In this week’s cover story for “People,”Kelly Ripa spoke out about her relationship to former husband. “Live!”Regis Philbin, co-host, discusses her new book with Regis Philbin “Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories.”
The 51-year old television host told “People”That’s what the pages are about. “the hardest chapter”For her to write.
“There were good and bad days,”She spoke of the decade she was co-hosting “Live! With Regis and Kelly.” “I don’t want to feel like I’m slamming anyone or that I’m being disrespectful. But I also want people to know it was not a cakewalk. It took years to earn my place there and earn things that are routinely given to the men I worked with. Including an office and a place to put my computer.”
After Lee Gifford, who had been co-hosting the show for 15 years, left the gig in 2001, Ripa was invited to join the daytime talk program.
“The biggest misconception is that it all came easily,” Ripa says. “People think I just showed up one day and was handed a job and I lived happily ever after and now everything’s perfect. But it never is that way.”
Ripa’s agent alerted her of what was to come after she guest co-hosted three times, each time being told that the show wasn’t searching for a permanent co-host. Ripa said that she was told that “they want you to know who your boss is.”
“It was very ominous, and it did not feel good,”She spoke.
A second question was asked of her: “bring an entourage,”She brought two people to do her hair and make-up.
“It was not an unusual thing for people on a television show to show up with,”She spoke.
Before she could approach the stage to begin her time together with Philbin, he turned to Michael Gelman, executive producer, and said: “Uh-oh, Gelman, it’s got an entourage.”
“I felt horrible,” Ripa said. “He was probably trying to be funny, but at the same time it felt like a pile-on. I understand that probably he didn’t want a co-host, but the network wanted me to be the co-host and I didn’t think I should pass up that opportunity. I don’t think it was fair to him. But it was also not fair to me.”
Ripa also shared fond memories of her cohost, such as the dinner party he attended at which she was “never laughed so hard,”And other moments “off camera and outside of that building.”
Ripa ultimately credits Philbin with his success. “the world’s best storyteller,”And hopes to “become a tenth as good”As he was.
Philbin passed away in 2020 at the age of 88. Ripa co-hosts the show. “Live! With Kelly and Ryan” alongside Ryan Seacrest.
