Kelly Ripa loves to open up about her life, and we love her for it. In 2021, the then- 50-year-old talk show host got really revealing when talking about her marriage on an episode of Live With Kelly and Ryan. Kelly's husband, Mark Consuelos, whom Kelly sometimes likes to call "Daddy," was stepping in as a guest host, and the conversation got a little heated … in a good way!
Kelly and Mark were candidly chatting about the new HBO series Scenes From a Marriage. So, of course, they ended up drawing on their own experiences. Kelly and Mark have been married since 1996, which is basically an eternity in celebrity relationship years.
More from LittleThings: Kelly Ripa Opens Up About How She And Mark Consuelos Have Avoided Divorce For So Long
The hilarious host shared that she and Mark don't have the kind of relationship troubles depicted in the show because, well, Daddy takes care of business. But she also said they rely on one pretty important thing to keep their relationship strong. And that thing is tons of sex.
Kelly adorably complimented her husband's hands-on approach to dealing with household issues. She said that he just wouldn't let the things fly that are happening in the fictional show.
"I was like, none of this would ever be happening in the Mark Consuelos household, because he would have nipped all of this in the bud immediately," Kelly said.
She really paints her husband as an incredible caretaker. "He would have been like, 'Oh, you're upset? I know how to take care of that. Oh, you don't feel good about something? I'll take care of that. Oh, you're feeling like maybe you're overworked? I got you. I know what you need,'" she said.
I mean, day-um. That's pretty much husband goals right there.
Kelly took her reveals about her husband one step further, though. "Because everything for Mark is settled with, everything is settled with…"
"Love," Mark chimed in.
But Kelly was quick to correct him, saying, "Love and sexy time."
Mark tried to tell the audience that they don't settle absolutely everything with sex, but Kelly pressed on, saying that they really kinda do. "Just about almost everything," she shared.
Hey, whatever works!
Sex to solve marital problems might not be in the self-help books, but honestly, it's a pretty decent approach. Sex is deeply important to relationships, and it can deepen connections. There is obviously something that works about letting sex help bring two people closer, especially when they've been together for such a long time. Clearly, it's working for Kelly and Mark, and their sex life is totally thriving — so there you have it.
There's really no question why people think Kelly and Mark are "relationship goals." They work hard at their relationship, but the truth is, they're just super in love. Even their kids realize how strong of a connection their parents have and how truly rare it is.
Their oldest son, Michael, said, "One hundred percent they're relationship goals, and it's weird because I've been with them the longest," he told Entertainment Tonight, referring to being their oldest child. "Not a year after they were married, about a year, then I came into the picture. So we kind of grew up together, at least that's how I see it."
Michael also hilariously addressed the sexy pictures Kelly often shares of her and Mark. When he appeared on Kelly and Ryan over the summer, he uncomfortably responded when Ryan asked him how he feels. Though he did say he thought it was fine for his mom to share whatever she wants, his sister, Lola, has been open about her disgust.
Still, it seems like all the kids understand that a little discomfort is an OK price to pay for having parents who are super in love.
