Michael Gelman pays tribute to Regis Philbin: 'The son I never had and a bonus father all in one' - EW.com

Legendary TV personality Regis Philbin, who died July 24 at 88, became a household name as co-host of the daytime talk show Live With Regis & Kathie Lee, which went into national syndication in 1988.

There since the beginning — and still at the helm — is executive producer Michael Gelman, who audiences came to know when Philbin often addressed him, standing off camera, during the show's signature Host Chat.

His whole life and everyone in it were up for discussion during his signature Host Chat.

And if you were lucky enough to be mentioned during Host Chat, you immediately got your 15 minutes of fame.

Not much was more exciting than hearing the words "Regis talked about you this morning." Often imitated but never duplicated, Host Chat has become part of the lexicon of American entertainment.