When Fox Sports 1 starts broadcasting on August 19th, Regis Philbin will have his own daily half hour show at 5pm. This is the best news ever. Regis, an avowed football fan, will be going nuts from Day 1. Plus, he told me tonight at the sensational Cafe Carlyle opening for Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, there will be celebrities.
“If Clooney’s on, we’ll talk about his favorite team. Then we’ll talk about his new projects.” So it’s be going to sports mixed with mainstream celebrity, Regis style, I asked? “That’s it!” Reege declared. “You’ve got it!”
I wish it were starting now. But Regis feels the sports season runs through the World Series up til the Super Bowl. So he’s just signed on for five months. And then? “We’ll see,” he said, although I think Joy–who looked beautiful as usual– will not let him work full time again.
Meantime, you must go see Herb Alpert and Lani Hall at the Carlyle. One of their guests tonight was famed jazz and pop producer, Tommy LiPuma. It was also press night, which meant the staff looked sort of horrified at what the cat dragged in. I felt like I was in “Downton Abbey.” But you know, Lani Hall’s voice is like butter even after all these years. (She’s only in her late 60s.) And Herb Alpert’s trumpet is worth the price of admission alone.
They’ve been married 39 years and tour all the time. They tell stories, and Herb plays his hits from “Rise” to “This Guy’s In Love with You” to “Spanish Flea.” They play from a new album, too, including a dark and cool arrangement of one my all time favorite songs, “It’s All in the Game.”
You know that Herb Alpert was the A in A&M Records with Jerry Moss, too. He signed the Carpenters, Peter Frampton, The Police, Sting, Cat Stevens, made the deal with Lou Adler for Carole King from “Tapestry” on, and so on. He’s a living legend. Lani is sensational. Regis and Joy can’t be there every night, but there are always stars in the audience at Cafe Carlyle. A great night.
