Remembering the time Regis Philbin dressed up like Shrek to make his pal Dave Letterman laugh
Aux Features TV![Remembering the time Regis Philbin dressed up like Shrek to make his pal Dave Letterman laugh](https://img.pastemagazine.com/wp-content/avuploads/2020/07/14225128/ppnnbwmqqywiapor3okv.jpg)
In addition to his veritable mountain of talent as a TV host and entertainer, Regis Philbin—who died earlier today, at the age of 88— is a pretty easy shoe-in for the Great Talk Show Guest Star Hall Of Fame. Nowhere was that clearer than in the more than 150 appearances he made on his pal Dave Letterman’s Late Show, a relationship that stretched from the series’ fifth episode, all the way up through its second-to-last. The perfect, endlessly excitable foil to Letterman’s detached deadpan, Philbin was game for anything, as long as it might possibly get Letterman to laugh. Which brings us to one of the finest moments in either man’s career: The time Regis Philbin spent 2.5 hours in a makeup chair so he could dress up like Shrek for Dave Letterman’s amusement.
For context, this was back in 2009, when Shrek The Musical fever was sweeping the nation, probably. Philbin—still hosting Live! With Regis And Kelly at the time—was doing a series of shows from Broadway, and so he consented to be en-Shrek-ified for an appearance on Letterman’s show. Thus begins one of the most surreal moments in the history of late-night talk (and yet, somehow also only the second weirdest interaction Letterman ever featured with a man painted bright green).
“Biggest mistake I ever made,” Philbin mutters as he trundles his way into his seat, clearly enjoying his own mounting frustration at the ridiculous waste of time that is this entire bit. It’s got it all: spittakes, invitations to debauchery, and a transcendent moment of Letterman shutting down Philbin’s half-hearted efforts to plug his show. “How do I look?!” the bright green Philbin booms, in his typical vaudevillian fashion—only to be hit by the most casual, faux-bored “You look fine” ever offered up in TV history. It’s a perfect little window into the two performer’s relationship, and a quick encapsulation of the grouchy-but-endless energy that made Philbin such a television superstar.
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“You know who was here the other night? That, uh, what’s her name Kelly… Lee.”“Kelly Ripa!”“I like her, she’s really nice.”Letterman made being an asshole look so effortless. I miss him.
“Husky Idler”
“We’re doing, on our show, we’re…”
“Who cares.”
I’m a little startled he could say “Let’s get a couple of whores” on network TV, even at night.
Because there is not a lot of television anymore, it’d be great if someone could cut these into a primetime special. Of course, ideally it would include bits from both Letterman shows — I don’t recall Regis appearing on the daytime — but I’d take a compilation from just the CBS. Would definitely stream the next day.
A few hours ago I just loaded one up on youtube and then it autoplayed the rest.
That was hilarious, a very appropriate send-off. And that spit-take? (chef’s kiss)
Things brought up as comments in other articles as articles of their own?
It’s a freaken pandemic. Don’t be *that* Scrooge.
I’m saying they should pay us!
I can dig it!
Ew, is that Harvey Weinstein on the top photo?
No, it’s Biff the security guard
When Penn & Teller were on Letterman, and asked him to write his name on a playing card, he always wrote “Regis.”