David Cassidy on the Web
Regis Philbin shares his wisdom with 'Y' crowd
February 15, 2012
By Marci Shatzman http://www.sun-sentinel.com
Regis Philbin fell in love with a voice on the radio. But he never had the nerve to tell his parents he wanted to be Bing Crosby, the famous crooner.
Even at Notre Dame University, he rehearsed Crosby's song "Pennies from Heaven," to sing at graduation. But when he saw his mother "start to cry and my father make a fist, I realized it was silly."
After the Navy, Philbin started his long broadcast career, he told more than 500 people at the YMCA of South Palm Beach County's 10th annual Prayer Breakfast Thursday at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Actor David Cassidy did a surprise walk-on earlier in the program.
Years later, when he was comedian Joey Bishop's sidekick on television, Philbin met his idol. "But I made a mistake that day. I never thanked him... I wanted him to know how important he was to me." He never got the chance: Crosby dropped dead on a golf course in Spain eight days later [in 1977], he told the crowd.
Philbin chose that and a similar parable to share his message of helping children find their place in the world, an appropriate theme for a YMCA fundraiser. "It's important for young folks to say what they want and to train for it," said Philbin, 80.
Years later he had a déjà vu moment when he interviewed a child in the audience who couldn't articulate what he wanted to be when he grew up. Philbin never forgot the incident. "That kid was me," he said.
"Thirty years later, I'm at a movie premiere and I meet the director. He said, 'A long time ago I went to see the Joey Bishop show…"
Of course, it was the same child all grown up. "That guy was Steven Spielberg," he said, a punch line that produced an audible audience reaction.
Philbin mentioned in passing his retirement from his morning talk show in November, in response to a question about his biggest career disappointments. "When I had to walk away from my show, that wasn't easy after 28 years," he said. But he thought, "You've done it, and this is for the best."
He also mentioned his latest book, "How I Got This Way." He did a book signing for event sponsors after the program.
Fellow Notre Dame alumni, former quarterback-turned-businessman, motivational speaker and author Marv Russell introduced Philbin by reciting his long list of accomplishments. Russell reached out to Philbin when he realized he would be in town performing at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino the night before the breakfast, and they traded barbs at each other during the program.
Boca Raton businesswoman and YMCA board secretary Yvonne Boice, who was the event's chairwoman for the third year, talked about how the fundraiser has grown. "This brings our community together in a spirit of camaraderie," she noted.
David Cassidy spoke about his own upbringing, his notoriety as a member of the fictional Partridge Family as a child star, and his new mission supporting the cause of Alzheimer's disease, which he said his mother suffers from. "I love the YMCA. I found a family and a home at the Y," he said.
YMCA board chairman Paul Adkins, and president and CEO Richard Pollock talked about the YMCA's missions to fight childhood obesity and prevent accidental drownings. They reminded the audience that no one is turned away for lack of money, and that the programs and services at the Peter Blum Family YMCA in central Boca Raton and the DeVos-Blum Family YMCA in Boynton Beach impact more than 50,000 people in Palm Beach County.
The West Boca Raton High School Choir sang two numbers under the director of choral director Lindsey Novitske, and got a big hand. The soloists were Melissa Bradley and Jade Zaroff.
Big Talk 850 radio host Dave McBride was the master of ceremonies. Hopewell Mission Baptist Church Associate Pastor Henry Wills did the invocation and benediction, and Cantor Ann Turnoff led the Pledge of Allegiance and "God Bless America."
