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How I Got This Way
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.Ìý One of the most popular television and cultural icons ever, Regis Philbin entertained 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 “Reegeâ€� 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 forÌý How I Got This Way . Both a fascinating show business memoir and a delightful primer for living the good life rolled into one,Ìý How I Got This Way Ìýis 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,Ìý his relationship with his loving wife and family.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2011
49 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Regis Philbin
15Ìýbooks15ÌýfollowersRegis Francis Xavier Philbin was an Emmy Award-winning American television personality and occasional actor known for his roles as a talk show host, game show host, and presenter at various events. Appearing on television since the late 1950s, Philbin is often called (somewhat tongue-in-cheek and alternately attributed to James Brown), "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera. His trademarks include his excited manner, his New York Bronx accent, and irreverent ad-libs. He is most widely known for Live with Regis and Kelly, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and for hosting the first season of America's Got Talent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
July 18, 2022
Written in 2011, this autobiography by Regis Philbin dedicates each chapter to someone (usually a celebrity) that had a positive impact on Mr. Philbin's life and career. It seemed fairly superficial with little in-depth info into the man himself. And some chapters/people just didn't age well, such as his deep admiration for Bill Cosby and Donald Trump, which had me going "Ewww" at times. An ok read but I wouldn't say I learned much about Regis within these pages.
October 20, 2015
Source: I own a copy of this book.
Note: These are my personal opinions. I received no outside person comments or opinions.
I bought this book for my dad for Christmas. I read it first to get a look at the writing style and the author's voice. I'm happy to say that Regis Philbin delivers a strong storyteller voice throughout the novel and the writing made for easy pacing and a fast read.
Regis has led a monumental life in TV broadcasting. He has excelled and has become a legend.
I didn't read every chapter. I started out reading the first three chapters then skipped over to the later chapters to the people I knew about and the stories I'd enjoy reading. I did read Reagan's chapter though as he was a president of the US.
Overall, this was a great celebrity memoir. I know my dad will love it.
Note: These are my personal opinions. I received no outside person comments or opinions.
I bought this book for my dad for Christmas. I read it first to get a look at the writing style and the author's voice. I'm happy to say that Regis Philbin delivers a strong storyteller voice throughout the novel and the writing made for easy pacing and a fast read.
Regis has led a monumental life in TV broadcasting. He has excelled and has become a legend.
I didn't read every chapter. I started out reading the first three chapters then skipped over to the later chapters to the people I knew about and the stories I'd enjoy reading. I did read Reagan's chapter though as he was a president of the US.
Overall, this was a great celebrity memoir. I know my dad will love it.
April 12, 2018
I borrowed Grandma Ruth's copy while visiting. It's a very untraditional memoir. Each chapter is basically an essay about meeting a famous person and the relationship that Regis developed with them and what lesson he learned from that person. Some were boring to me because I didn't know the famous person (who is maybe not so famous anymore). Some were personalities I did know but his analysis of the person lacked any real interest or bite (especially when the person he was writing about is still alive).
People he discussed that I actually know of include: Ronald Reagan, Bill Cosby, Dean Martin, Kathie Lee Gifford, Kelly Ripa, Donald Trump, Joe DiMaggio, Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, Jack Nicholson, Howard Stern, David Letterman, and his wife Joy Philbin. Notice how many of the people on this list are more "notorious" rather than just pleasantly famous? And yet he had very few negative things to say about any.
Of the people I didn't know about I found Don Rickles to be the most interesting and I'm glad I looked him up further online. He seems really funny.
People he discussed that I actually know of include: Ronald Reagan, Bill Cosby, Dean Martin, Kathie Lee Gifford, Kelly Ripa, Donald Trump, Joe DiMaggio, Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, Jack Nicholson, Howard Stern, David Letterman, and his wife Joy Philbin. Notice how many of the people on this list are more "notorious" rather than just pleasantly famous? And yet he had very few negative things to say about any.
