Funny Follows Me

When you were five, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be a comedian because I love making people laugh. I inherited my father’s dry humor and storytelling.

I watched my first episode of Regis & Kathie Lee Johnson (yes, she wasn’t a Gifford yet) and I was hooked on the first 15 minutes of that show. The daily stories with Regis sharing a snapshot of his life with his wife Joy, was hysterical. Kathie Lee, never failed to add humor to the story and make the punchline magic!

I learned to use a VCR and taped the show daily and ran home after school to watch. I never missed an episode and when the show came to my hometown, I cut school, and attended. This was my first of many times seeing Regis in person and he was certainly a character on and off the tv screen.

When I was a teenager, I went to a live taping of the show and was just amazed at how small the studio was and how gracious and fun Kathie Lee was. Those were the days of witty LIVE banter.

I managed to meet Regis during a commercial break and get my book signed which he wrote, “I’m only one man” and I was speechless.

That may be the ONLY moment I had where I was so starstruck, I got my book and sat down. It didn’t matter though, watching him daily brightened every day and taught me how to set up a story and land that punchline.

Through the magic of TikTok and other sources I do get to do videos and in person I love making people laugh. It’s just an adreline rush but in this dark world it’s more important than ever to laugh daily, even if it means laughing at yourself.

Regis Philbin was only one man who changed many lives and for that one hour a day, I was guaranteed a story to retell and keep his spirit alive.

The picture I posted shows Kathie Lee in a Sumo suit and Regis got in one too and the ran with Velcro on them and jumped on a wall. It was so funny and innovative. That was real clean funny comedy.