It’s not hard to see why Kelly Ripa has spent the past 25 years hosting “Live.” His natural blend of wit, enthusiasm, and inquisitiveness was evident from his first appearance as a guest host alongside Regis Philbin in 2000. It was clear then, and still is, that it was Ripa, as she quickly started asking questions during our discussion.
“I don’t care if it’s a flight attendant on an airplane or someone who just stood in line at Starbucks,” she says. “I want to know who that person is.”
Ripa’s “Live” origin story begins in 2000, when Kathie Lee Gifford, Philbin’s co-host of 15 years, left the show. A number of people joined the rotation as guest hosts over the next few months, including Gloria Estefan, Rosie O’Donnell, Lisa Rinna, and Whoopi Goldberg, to name a few. Ripa wasn’t one of them.
Ripa played the difficult Hayley Vaughn on ABC’s “All My Children” for 10 years and, unknown to virtually everyone, was pregnant with her second child with husband Mark Consuelos.
However, she wasn’t looking for a hosting job until one day she accepted the role. And it was clear from her first appearance that she was the frontrunner for the spot.
Three months later, the show was rebranded as “Live With Regis and Kelly.” She sat next to Ripa for the next 10 years until Philbin left the show in 2011. For the next few years, Michael Strahan and Ryan Seacrest occupied the chair next to Ripa. Then, in 2023, the perfect partner appeared. That’s Ripa’s real life partner.
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are co-hosts of “Live with Kelly and Mark.”
Disney (via Getty Images)
There was no audition for co-hosts this time. Consuelos, who appeared regularly on the show for many years, became permanent co-host on April 17, 2023.
Now, Lipa looks back on the start of “Live” and the future. She once sought advice from Oprah Winfrey, who left her daytime show in 2011 after 25 years.
Do you remember the first time you had a guest?
My first day was the day after Halloween. The only reason it stuck in my head was because Mark and I knew we were pregnant. We didn’t tell anyone. On the show, they say, “Please bring something to talk about for the host chat.” I was like, “I just went trick-or-treating with my 3-year-old, so I have a lot to talk about.” Psychic Char Margolis was on the show and we were supposed to interview him. She came out and told the world that I was pregnant.
You had been on “All My Children” for 11 years when Kathie Lee Gifford decided to leave. Did someone come to you and say you should try it?
I was pregnant with my second child and knew that working on a soap opera would be a very demanding schedule. I thought, “I don’t think I can do this because I have two children. It’s not fair to me or to them.” I had another year and a half left on my contract on All My Children, at which point I decided to quit my job and raise my kids. I never paid attention to Kathie Lee. Of course, I wasn’t looking for the job.
But were you sure?
I think part of the reason it was appealing to me in some way was because I was the only person who didn’t push myself to audition for that show. My boss at the time was Angela Shapiro. She said, “I think you should replace Kathie Lee.” And I said, “Angela, I’m exhausted.” What I couldn’t say to her was, “I’m pregnant and tired.” Then she said, “I had someone cancel it.” I did it, and it was fun, but doing that show never crossed my mind. I think it was the audience’s reaction to me. I never thought about it again, but soon after I got a call and was told to try again. The rest was history. I think we were already in contract negotiations in December. It was very fast. I think I hosted three times, and then I signed a contract.
Did the tension quickly build up?
When something is at stake, there’s a lot more pressure when you’re a co-host than when you’re just a delegate. I felt scared.
When did that go away?
Maybe the 8th year? It took me a while to stop feeling scared. It really took me a while to get comfortable. What struck me about Mark was how quickly he became so comfortable and skilled. It took him maybe eight days while it took me eight years to get comfortable.
©ABC/Courtesy of Everett Collection
When did you realize you were going to be doing this for a long time?
I will say, I never knew it was going to be a long-term thing — I’m still on the fence about it being a long-term thing. The fact that I’m celebrating my 25th anniversary doesn’t seem real to me.
In the early days of “Live,” you were still doing “All My Children,” and then “Hope & Faith” for three years. Now you have this and a podcast on top of your home responsibilities. How would you describe your work ethic?
I’m always busy. I’m always working. After the sitcom, I got a lot of offers, which I flatly turned down, so I feel like I was kind of burnt out for a while. Those were big things. I thought, “Wait, why did I get on this talk show in the first place?” Because it ultimately gave me the opportunity to make a living and be a parent today. So I went back to it.
You’re interviewing so many people. Who was the last person to make you nervous?
They all excite me. The reason I’ve been able to continue this job for so long is because I play the role of an exciting person at home. I’ve always been interested in people. And I don’t care if it’s a flight attendant on an airplane or someone who just stood in line at Starbucks. Whoever it is, I want to know the origin of that person. When Madonna comes out, I stay up late planning how to look cool in front of her. I think that’s an exception.
How long do you want to continue hosting the show?
Let me give Oprah credit. She left the show at the 25-year mark, and I said to her, “Is this my sign?” She said, “Don’t leave. Don’t leave. You’ll regret it right now.” “This show is more important than ever because of the dynamic that you and Mark are. People really relate to this show, and we need that in this world of so much darkness and a never-ending 24-hour news cycle,” she said. You should actually ask her. “You said you weren’t going to retire at 25. What year? What are we thinking? Think about how far you have to go beyond 25.” But I always say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I’m really having a great time.
So, the end date hasn’t been decided yet?
I’d like to see this show continue to air as long as linear television exists. I want this show to last forever because it’s a really, really great piece of history because it’s so much more important than any two hosts. It’s also a great way to safely watch TV with your kids.
