PERHAPS the only thing Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest enjoy more than bickering with each other is the change to chide their staff.
The Live with Kelly and Ryan hosts have made a sport out of calling out their producers on-air after embarrassing gaffes and awkward moments.
NBCKelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest are not afraid to tear into their show’s staff[/caption]
ABCProducer Michael Gelman is usually the top target[/caption]
Live’s most famous backstager would have to be Executive Producer Michael Gelman.
The 61-year-old has been a producer at ABC, where Live originates, since the 1980’s.
He even holds the Guinness World Record for the most morning talk show episodes produced by the same producer.
“Gelman,” as he is affectionately known on the show, has bore the brunt of the show’s hosts since the days of the late Regis Philbin.
He once explained what makes the show work:
“The real concept of the show, in a symbolic sense, is that they are husband and wife. They have their coffee mugs and they’re chit-chatting about what’s going on.”
And like any good family, there are times when they can all be at each other’s throats.
THE FIX IS ON
ABCKelly accused a game show of being rigged[/caption]
Just this past week, Kelly accused one of her talk show producers of rigging her on-air game against co-host Ryan.
The stars had been competing in Oscars Countdown games to prepare for their big award show.
A little ways into Wednesday’s episode, as Kelly, 52, and Ryan, 48, were discussing some of the things yet to come on the show that day, including an Oscars-themed game at the end.
That’s when the soap opera alum called out a producer off-stage.
She crossed her legs as she told everyone: “Let me tell you something. The fix is in!”
ABCA producer held up a sign with a telling message[/caption]
“The fix is in, and I’ll yell you why,” Kelly went on, now leaning forward over the desk.
“Dave Mullen was meandering in the hallways, he’s been producing this, and he’s standing there, going over his notes, and I see his card,” she said. “And on the back of the card, it says, ‘Ryan wins.’”
It turned out the sign was two-sided, with “Ryan wins” on one side and “Kelly wins” on the other.
Later in the episode, Kelly and Ryan went on to actually play the game, which consisted of the stars being given names of previous Oscars hosts and guessing how many times they’d done so.
In the end, it wasn’t Ryan who won, but Kelly.
CUE THE HECKLING
ABCKelly jumped out of her seat to shade Gelman[/caption]
Just days earlier, Kelly mocked a show producer as she left her seat to borrow a prop to recreate a scene.
The hosts opened the show by reminiscing about Zoom meetings and virtual gatherings.
Kelly opened up about the “feedback” issues the morning talk show suffered as executive producer Gelman attempted to run the broadcast over Zoom.
The Live host revealed that she would “troll him endlessly” because of his directional shortcomings due to the technological limits of producing a show via video chat.
ABCThe host demonstrated how hard it was to read his notes during Zoom calls[/caption]
She then explained: “He would hold up a cue card when he wanted us to move along.”
As she demonstrated what that looked like, she placed the card close to the camera lens, covering the majority of the frame and leaving it completely out of focus.
As the studio audience laughed, Kelly confessed: “I would say, ‘I can’t see that dear.’”
THE WRATH OF KELLY
Kelly and Ryan Live / NBCKelly threatened physical harm to Gelman[/caption]
Gelman was the focus of Kelly’s ire last month, when she threatened to “hurt him off camera” after he kept asking the same question.
During the opening segment, Kelly went on a rant about the amount of chores she has to do.
At a certain point, she started to struggle with her words, and the producer tried to help.
Off-camera, Gelman said: “Try to speak through it, but know we gotcha.”
She turned to look past Ryan to Gelman and told him: “I’m gonna hurt you off camera.”
They all laughed and Ryan asked: “Do you need some knives? I’ve got a knife set.”
“Believe, me I’ve thought about it,” Kelly told him.
MIC DROP
ABCThe hosts had to think fast when a microphone was thrust at them[/caption]
When actor Kal Penn visited the show, he revealed his dream job would be the role of King George in Hamilton.
So the pair invited him to “audition” while live on-air.
“Gelman, bring us the mic,” Kelly said as she walked forward.
Producer Gelman instead tossed the mic, with Ryan stepping in front of Kelly to try to shield her from a potential injury.
Kelly stepped forward and pantomimed some karate moves at Gelman, while Ryan began wagging his finger at the camera.
“That’s not gonna be a fun meeting after the show,” he snarked, before sitting down.
Kal showed off his singing skills for a moment before Kelly took the mic afterward and launched it back at Gelman.
ANGRY SEAS
ABCRyan ripped into Gelman for underestimating him[/caption]
It’s not always just Kelly lashing out.
Earlier this year, Ryan had his own chance to snap at Gelman, while introducing fill-in co-host Jenny Mollen.
While Jenny was telling her audience how she met her husband, the producer interjected to be sure Ryan knew American Pie actor Jason Biggs was the husband in question.
Ryan scoffed and told the producer: “Yes, I know Jason Biggs!”
He continued addressing the off-camera staff: “If you just give us a second to settle in, we’ll get there!”
The American Idol host then addressed the audience and said: “Jason Biggs, of course, we speak of. Very famous.”
As the audience clapped, Jenny tangentially commented she has never co-hosted before.
Ryan revealed Live doesn’t have a script, so they “say whatever they want.”
HEAD’S UP
ABCRyan was upset when Gelman was able to do a perfect headstand[/caption]
Ryan went after Gelman again when the producer showed him up by executing a headstand.
While taking part in a segment about yoga exercises, Gelman easily hoisted himself into a headstand, while Ryan struggled to keep his balance on his head.
He groaned, “Urgh! I can’t do that!” and got back on his feet.
Seeing Michael perfectly balancing on his head, Ryan muttered, “Oh my God.”
He ran over to his colleague and mimed pushing him and blowing him over.
Laura was shocked by Michael’s skills, exclaiming: “Wow, look at that!”
Ryan looked more infuriated than ever and again mimicked blowing at Michael’s legs to try to get him off balance.
