Howie Mandel apologized to Kelly Ripa after an awkward moment during his ‘Live With Kelly and Mark’ appearance on Monday.
The comedian took to his Instagram on Saturday to apologize to the TV host, saying that his reaction was a joke that didn’t land well.
“OK, I have been debating for 48 hours whether i should make this post or not, and I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing,” Mandel began in his video apology, to which he captioned it: “Message to @kellyripa.”
“Philosophically, I don’t believe that somebody needs to… somebody who is a comedian needs to apologize for a joke, it is a joke,” he said.
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“It’s meant as a joke, and it’s not meant to offend, it’s not meant to… you can not like it and in all my years, all my 50 years in the business, I haven’t ever publicly kind of apologized for… This is hard for me, but this is for Kelly Ripa, who in the past has been incredibly supportive,” Mandel said in the video filmed by the beach.
“Not only have I been a guest on her show, but I have co-hosted with her, and I’ve known her for years. Micheal Gelman, whose a really close friend, is the producer of the show. And when I go out there, I just try to be entertaining, funny,” he explained.
HOWIE MANDEL CALLS OUT KELLY RIPA’S BACKHANDED IN TENSE LIVE TV MOMENT
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“And sometimes, as a comedian, things don’t land the way you mean them to land. And I don’t know how to say this, but not only do I want to say I’m sorry to Kelly,” Mandel said. “But this is the hardest part… you’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
He appeared to make light of the topic, finishing off the video with: “And I’m sorry I didn’t see it that way, but after a lot of thought and self-reflection, I do… I look great for my age, I really do. I really, I really look fantastic, and I just have to embrace the fact that I look this good.”
The tense moment on air began when “Live With Kelly and Mark” co-host – and also Ripa’s husband – Mark Consuelos said to Mandel: “You just celebrated 70 years. You’re 70 years old.”
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Ripa added.
“What do you mean it doesn’t make any sense?” Mandel asked, to which Consuelos said, “You look great!”
Mandel appeared to take Ripa’s compliment as an age dig, saying: “I look great? That doesn’t mean anything to me. No, no, no, no. I don’t like that, because that’s a caveat.”
“What do you mean it doesn’t make any sense?” he asked, to which Consuelos added: “You look great!”
“I look great? That doesn’t mean anything to me. No, no, no, no. I don’t like that, because that’s a caveat,” Mandel said in the tense moment.
“We’re not saying you look great for 70. You look great,” Ripa answered.
Yes, you are, without saying ‘70,’” Mandel said.
“I am saying that. I am saying that,” Consuelos joked, trying to lighten the moment.
“It’s like saying you’re smart for a stupid person,” he said, implying the compliment was an insult.
“Yeah,” Consuelos replied, before Mandel appeared to lighten the moment: “I’ll be serious for a minute. I’m gorgeous!” Mandel quipped, drawing laughs.
