If you’re a millennial or older, you probably grew up watching Live with Regis and Kelly, starring Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa. The duo were an iconic fixture in daytime TV.
But there was constant speculation about a feud or discord between Regis and Kelly.
Well, recently, Kelly opened up to People about her relationship with her cohost and even revealed a comment he made that upset her.
“There were good and bad days,” Kelly said.
“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,” she continued. “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.”
Kelly said it was particularly hard replacing Kathie Lee Gifford, who had a successful 12-year run on the show with Regis. “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.”
Kelly said her agent told her that the show was not looking for a “permanent cohost,” which obviously had to be really tough to know while you’re, you know, cohosting.
Despite being told not to come with an entourage, Kelly said she did come with hair and makeup for the first day of filming. “I came with hair and makeup. It was not an unusual thing for people on a television show to show up with.”
She said Regis greeted her with the head producer, Michael Gelman, and said, “Uh oh, Gelman, it’s got an entourage.” Like, IT’S??? Not cool.
“I felt horrible,” Kelly 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 cohost, but the network wanted me to be the cohost 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.”
Despite this comment — and the fact that Regis quit the show without telling her — Kelly said she still holds admiration for the late TV legend, calling him “the world’s best storyteller.” She added, “I loved him, and I still do.”
You can read Kelly’s full cover story here.
