"Life in the Real World: A Lesson From Regis "
By Robbie Tarpley Raffish

Childhood is fraught with lessons – school, playground, social… One is the time-honored tradition of writing thank-you notes for gifts and other niceties. As the mother of two small children and grown stepchild, I can tell you that this is a lesson I have always dreaded teaching. And re-teaching. And teaching again. (“Mom, do I have to? I did this already!” … “No, dear, that was last year!”) And the tedium (I mean for me more than them)

But I firmly believe that people should be thanked for gifts and kindnesses, and I try to make sure my kids do so.

So, ironically, it’s not the kids who have failed the lessons. It’s been me. My excuse: I am a harried working parent with two kids, a husband, an old, creaky house … Yes, I know how important a thank-you can be, so, yes, I usually call or email. But sometimes it’s weeks after-the-fact. Sometimes I (sigh) even forget.

That was until Regis Philbin. You know him, the ubiquitous host of “LIVE with Regis & Kelly!,” “Millionaire” and any number of television specials.

Let me back up. Last year our agency was hired to handle public relations for a U.S.-based toy company that was re-introducing a classic board game, All-Star Baseball, to the American public. Our job was to get the game some national news coverage that would draw attention to its return to toy store shelves.

After brain-storming one day, we decided to “pitch” the game to LIVE! At the time, Kelly Ripa was appearing in public service announcements to promote Major League Baseball and Regis often speaks of his love of the game on-air. So we sent them letters along with samples of the game.

One day, while on the phone with another client, that client mentioned how happy we must be. Well, yes, we were happy (in general), but what did he mean? Turns out Regis had talked about All-Star Baseball on LIVE! that very morning. He (Regis) had loved it. He played it as a kid. And, as a kicker, he was donating his copy to the show’s kick-off event for its Toys for Tots Campaign. Mission accomplished.

After dancing around our office for a bit, we all went back to work. Three days later (no joke, and by regular snail mail) we get a thank you note. From Regis. For real.

And not a thank you typed by an assistant. A personally handwritten thank-you note. Now while this could be misconstrued as bragging (think junior high: “I have Regis’ autograph and you don’t!”) please don’t read it that way. In fact, I see this as a major negative in my world. I did not send Regis a thank you – he sent me one. This guy, who spends his days at rehearsals, in studios, making public appearances and dealing with the general nuisances of being a celebrity, took time to thank our agency for sending the game. Personally.

I found that mind-blowing. Also a bit nagging. (“If Regis can do it…” is what I sometimes hear when I put the urge to thank someone to the side for another time.) Which explains the box of thank-you notes now sitting in front of my computer at work. The lesson of Regis: a little thank you can go a very long way.
And my kids? Well, their birthday parties were this month, and they have a bit of a lesson coming their way. Whether they know who Regis is or not.

Oh, and “Thanks, Regis.”