and if I can give it to them I’ll try,” Philbin says about his daily dose of good cheer on Regis and Kelly, the top morning show.

Philbin says that living literally across the street from the show’s West Side studio is a huge benefit and he makes a point of getting out and about several nights a week – movies, openings, concerts – so he’ll have something to banter about with Kelly Ripa during their host chat segment.

Philbin says his hero was Bing Crosby. He grew up listening to Bing Crosby, a half-hour every night without fail on the radio starting at 9:30.  “I fell in love with his voice,” Philbin recalls.  “It was just a clear, beautiful voice, and it was so friendly that I began to think he was my friend."

Years went by, and Philbin moved to Hollywood to start his career. At one point, from 1967-‘69, he was a sidekick for the comedian Joey Bishop who hosted a late-night TV talk show.  Bishop knew of Philbin’s childhood affection for Crosby, and when the legendary crooner showed up on the show as a guest one night Bishop asked Crosby to sing the Irish lullaby “Toora Loora Loora” for his biggest fan, Philbin.

“Well, my God, I’m sitting there, and I can’t believe I’m sitting next to Bing Crosby, and then he sings ‘Toora Loora Loora’ to me. It was a wonderful moment,” Philbin remembers.

But the thrill didn’t stop there. When the show returned from an ad break Bishop told Crosby that Philbin knew all of his songs, and then asked Regis to sing a sample.

“Oh, I was dying.  I had never sang before,” says Philbin.

“Bing was looking right at me and I sang ‘Pennies From Heaven,’ which was one of his great hits. I got a recording contract the next day from Mercury Records in Chicago. That’s only because I happened to be in the right spot.”

Philbin is deeply proud of his Irish heritage. Born in New York City and raised in the Bronx, he’s an equal mix of Irish and Italian, with his paternal grandfather hailing from Co. Mayo and maternal granddad from Italy.

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Nster.com