Of the people I didn't know about I found Don Rickles to be the most interesting and I'm glad I looked him up further online. He seems really funny.
July 23, 2012
Well, lets start by saying that I really have loved Regis over the years and think he is a wonderful story teller. This book is a book filled with stories of people who have made Regis the way is is. The problem is that I have heard many of these stories over the years on his show or have seen the interviews he writes about (with David Letterman) for instance during their original airing. Also, Reeg is the consummate name dropper and this book is full of that. That said its nice to here from him one more and is a good Regis fix for those who miss him on his morning show.
October 28, 2020
Through the years, I treasured my time spent each morning having my coffee while watching “Live With Regis and Kelly.� So when I had the opportunity to listen to this book available in audio, I checked out. It was an entertaining adventure while experiencing a 12-hour road trip to Seattle. While listening to his warm voice reflecting on his life, often using wonderful anecdotes, I was amazed by how often he used himself as the butt of the joke. He was not only a great storyteller but with his humble demeanor it made him even more lovable. He came across as a hard-working individual who was amazed that he often found himself working along side some of his life’s longtime idols. Since his fame came much later in his life, his career took many twists and turns. However, he never gave up, always providing for his family, he was always willing to try it again. I understand he holds some sort of a world record for the amount of hours he spent “on air.�
Since he wrote this book almost 10 years ago, he included two glowing chapters devoted to these two men: Bill Cosby and Donald Trump. It left me most curious as to what he would say about these two men today, in 2020?
Since he wrote this book almost 10 years ago, he included two glowing chapters devoted to these two men: Bill Cosby and Donald Trump. It left me most curious as to what he would say about these two men today, in 2020?
September 10, 2020
A whole lotta stories about the famous, semi-famous, and one or two others, gently and sweetly told. RIP, Regis.
January 12, 2012
I know, I know. I am somewhat of a loser. I know my friend Traci will just roll her eyes when she sees that I read this.
Read, maybe more like skimmed. I got sucked in Live with Regis and Kelly at the gym this year and his book peaked my curiosity. It was interesting. Every chapter is a different person who has influenced his life. I completely skipped anyone sports related. It was interesting to find out how he made it on television. Quite an interesting story in itself. I wish he would have talked about that more. I just have to say, for the record, I find it bizarre in the greatest that he was married to another woman, before Joy, for 13 years and had two children with her that you NEVER hear about on the show. They aren't mentioned in the book either but I looked up Regis on Wikipedia and that paragon of information told me all about it. Random.
I also think Gellman got the shaft by not being mentioned.
Read, maybe more like skimmed. I got sucked in Live with Regis and Kelly at the gym this year and his book peaked my curiosity. It was interesting. Every chapter is a different person who has influenced his life. I completely skipped anyone sports related. It was interesting to find out how he made it on television. Quite an interesting story in itself. I wish he would have talked about that more. I just have to say, for the record, I find it bizarre in the greatest that he was married to another woman, before Joy, for 13 years and had two children with her that you NEVER hear about on the show. They aren't mentioned in the book either but I looked up Regis on Wikipedia and that paragon of information told me all about it. Random.
I also think Gellman got the shaft by not being mentioned.
June 17, 2013
If you like Regis Philbin, you may like his memoir. not exactly a memoir of his whole life but snippets of his life. Regis writes about what he has learned from the people he has met and known throughout his life. each chapter is about one of those persons. it could be anywhere from actor,actresses, people he has worked with such as Joey Bishop, Kathie lee , Kelly, to friends, wife Joy. His college Notre Dame. two years in the military.etc. Regis is quite generous and complimentary to all those person's who have touched his life or inspired him. this is not a mean spirited tell all type book. I like how Regis has given credit to those persons who have taught him life lessons. this is why he called his book " How I Got This Way" a sort of tribute to the people who have touched his life.
February 18, 2012
I read this book because I was looking for a something to read and I figured what the heck, lets see how Regis got this way. I didn't know what to expect but I was really pleased at that I read. I love how he told little stories or events that happened with his friends and family. I really liked at the end of each tale he tells us what he took away from the experience or the person. Kind of makes me want to write down what people in and around my life have taught me or write down experiences I have had with them.
