Discussing hot button issues on LIVE with Kelly and Mark often leads to some hysterical and surprisingly truthful confessions from hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.
The couple, who have been married since 1996 and co-hosting the ABC daytime show since 2023, took to the stand a new issue on the August 11 broadcast: a new bill from the Pennsylvania legislature, House Bill 97, that discusses the equitable custody of pets in a divorce.
© Getty ImagesKelly read out some of the terms laid out in the new bill about the conditions that pets must be cared for during a divorce, adding that the house recognizes "pets as family members, elevating their status in situations such as divorce."
Of course, the All My Children alum are pet parents as well, sharing a dog named Lena, with the butt of the joke on the show several times being Mark's undying adoration for Lena.
"Listen, let's just put it this way," Mark added after a good deal of hemming and hawing, to the audience's amusement. "I would stay in a loveless marriage just to make sure I could be with Lena every day," he replied, leaving Kelly in splits. "That's how much I love Lena."
The Hope & Faith star quipped in return: "Is that all you're asking for? Is a loveless marriage? Because that can be arranged," with their producer Michael Gelman chiming in from the side: "Is that an option?"
Mark continued on with his love for Lena: "I would stay up at night wondering what she was doing," with Kelly jokingly asking whether he'd wonder if "some other man was petting her."
© Kelly RipaThe conversation then moved on to a different news item that Kelly read out, which once again landed her husband in hot water. She explained that per a new study, menopause "actually changes the way you talk."
Mark quipped from beside her: "Also changes the things you say when you talk," which got laughter and applause from the audience, but some notable gasps from the ladies in the crowd. Kelly paused and turned to look at a nervous Mark, then saying: "...go on." He replied: "Let's show that picture of Lena again!"
The couple have become daytime's favorite ever since Mark took over from Ryan Seacrest as the co-host of LIVE, turning it into a Daytime Emmy-winning venture. Speaking with HELLO! in 2023, the pair explained what they consider the easiest and most difficult part of hosting together.
© Instagram"Well, the comfort is that I always know I have somebody next to me that, even when I mess up, will always lift me up and move on and reassure me that it's fine," the Riverdale alum gushed.
Kelly added to that: "I guess the challenges are somebody not being there to let the dogs out in the morning, that's kind of a big challenge."
Mark, for his part, continued: "Me looking into the camera when I've been told not to look down the barrel of the camera as an actor," and Kelly confirmed: "That's a thing, that's a real thing. I can tell you, as a former actor, it was very hard for me [at first]."
© Instagram"It took him a couple of weeks to get over it, it took me years to actually look into the camera. Because you're so trained not to look into the camera. That was a big challenge."
