Married co-host duo Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa raised eyebrows when they got into a heated on-air spat during Wednesday’s edition of their daytime talk show, Live with Kelly and Mark, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The awkward moment was sparked when Ripa, 55, suggested they get an “airport divorce,” a term she explained described couples who chose to “intentionally part ways until we meet up on our flight.”
Ripa Proposes an ‘Airport Divorce’
Ripa proposed to her husband they get an ‘airport divorce’ because of their different travel personalities.
She told her husband: “Couples are doing something unique and I want to run this by you. I think we could do well with this – an airport divorce. You and I have different traveling philosophies, different traveling styles.”
Consuelos, 54, appeared somewhat caught off guard by Ripa’s comment and pressed her to explain: “What do you mean? Like, I walk fast in the airport?”
Ripa proceeded to detail why she felt she had a more laidback travel style compared to her husband of nearly 30 years, leading to the couple airing their grievances over each other’s quirks on national television.
Ripa jokingly said she was more laid back while her husband liked to get to the airport ‘4 to 16 hours before a flight takes off.’
Ripa said: “I just feel like you need to get there before 4 to 16 hours before a flight takes off.”
Her comment seemed to irk Consuelos, who insisted that wasn’t true and clarified he preferred to get to the airport about an hour and a half before his flight, a normal timeframe for many travelers.
The 55-year-old fanned flames of tension when she claimed her husband once got “irritated” when they were recognized by fans at the airport.
Consuelos ‘Irritated’ by Fans
Consuelos was upset by Ripa claiming he got ‘irritated’ by fans recognizing them at an airport.
She said: “But then you get irritated when people are like, ‘oh, my gosh, I love you on the show!’ you are like, everybody is noticing us.”
Ripa’s claim set Consuelos off and he fired back: “Don’t put that out there, I am very nice to people!”
Instead of attempting to diffuse the situation, Ripa charged: “You are nice to people but you get irritated with me.”
The couple proceeded to bicker back and forth, with Consuelos arguing: “I don’t get irritated with you. I’m irritated with you right now for trying to throw me under the bus.”
The awkward conversation ended with Ripa declaring they ‘we’re definitely’ getting an airport divorce.
Ripa chuckled nervously as she replied: “I’m not!”
Consuelos added: “I do find a difference in the way you walk, I have to say that. And maybe I’d like to hear more about this airport divorce.”
His wife jokingly responded: “Well we’re definitely getting one now!”
As if the conversation wasn’t uncomfortable enough for viewers, the couple continued to go at each other.
Consuelos mocked: “If we’re walking through Central Park, it’s, ‘Hey, do you want to take a walk?’ It is just a race around the park.”
An unamused Ripa quipped, “Yeah. It’s called exercise,” to which her husband replied, “But when we’re walking through the airport it’s like–” before she cut him off and declared, “Untrue.”
He circled back to the original topic, “So what is the airport divorce?” and Ripa noted, “The airport divorce is what we are getting technically” before explaining the term in greater detail.