May 14, 2012
I love autobiographies, bio's and memeroirs, but I am not a fan of this book. At the beginning and throughout the chapters, I remember counting down the pages to the end of the chapter.
Each chapter was about some celebrity or business partner who effected his life in some way. To me, it felt like an incredibly long acceptance speech when the audience is thinking, c'omn already, we get it.
Each chapter was about some celebrity or business partner who effected his life in some way. To me, it felt like an incredibly long acceptance speech when the audience is thinking, c'omn already, we get it.
June 28, 2014
A fun read! I really enjoyed his morning show. My wife and I would record it so we could watch it after work. Regis had a certain magic that made it fun to watch. I doubt we will see his like again now that he has left TV. (Though I had heard he was going to make frequent appearances on Rachel Ray.) What was really interesting was to read about his early life and "How [He] Got this Way."
January 22, 2012
Loved it! Regis is inspirational, but still humble enough to know where his roots are and be thankful to those who have inspired him to be where he is today. You can feel the gratitude, with a touch of humor mixed in. He loves his life and has worked hard to get there. Definitely a good read!
September 21, 2014
Funny & Interesting!
August 3, 2020
Interesting Insights Through Stories
Regis Philbin recently passed away after years on television. I decided to hear his last book in audiobook. The chapter on Joey Bishop, one of Philbin’s early breakthroughs as his side kick, was fascinating. Before getting the job offer, Philbin asked Bishop to identify his greatest talent. Bishop told him that he was an excellent listener. Through their years of working together Philbin and Bishop would take a walk together each day and it was where Philbin learned much about comedy and much more from Bishop. In fact, Philbin was an excellent listener throughout his life—a valuable insight.
Each chapter ends with a section of summary called, “What I Took Away From It.� This short summary is an excellent addition to each chapter. These stories and insights are scattered throughout this book. The book even includes a chapter on Donald Trump—and the book was published in 2011—way before his official run for President of the United States and full of interesting stories. It was fun to hear HOW I GOT THIS WAY from cover to cover. I recommend this audiobook.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his latest .
Regis Philbin recently passed away after years on television. I decided to hear his last book in audiobook. The chapter on Joey Bishop, one of Philbin’s early breakthroughs as his side kick, was fascinating. Before getting the job offer, Philbin asked Bishop to identify his greatest talent. Bishop told him that he was an excellent listener. Through their years of working together Philbin and Bishop would take a walk together each day and it was where Philbin learned much about comedy and much more from Bishop. In fact, Philbin was an excellent listener throughout his life—a valuable insight.
Each chapter ends with a section of summary called, “What I Took Away From It.� This short summary is an excellent addition to each chapter. These stories and insights are scattered throughout this book. The book even includes a chapter on Donald Trump—and the book was published in 2011—way before his official run for President of the United States and full of interesting stories. It was fun to hear HOW I GOT THIS WAY from cover to cover. I recommend this audiobook.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his latest .
July 20, 2017
Okay, not my usual read, but I borrowed a friend's Kindle Paperwhite to try it out and it was on there, so I read it. I am happy to report that I enjoyed the Kindle experience much more than I thought I would!
As far as the book, I'm not a Regis mega-fan, but I'm not a hater either. His voice definitely shined through; you could tell it was him, and this is coming from someone who has only seen him here and there randomly. It isn't your typical biography/memoir. Each chapter is dedicated to a person who has had an impact on Regis' life. This ranges from people in the sports world and acting/show business/talk show world to people in his personal life. Each chapter ends with a few pieces of takeaways or wisdom that he has learned from his person. (And yes, us Mid-Westerners are generally quite friendly and open!) I really liked the end of each chapter and its little nuggets of wisdom. I skimmed through chapters that didn't interest me, and I would recommend the same thing for other readers.
