Howie Mandel says he now regrets apologizing to Kelly Ripa after their awkward on-air exchange last week.
“I don’t believe in apologies, but like I said in that post, I kind of regret it, but obviously I made a joke that didn’t go over well,” Mandel said of the meeting.
“Comedians always say, ‘If you can make one person laugh, you’re doing your job,’ but apparently that’s not enough. It’s not enough,” he said in an interview on “Hot Mikes with Billy Bush” on Tuesday.
He added, “So you liked my jokes. I’m reading a book and I can’t stop, I don’t understand so I tried to stop. I tried to apologize. I agreed with people and I think so too.”
Mandel said he didn’t know “what’s going on” or “when it’s going to end” regarding the backlash surrounding the heated exchange.
“And I hope it’s over soon because I didn’t mean to cause any confusion. I didn’t mean to embarrass anyone,” he said.
“I don’t know how[the apology]was received,” Mandel said on Wednesday’s episode of Carrie Burke, “Fire Chat: Mindfire Pod,” adding, “That’s not the point.”
Representatives for Ripa and Consuelos did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment Wednesday evening.
The drama began after Mandel appeared to react negatively when he congratulated the “America’s Got Talent” judge on his milestone 70th birthday on “Live with Kelly and Mark” last Monday.
The two complimented the actor on his looks, to which he replied, “It means nothing to me.” The 55-year-old longtime talk show host tried to assure the comedian: “I’m not saying you won’t look great at 70.”
“We said you look great, but I can’t believe you’re 70 years old,” Ripa clarified.
“No, no, that’s like saying you’re smart to a stupid person. You say, ‘Oh, you look smart, you look smart,’ and look, no, I’m not good-looking,” Mandel replied, drawing laughter from the audience.
Ms. Consuelos, 55, said Ms. Mandel was indeed “good looking,” and Mandel jokingly agreed that she was “gorgeous.”
Mandel argued in an Instagram video Sunday that comedians don’t have to apologize for their jokes, but he made an exception for Ripa.
“This is a joke. I meant it as a joke and I didn’t mean to offend anyone,” he said in the beachside video, noting that “it was tough” because he had never apologized in his 50-year career as a comedian.
“But this is for Kelly Ripa, who has been incredibly supportive in the past,” he explained. “I’ve known her for years, not only as a guest on her show, but also as a co-host.”
He also said that his jokes aren’t always well-received. “When I go out on set, I just try to be funny and funny, but as a comedian, sometimes things don’t go as planned,” he revealed.
“I don’t just want to say I’m sorry to Kelly. This is the hardest thing to do, but you’re right,” he continued. “You’re right. I’m sorry I couldn’t think of it that way.”
Mandel jokingly concluded the video by saying, “And after a lot of thought and introspection, I look great for my age. I really do. I look great and I just have to accept the fact that I look this good.”
“Live with Kelly and Mark” executive producer Michael Gelman teased the drama while commenting on Mandel’s post.
“In these divisive times, one thing we can all agree on is that you look really great for your age,” he joked.
