Howie Mandel Apologizes for Awkward On-Air Moment With Kelly Ripa, Insists He Was Only Joking

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Comedian Howie Mandel on Sunday apologized to Kelly Ripa for an awkward on-air moment on a recent episode of Live with Kelly and Mark.

During the episode, Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos offered well wishes to Mandel, who turned 70 in November. Ripa joked that it “doesn’t make sense” that Mandel was 70 years old, prompting the comedian to ask for clarification. When Consuelos explained that Mandel looked “great,” Mandel fired back that his compliment “doesn’t mean anything.” Mandel then explained that he interpreted the comments as them saying he looks good for someone his age, but Ripa insisted the  compliment was genuine. Mandel, however, wasn’t buying it.

In a video posted online Sunday, Mandel set the record straight when he claimed he wasn’t actually offended by the remarks. He added:

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. Philosophically, I don’t believe that somebody who’s a comedian needs to apologize for a joke. It is a joke. It is meant as a joke, and it’s not meant to offend. It’s not meant to — you know, you could not like it, and in all my years, 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. Not only have I been a guest on her show, but I have co-hosted with her and I’ve known her for years. And Michael Gelman, who is a really close friend, is the producer of the show. And when I go out there, I just try to be entertaining and funny; and sometimes as a comedian, things don’t land the way you mean them to land.

I don’t know how to say this, but not only do I wanna say I’m sorry to Kelly, but — and this is the hardest part — you’re right. You’re absolutely right, 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 look fantastic, and I just have to embrace the fact that I look this good.

 

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