We could all benefit from being more like Regis and letting people know how much they have impacted us in person or through the written word.
As far as the book, I'm not a Regis mega-fan, but I'm not a hater either. His voice definitely shined through; you could tell it was him, and this is coming from someone who has only seen him here and there randomly. It isn't your typical biography/memoir. Each chapter is dedicated to a person who has had an impact on Regis' life. This ranges from people in the sports world and acting/show business/talk show world to people in his personal life. Each chapter ends with a few pieces of takeaways or wisdom that he has learned from his person. (And yes, us Mid-Westerners are generally quite friendly and open!) I really liked the end of each chapter and its little nuggets of wisdom. I skimmed through chapters that didn't interest me, and I would recommend the same thing for other readers.
We could all benefit from being more like Regis and letting people know how much they have impacted us in person or through the written word.
August 11, 2020
Loved this book in audio! Right after Regis died, I heard an old interview on NPR and the interviewer commented to Regis that he had loved his autobiography, so I picked it up. I started listening to it when I would walk and I so enjoyed my “walks with Regis.� He was exactly the same age as my parents, and so to listen to his stories was so nostalgic� Like reliving my childhood. He comes across as a humble and hard-working guy who is amazed that he gets to work with some of his life long idols. His career took many twists and turns, and Regis tells so many wonderful anecdotes, many of them with him as the butt of the joke. And that’s part of his appeal� He’s a great storyteller, and his humble aw shucks demeanor and even his insecurity makes him even more lovable. This book was written almost 10 years ago, with a chapter devoted to Bill Cosby and one to Donald Trump� So I had to make some allowances for the glowing comments he made for those individuals. It was funny that he just could not imagine a Trump presidency back in 2011 when he wrote the book. RIP to a sweet and classy guy... Regis Philbin.💕
November 9, 2017
Talk show host and tv personality Regis Philbin credits much of his career success to his storytelling ability which he puts to good use in this memoir. Instead of a chronological memoir, Philbin structures his book around stories of people who influenced his life and career. Each chapter ends with what he learned from each individual, including Lou Holtz, Kathy Lee Gifford, George Clooney, Kelly Ripa, Donald Trump and more. Some would say Regis does a lot of name dropping, but that was his job - interviewing famous people. He doesn't shy away from the hard times and mistakes early in his career but I was a little annoyed with all the details of later society parties, attending events in celebrity suites and posh resorts that felt like bragging. I enjoyed the book in the same way I like People magazine - a peek inside the life of the rich and famous - with a little more depth. The tone is very conversational, just like you'd expect from Regis.
November 27, 2018
Second memoir by the former talk show and game show host deals with the ups and downs of his career, including his impressions of many of the well-known people he got to know along the way. The variety of jobs he had and many of the "downs" of his career were unknown to me, but he seems never to have gotten down too far. And though a celebrity himself, he nevertheless seems to have had a kind of endearing awe in meeting some other celebrities. Hardly a tell-all, it's still a good listen if you appreciate show business in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
May 1, 2022
I got this one free when someone left it in my Little Free Library. I like Regis so I figured it would be a quick good read. It was ok. I thought it was going to be more of his life story and instead it was more of chapters about people who had influenced him, which isn't a bad thing. One thing I would change about the book is to put the chapters more in a chronological order? It was a bit confusing to be reading about one person and then all of a sudden we are reading about someone else he worked with 20 years before? Anyway, a quick read.
June 5, 2023
Regis Philbin takes the reader on a tour of the entertainment industry from the mid-20th century until now as Regis shares stories of the people that heavily influenced his life and career.
This is a brilliant who's who of the entertainment business over the last 70 years. Regis either knew, worked with, or at least met almost everybody who was anybody in the business.
Regis was one of the great ones in the business and he never let his ego get in the way.
A great read for anyone interested in the history of movies, television or entertainment in general.
This is a brilliant who's who of the entertainment business over the last 70 years. Regis either knew, worked with, or at least met almost everybody who was anybody in the business.
