Regis Philbin's Farewell Special

If nothing else, during his vast and illustrious career, Regis Philbin established himself as TV's most excitable guy.

So it was curious that Friday morning's "Farewell Special" after 28 years on Live! With Regis and [Your Name Here] should be so very muted.

It was almost as if after Philbin's extraordinary marathon, he ran out of steam with the finish line in sight.

From the opening, as Regis walked with from his office to the set first with his producer and foil Michael Gelman, then with Kelly Ripa, he seemed nervous and fragile.

Maybe the hand-picked celebrity studio audience was giving him the jitters. Everyone from Alan Alda to John McEnroe, Bryant Gumbel to Tony Danza was in the house that Regis built.

The tribute got off to a good start with a funny montage of all the guests over the years who have tried to impersonate the brassy Bronx boy. For some reason, Ben Affleck got the most airtime although his imitation was beyond pitiful. His was even worse than Ted Koppel's which sounded more like Cary Grant than Reege.

The rest of the hour was saccharine and rather dull, two qualities that Philbin would have despised in his prime, which as he acknowledged in interview after interview this week, came a little too late in life to suit him.

The nadir had to be the long-awaited, endlessly built-up honeymoon story which was recounted by his wife (and frequent fill-in co-host) Joy. OK, spill. And don't spare any of the spicy or embarrassing details.

Turns out it was a dark and stormy night. Ta-dah!

Huh? We waited ten years to get a weather report?

Then it was time for Regis to say goodbye. "I'll always remember spending these mornings with all of you," he said. "So thanks."

The contrast between the overwhelmed and slightly dazed Regis signing off and the dynamic and voluble man we saw in the clips was striking.

So maybe it was time for the octogenarian to step down. But that in no way diminishes Philbin's extraordinary accomplishment. He was the matutinal Carson, making a daily grind look addictively breezy and effortless.

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