Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos fire-up in awkward on-air exchange: ‘I’m the villain’

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos found themselves in an awkward moment during Thursday’s episode of Live with Kelly and Mark when Kelly recounted an incident involving her neighbors hosting an “illegal rave” during the COVID-19 lockdown. 

What started as a lighthearted story turned into a tense exchange, giving fans a glimpse of their playful dynamic—and occasional spats.

The couple had been discussing Airbnb’s anti-party technology ahead of New Year’s Eve, which prompted Kelly, 54, to recall the night she took matters into her own hands to shut down a noisy gathering next door.

“There were students staying on certain floors of the building,” Kelly began. “And then this one floor… they rented out to someone who allegedly was staying there as a student or whatever. But they were throwing illegal raves—like discos.”

Mark, 53, interjected to clarify that he wasn’t present for the ordeal because he had been filming in Vancouver at the time. Initially amused by Kelly’s story, his tone shifted as the tale unraveled.

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Kelly revealed that after calling both 3-1-1 and 9-1-1, she was left with no other choice but to confront the revelers herself. “9-1-1 said, ‘Ma’am, a party’s not an emergency.’ And I was like, ‘What do I do to make them stop?'” she recounted.

Taking matters into her own hands, Kelly donned a bathrobe and stormed over to the building in the middle of a cold winter night. “I banged on the door and pressed every buzzer until someone let me in,” she said. Once inside, she was greeted by a pair of startled college kids.

“They asked me if I was from Uber,” Kelly laughed. “I said, ‘No, I’m your neighbor. What you’re doing is illegal.'” She recalled firmly telling them, “I actually know who lives here, and it’s not you. Turn the music off. It’s a Tuesday.”

Mark couldn’t resist poking fun at his wife’s assertive actions. “You became that person,” he teased, which immediately struck a nerve with Kelly. “No, I’m not that person,” she shot back. “They are that person.”

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The tension lingered as Kelly accused Mark of casting her as the “villain” in the story. “I like that suddenly I’m the villain in the story,” she retorted. 

While Mark awkwardly looked away, Kelly confirmed she had successfully gotten the music turned off. “It was 3 a.m. on a Tuesday. What are you doing?” she concluded.

This lively exchange came just days after another cheeky moment between the couple during Monday’s episode. While discussing their recent trip to Italy, Mark playfully admitted that he enjoyed how quiet Kelly had been during their vacation.

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“In Italy, I become even more silent because I don’t speak Italian,” Kelly explained to viewers. “So I am the most silent version of myself that I’ve ever been.”

Mark couldn’t resist adding, “I kind of liked it. It was really nice.”

Kelly, unfazed by his jab, quipped back, “Your fantasy version of me—somebody who has no idea what’s going on.”

The trip, which was centered around attending their first Campobasso Wolves game as club investors, also revealed another lighthearted gripe between the pair. Kelly labeled Mark the “worst translator” for failing to share important details with her and their group during meals.

“He’s the only one of us who speaks Italian,” she said, “and we rely on him to tell us things. Instead, he rewards us by not telling us a thing.”

Despite their playful bickering, Kelly and Mark have a love story that spans nearly three decades. The couple met on the set of All My Children in 1994, where sparks flew during Mark’s audition. They eloped in Las Vegas two years later on May 1, 1996, and have since built a beautiful life together, raising three children: Michael, 27, Lola, 23, and Joaquin, 21.