Kelly Ripa claims that Regis Philbin was not thrilled to share the spotlight with a new cohost “Regis and Kelly,”He quickly clarified. Ripa told People that when she arrived on set with two people for hair and makeup on her first day, Philbin said to executive producer Michael Gelman, “Uh-oh … it’s got an entourage.”Ripa didn’t feel happy to be referred as, so it was understandable. “it.”She said to People: “He was probably trying to be funny, but at the same time it felt like a pile-on.”
Ripa continued, “I understand that probably he didn’t want a cohost, but the network wanted me to be the cohost and I didn’t think I should pass up that opportunity.”This is the way their relationship began. It’s not surprising, then, that they did not stay in touch when Philbin left the show.
In 2013, Ripa told The Hollywood ReporterShe hadn’t seen her cohost since his departure and Philbin told her in 2017. Larry KingRipa and he did not keep in touch. Despite “the show [reaching] out many times,”People were told by Ripa, “It makes me sad but it’s not something I will ever understand … You can’t make a person befriend you.”In her book, “Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories,”She mentioned that “joining ‘Live,’ from my perspective, was a terrifying venture”And mentioned the misogynistic workplace culture (via Haute Living).