Well, to be perfectly honest, the last time I saw him host ANYTHING on TV was about 10 years ago. He was pushing 80 then, and certainly didn't look it. Kinda reminded me of William Shatner in that regard. I don't know if age caught up with him lately, it certainly did for Dick Clark after his stroke (prior to that, people used to joke that Clark was some kind of vampire because he didn't seem to age in 30 years)
A decade ago, I used to joke that the NEXT incarnation of "Live with Regis!" would be called "Live with Regis and Dakota Fanning" as his co-hosts were much younger than him and kept getting increasingly YOUNGER as he got increasingly OLDER (Sarah Purcell. b. 1947, co-hosted with him 1975-1978, Cyndy Garvey b. 1949, co-hosted with him 1979-1984, Kathie Lee Gifford b. 1953, co-hosted with him 1985-2000, and finally, Kelly Ripa b. 1970, co-hosted with him 2001-2011). A Millennial co-host for the 80 year old Philin, b. 1931, seemed like the next logical step.
I suppose what I saw him in must have been a commercial. I don’t know if it was the same one DJ saw but he looked fine to me. I had just watched some “Celebrity Millionaire” with the insufferable Kimmell.