Kelly Ripa has come a long way know the TV world, and while she is no doubt a pro at holding down daytime shows without breaking a sweat, her journey through the industry has been anything but hitch-free. The TV star who often exudes a happy-go-lucky aura recently opened up that there was a time she struggled on Live! due to sexist sentiments.
Ripa Revealed Her Early Years Struggle on ‘Live!’
The Hollywood icon has had over two decades in the daytime slave working with Stars like Regis Philbin and Michael Strahan, and she has revealed that the starting point came with difficulties. In a new interview with Variety , Ripa bared it all about how she had to fight for equal treatment in comparison to her male counterparts on Live !
What Was Her Early Experience Like?
The Hope & Faith alum recalled being regarded as a “second fiddle” as opposed to her male colleagues. She relayed that this was the situation until Ryan Seacrest joined her. The star stated that she knew the feeling of rejection having been in Hollywood, but her daytime experience was on another level. She shared, “I came from an acting background, and I am an expert in rejection,” she explained. “But this was like weirdly being rejected while also being the person that they wanted for the show.”
She Dealt With Several Inadequacies
The TV anchor made it known that she had no vacation time, maternity leave, or even a wardrobe budget when she initially joined the ABC-produced show. Ripa was not assigned an office of her own for years. When she eventually got a workspace of her own, it was a cleaned-out janitor’s closet.
She Shared The Public Toilet With The In-studio Audience
The starting point in her TV hosting career also saw the Hollywood executive sharing the general bathroom with the studio audience. This did not change even when she was pregnant. Ripa recounted, “Picture this: We have a studio audience — like 250 people! — and I have to queue up. Particularly when I was pregnant, it was extraordinarily exhausting to have to wait in line.”
When Did The Dynamics Change?
According to the star, the workplace dynamics shifted in her favor when her fellow host and pal, Ryan Seacrest joined as a co-host in 2017. Unlike the first fifteen years, Ripa had leverage as the more senior host. Even at that, she still dealt with the past trauma.
Ripa On Dealing With Workplace ‘PTSD’
Ripa’s workplace PTSD got triggered when Seacrest made the move to end his stint on the show. Although his announcement seemed appropriate, it reminded her of the past times she had been sidelined. She was not informed when the previous hosts made their exit.
She Felt Like She Was Still ‘The New Girl
Because she was not informed of these major decisions, Ripa felt it was a regular thing d they did not need to fill her in. She relayed, “I thought this is just what happens, and they don’t have to fill me in because I’ve only been here 10 years. I’m still the new girl.” However, there was a wake-up call when she became a senior TV host.
When Did Things Start To Change?
The Soap star made it known that she noticed a change when the end of her contract drew bear and the bosses sense she might want to quit. The star relayed that she did not think they wanted to lay her, but they just had to. Ripa was trying to walk away, but the showrunners figured out fast that they needed to do better. She noted that they had no choice.
She Now Feels Valued
Presently, Ripa is in a mind space where she feels valued at her workplace. She also takes a lot of pride in being at the helm of affairs. The star noted that she started receiving the respect she deserved when Debra McConnel, the president of networks for Disney Media & Entertainment Didyribution began overseeing Live !
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Ripa On The Presence Of Women In Power
In retrospect, the host relayed that with the presence of more women in power, there is a dynamic where superiors are willing to hear and solve problems in real time. She added, “It really makes a difference when you have people that are behind you who come aboard. It’s powerful.”
The TV Host Did Not Blame Her Male Counterparts
In all of these and how the dynamics played out, Ripa does not lay the blame on her male colleagues. She stated that they were just doing what they had been instructed to, and also doing what they deserved.
How She Navigated Her Most Recent ‘Live!’ Contract
With her present position at ABC, Ripa found a way to make things work for her, and others who worked on the show. She got a month-long summer break designated in her contract, so she could enjoy a good vacation with her family. However, that was not her only reason. The mom-of-three also wanted her fellow parents who worked at her office to enjoy spring break with their children.
Ripa Also Talked About The Issue Of Fair Pay
Going further the actress opened up about the issue of fair pay between male and female counterparts. She traced this issue back to her days on All My Children . Ripa stated that even though she was on the show before her spouse, Mark Consuelos, he was paid higher than her. She relayed that when she joined Philbin on Live! , she had to earn what the deserved the “hard way.”
Inside Her Career
Born to Joseph Ripa, a bus driver and labor union executive, and Esther Ripa, a stay-at-home mom, Kelly had an early start in the entertainment industry. She danced on national TV shows, bit ad a pretty much ordinary high school life. She started her career before the camera on the teen variety show, Dancin’ On Air. She also appeared on Dance Party USA.
Her TV Career
By her late teens, Ripa moved to New York, ready to take on the Hollywood world. Despite how her mom was skeptical about her acting dreams she got her unwavering support. Ripa cut her teeth in the industry with a big contract on ABC’s All My Children , and that was the start of her career growth.
She Met Her Spouse On The Show
A few years down the line, Ripa met Mark Consuelos on the set of the show. They would go on to elope one year after meeting. They became man and wife and will be celebrating their 27th anniversary in May. The pair have three grown kids together.
The Beginning Of Her ‘Live!’ Stint
In 2001, Ripa bagged another contract with ABC and it had to do with the long-running TV show. When she joined Live! it was called Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee . The show had just let go of its pro host and star actress, Kathie Lee Gifford.
Life As A Talkshow Host
It has been over two decades since Ripa made her hosting debut, and she has not looked back. Once speaking about her life as a TV host, she relayed to Seth Meyers that her role went beyond sitting before the camera. It also resonates with her life away from TV.
Her Other TV Series Project
Two years after starting on Live ! she snagged a role on Hope & Faith . The show ran for three seasons, spinning 74 episodes before its end. The soap opera served as a life-changing moment for Ripa.
