By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Contenders vying for a chance to replace Regis Philbin's throne on "Live With Regis and Kelly" tried their hand in front of the cameras this week.
Co-host Kelly Ripa spent the week bantering with a collection of radio DJs plucked from their stations around the country and as far as Canada, in a mock tryout that will last through Friday.
The largely unknown radio personalities were nominated by "Live" viewers to fill Philbin's seat for a day while he was on vacation.
Monday's co-host, Fitz from "The Wolf" radio station in Seattle, admitted on air that he experienced a bout of anxiety over his chest hair before his national television debut.
"I like the fact that you manscaped for me," Ripa responded. "That is so nice," she said.
Ottawa's mayor declared Tuesday "Kelly Ripa and Jeff Mauler Day" in honor of Mauler, a DJ at a radio station there who took a turn in Regis' empty seat on Tuesday.
Mauler presented Ripa with a gift of maple syrup body rub, among other things, during his visit.
Rumors about who would replace Philbin, who hosted the show with Kathie Lee Gifford before Ripa took over in 2001, began circulating shortly after he announced his retirement last week.
Top propects to permanently fill The Reege's seat include CNN's Anderson Cooper, Survivor host Jeff Probst, "How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris and Ripa's hubby and former soap opera star, Mark Consuelos.
ABC had not announced who would replace Philbin.
Up next in the musical chair next to Ripa this week are Bobby Jones, an Austin DJ, Chicago radio personality Eric Ferguson and Los Angeles' Mike Catherwood.
