It takes a lot of energy for Kelly Ripa to get up early, take care of her family, and help lead Live With Kelly and Ryan every morning. Originally a replacement for Kathie Lee Gifford, Kelly has made the show her own. She's had two regular cohosts since Regis Philbin left in 2011 — Michael Strahan and now Ryan Seacrest. It seems ridiculous that Ryan even has the time in his jam-packed schedule. But since he's one of the most beloved faces in Hollywood, he makes it work.
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Ryan Seacrest was announced as Kelly's cohost back in 2017, and the two are a great fit. But unlike some of the other hosts whom Kelly has worked with, it seems like she and Ryan have true chemistry — both on- and off-screen. One big tell? Kelly reportedly stopped drinking since Ryan started working with her.
Alcohol has strengths and weaknesses. A glass of red wine may complement your dinner nicely. But making it a habit could be harmful. Some people can get addicted, and others can have a problematic relationship with it. Even though it's often claimed that moderate drinking may be healthy in moderation, Vox reports that new findings might nullify that theory.
Per the Vox article, the World Health Organization recently found out that 3 million people die every year due to alcohol. A glass of wine per day isn't likely to be a culprit, but sometimes when people decide to let loose, they unintentionally go too far. Speaking of wine, the popular belief that began in the 1990s that red wine was good for your heart may be a myth. The premise grew from a study that found French people drank red wine often and had lower risks of cardiovascular concerns.
But that study was faulty. Instead of comparing light drinkers to heavy drinkers, it looked at nondrinkers next to drinkers. The latest study says that drinking more than seven standard glasses of wine per week actually does lead to an increased risk of death. That alone might make you want to rethink your habits.
Kelly likely enjoyed a glass or two after work because she's under a lot of pressure. Wine can often relieve that and be a relaxing way to end the day. But since Ryan came along, a lot of that stress reportedly just went away. She realized that she didn't have to depend on it any more to help improve her mood.
The topic came up when Kelly and Ryan talked about the recent dip in wine sales. "I believe this is because I quit drinking, that I caused this dip," she said as a joke. But then Ryan added to her story, saying, "I started the show and she quit drinking, what does that tell you? I don't know. Is that good or bad?"
Kelly made sure to let him know that the change was "amazing." The two have had nothing but good to say about each other, which is why the show is so successful, according to Entertainment Tonight. "I'm actually, genuinely excited to see [Kelly] every morning," Ryan said. "I know in the past, sometimes you didn't say hi before you go on the air … I like to say hi before we go on the air. We don't talk about too much, but I still give you a little more than hi."
The news is especially good, as the relationship between Kelly Ripa and Regis Philbin reportedly dissolved soon after he left the show. While they got along well on camera, and Kelly gave Regis a wonderful send-off, things didn't last. On Larry King Now, Regis stated that Kelly "got very offended when I left. She thought I was leaving because of her. I was leaving because I was getting older and it wasn't right for me anymore."
In the clip, you can tell he looked slightly uncomfortable — and a little sad — about the question. It's been many years since the two of them have spoken. Kelly hasn't opened up about her feelings on Regis recently, but he's not the only ex-host she's sparred with. After Michael Strahan left, things were tense on the set.
Michael wasn't on the show for very long by comparison, but he got a lot of attention when he joined Live. Reportedly, he was in the midst of making a deal with ABC to switch from Live to Good Morning America, and Kelly was kept in the dark about it. It's a reason to feel a little betrayed — but Kelly took it so far as to reportedly not show up on set for a few days.
She said she needed time to figure out the news. According to the Hollywood Reporter, she sent an email to the Live staff thanking them for their patience. "I wanted to thank you all for giving me the time to process this new information," she said. "Your kindness, support, and love has overwhelmed me. We are a family and I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday morning. Love, Kelly."
There was definitely a fallout between the two, with Kelly feeling disrespected. When asked about her later, Michael stated, "I haven’t spoken to her in a long time." Still, he doesn't have anything bad to say about Kelly. It seems like they just had different career focuses at the time.
It makes sense as to why Kelly feels a little hurt when someone leaves. Even though she shouldn't take it personally, she views the show as family. And it seems like Ryan Seacrest has the same feeling when it comes to projects he's working on, which makes him a welcome addition.
No matter what, having a happier Kelly is a good thing — and her sobriety may help you define your own relationship with alcohol. Maybe you're reaching for it since you're unaware of healthier ways to relax. Alcohol can also be costly, especially if many of your liquor store purchases are spontaneous.
In 2019, Kelly talked to the Cut and explained how she gets everything done. She starts every morning with a "Bullet Coffee" that she credits Ryan Seacrest's girlfriend for turning her onto. "It’s coffee, two shots of espresso and a tablespoon of ghee and then a packet of collagen powder," she wrote. "Ryan’s girlfriend got me hooked on it and I just sort of believe that if I drink it every day, my hair will be as thick as hers."
So how does she relax? She depends on her husband — and if he's not there, her friends. "If Mark isn’t home, I tend to go to exercise class in the morning before the kids get up and then spend the day trying to declutter," she said. "Or I’m reading and hanging out with my friends." It sounds a lot healthier overall.