Regis was one of the great ones in the business and he never let his ego get in the way.
A great read for anyone interested in the history of movies, television or entertainment in general.
April 23, 2018
Fun book! I listened to the audio read by Regis, so it was extra fun to get the full effect with his voice. I used to watch a lot of Regis and Kathee Lee, and then Kelly, before we started living outside the US. I remembered some of the specific shows and conversations he talked about. It was always a fun and clean show, as was the book. :) And it was interesting to hear stories about other celebrities and the impact that they had on Regis personally and professionally.
January 2, 2019
Okay, I found this book amongst my mom’s cache of novels.
Figured I’d give it a read, having seen Regis here and there on so many mornings.
Not a lot to recommend. A superficial examination of some folks Regis admired and met.
Example: he gets a party invite to Clooney’s on Lake Como. They have a great time with wine and food and conversation, but what they discussed that was so great is left out � as is done with most of Regis’s anecdotes.
Figured I’d give it a read, having seen Regis here and there on so many mornings.
Not a lot to recommend. A superficial examination of some folks Regis admired and met.
Example: he gets a party invite to Clooney’s on Lake Como. They have a great time with wine and food and conversation, but what they discussed that was so great is left out � as is done with most of Regis’s anecdotes.
September 25, 2020
Woof. If you HAVE TO read one of Regis’s books I recommend the first, “I’m Only One Man�. Most of the stories are rehashed and the ones that aren’t don’t age super well! It’s not even an old book, less than 10 years and yikes it’s tough to read. Regis apparently is only friends/inspired by other white men which makes sense but come on Reeg - even for you a book about name dropping seems excessive.
February 24, 2022
Sometimes I listen to audiobooks because I don’t have any better ones immediately available; this is a good example. There are certainly a lot of audiobooks (and regular books) that I stop listening to because they’re boring, so at least I was able to get through this one. He mentions a number of people I’ve never heard of (especially his early influencers), and some of them didn’t age well (Cosby and Tr*mp).
June 18, 2024
Picked this title up after reading Kelly Ripa's memoir.
Really, really cringe. 😬 This book did not endear me to Regis. He comes across, not as the consummate "class act," but rather as an out-of-touch sexist, egomaniac, and insecure guy.
Regis (as he refers to himself in the third person) is always portrayed in the media as a legend, but reading this book showed me what a small man he sorta is.
Really, really cringe. 😬 This book did not endear me to Regis. He comes across, not as the consummate "class act," but rather as an out-of-touch sexist, egomaniac, and insecure guy.
Regis (as he refers to himself in the third person) is always portrayed in the media as a legend, but reading this book showed me what a small man he sorta is.
August 3, 2020
If you miss Regis' voice, this is the book for you. Stories about his growth, and of course, it's due to his relationships. That's how life is supposed to be - people helping people. The stories are all Regis; lovely, funny, and real.
Rest well at Notre Dame, sir, you earned it. Thank you for all the laughs.
Rest well at Notre Dame, sir, you earned it. Thank you for all the laughs.
January 10, 2022
A sweet, heartfelt recollection of memories. Most of them stars of my childhood or of yesteryear, but I’m a student of the b & w classics, so it resonated with me. Rarely ever does he brag, more often shining the light on others who propelled him to fame. I miss him! What a talent or as Regis would say, “Seriously!�
April 26, 2020
I appreciated the way he wrote this book in sharing with us the people who impacted his life and the lessons he learned. I think this format is something we should all do to remember how we got to where we are and who helped us along the way...good and bad.
September 25, 2020
This was a wonderful book by Regis. He's a great story teller.
I started each day with a chapter. Read the last on today and I'll miss Regis for the second time!
Great Storytelling about his ups and downs and his various celebrity relationships.It was GREAT!
Susan James
I started each day with a chapter. Read the last on today and I'll miss Regis for the second time!
Great Storytelling about his ups and downs and his various celebrity relationships.It was GREAT!
Susan James
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