Working with Regis Philbin on Disney Parade was the moment Ryan Seacrest knew he “made it”
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest paid tribute to Regis Philbin on Monday’s episode of Live with Kelly and Ryan. The American Idol host recalled the moment he knew that he had “made it” as a broadcaster, while recording the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade:
You know, I remember when I got a chance to work with you and Regis, the first time, on that Disney Parade, I thought I had made it. You know, I was like ‘oh, this is my big break, I’m working with Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa on the Disney Parade and this is it, this is what I was so excited to do, and grew up to do. And you know, for me as as a young broadcaster — because you know Regis was a broadcaster — I looked up to him, I studied him, I watched him.I watched how he would walk on the set, I watched how he would sit in the stool, I watched how he would tell stories. I watched how he would interview guests, you know. I looked up to Larry King and Regis Philbin, they’re just so very few people who are so iconic and so good at what they did, and that is Regis Philbin.
It’s unclear whether Ryan’s moment happened in 2005, the first of multiple years that hosted from Disneyland, or in 2008, when he joined Regis and Kelly at the Magic Kingdom.
Later in the broadcast, Kelly remembered Regis’ praise for Seacrest, while they worked together on the parade.