Regis Philbin, exit stage center

Still processing the news that Regis Philbin will be retiring from “Live with Regis & Kelly” by year’s end.

I’m not a regular watcher, but I often check in on Philbin when my morning schedule permits. It’s the equivalent of comfort food, a show you can count on to deliver a few chuckles and some cozy celebrity interviews. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Philbin can be hammy, or self-deprecating or even corny when the mood strikes, but he never sounds cruel to these ears. There’s little chance ol’ Reeg will insult my political beliefs out of the blue. The knack for transcending ideology is one reason he’s been a part of the entertainment landscape since the 1950s.