Main description:

Sure, he’s an excitable guy.
Sure, he loves to complain.
But Regis Philbin loves life . . . and with the wildly unpredictable one he’s led so far, who wouldn’t? After five decades in show business—and nearly 17,000 unforgettable hours on television—he has a lifetime’s worth of stories to share.

In this entertaining memoir, the irrepressible Reege—consummate talk-show host, man-about-town, loving husband, father, and yes, obsessive sports fan—looks back at his years in show business. How I Got This Way is filled with stories of lessons learned—and elbows rubbed—with extraordinary, and often unsuspecting, teachers: David Letterman; Donald Trump; George Clooney; Howard Stern; Jack Nicholson; legendary Notre Dame coaches Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, and Lou Holtz; and, of course, longtime cohosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly “Pippa” Ripa; as well as his own lovely wife, Joy—to name just a few.

Whether he’s revealing what really drove him “bonkers” on the set of Seinfeld, how he survived the first known bomb scare on live TV, what Jack Nicholson said about his beautiful leading ladies during their guys’ night out together, or poignant memories of his last moments with his idol and dear friend, Jack Paar, Regis packs every page with his signature heart, wit, dynamic energy, and gratitude for everything life has brought him.

Review quote:

Essential for all popular collections.

Review quote:

Others have come and gone, but the breezy Philbin is still here. What you see on TV is what you get in this book. Fans will love it.

Short description/annotation:

One of the most popular television and cultural icons ever, Regis Philbin has been entertaining television audiences for more than fifty years—as a beloved morning-show host (Live with Regis and Kelly), a nighttime game-show host (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) and also as a fixture on national and local late-night talk shows. The irrepressible “Reege” has regaled television audiences with his stories for more than half a century, but he’s saved the most hilarious, surprising, heartfelt, and inspiring tales for How I Got This Way. Both a fascinating show business memoir and a delightful primer for living the good life rolled into one, How I Got This Way is Reege being Reege, just the way we love him, as he shares the secrets to success and happiness that he has learned from his innumerable celebrity encounters, his close, personal friendships, and, of course,  his relationship with his loving wife and family.