For seven months, Busy Philipps’ talk show Busy Tonight was some of the most fun, most gregarious television on the late night circuit. It might have been cancelled less than a year after its original premiere date, but each episode remains a testament to the hardworking team who produced the series on a small budget to a tight deadline.

Today, Philipps has paid tribute to one of those team members who has tragically died of cancer. In a moving Instagram post, Philipps honoured her late colleague in a powerful way, celebrating his tireless work ethic and his calm presence in the office.

“Tony was an editor who was with us from the start and managed to keep working, even when he found out his cancer came back and he was going through chemo,” Philipps wrote. “He only took time off right at the end of our season, when it was just too exhausting and he needed to rest and recover. But thankfully, he was able to make it to our wrap party (he’s next to me with the hat) and we were all so excited to see him out. I really thought he was going to beat it.” 

Philipps continued: “Tony was, like everyone who worked on our show, simply the fucking best. He was kind and funny and interesting and a really good person but also, he was really fucking good at his job.”

Philipps explained that each episode of Busy Tonight would film in the afternoon at two and the editing team, including the late Tony, would work “like crazy” to turn the show around in time for its nightly slot on E!. 

“Sometimes, depending on the guest or how much tequila I had while we were taping, AHEM LIZZO, our show would go WAY over the 22 minutes it was supposed to be,” Philipps recalled. “Tony was truly not just the greatest (his edits seamless; jokes tracked), he also never seemed flustered or annoyed, not even when I would come in to watch it down and ask where some random joke was and could we put it back and then lost five seconds somewhere else. He would just make it work with a smile. He really seemed to enjoy it all, which is probably why he was so good at it.” 

Philipps concluded her tribute by saying that she had been thinking about Tony and his family all day, and that spotting a sunset and a rainbow on the evening she heard the news feels “like a sign”.

Her post served as a moving way to honour her late colleague, but also as a reminder to everyone to tell the people that matter to you in your life how important they really are. 

“Fuck. He was just too young, cancer is an insidious monster and my heart breaks for his family and close friends and coworkers, but also anyone who never got the chance to know him or work with him,” Philipps wrote. “Rest in peace Tony.”

Images: Getty