The Good Place creator, who is married to TV writer and Philbin's youngest daughter JJ Philbin and who appeared on Philbin's final Live episode in 2011, tweeted of his father-in-law Friday: "I've never really been able to articulate what his life and career meant. It's too huge. You can't wrap your arms around it. He literally holds the Guinness Book Record for most hours on TV. (Like 17,000, or something equally absurd.) Luckily, I've never really *had* to articulate it, because most people just kind of get it. For decades, Regis was always there, on TV, chatting and complaining and making people laugh. He needed no explanation. Still, I've been trying for 20+ years to find a way to explain, in a pithy way, how monumental his career was in the medium that his daughter and I both work in. Over the past few days, I think I found it. We sorted through decades of papers, pictures, and other memorabilia (he kept *everything*). We found a million autographed books and photos, from every notable person you can think of. Then, in his office, I found four pieces of paper that kind of tell the whole story...His first time doing sports on TV. 1956. Regis is 25, and he's on TV talking about Mickey Mantle (who won the MVP that year, at 24), Ted Williams, and Duke Snider. It was so long ago, the Cleveland Browns led the news. Harvey Haddix, he of the 12-inning perfect game, got a save. You want to see a career no one will ever duplicate? Here it is. A guy who was on TV when Harvey Haddix struck out Duke Snider, and also handed million-dollar checks on a futuristic game show set. A guy who reported on both Lou Groza and Eli Manning, Yogi Berra and Gary Sanchez. Regis hated 'memory lane,' so I hope he forgives me for this one last trip. No one will ever be what he was, in the medium he dedicated his life to. What a run." ALSO: Philbin was buried at his alma mater University of Notre Dame in a private ceremony on Wednesday.
TOPICS: Regis Philbin, JJ Philbin, Michael Schur