Regis Philbin's family ethnicity includes an Irish father and Italian mother. Co-host Kelly Ripa's family ethnicity includes an Italian father and Irish mother.
Before Kathie Lee Gifford married Frank Gifford, and working with Regis Philbin on this show, both Regis Philbin met Frank Gifford, when they were both at Notre Dame University, where Philbin was a student, at that time and Frank Gifford, was a football player, coming from Bakersfield, California, whilst attending the University of Southern California (USC).
After Regis Philbin's feud with Kelly Ripa, both on- and off- camera, Ripa had distanced herself from Philbin, for years until Philbin's death in 2020. She was not even invited to attend, nor to speak at Philbin's funeral, but was allowed to speak about Philbin's legacy, on one of the tapings.