Howie Mandel has broken his silence on his fiery on-air exchange with Kelly Ripa, issuing a personal apology and admitting, after some soul-searching, that she was right all along.
The appearance of the 70-year-old actor in Live with Kelly and Mark went viral last week after he responded to the hosts when they told him he looked great.
Rather than accept the compliment, Mandel hit back, comparing it to being told you look smart to a stupid person.
Ripa tried to clarify that she wasn’t qualifying the praise by his age, simply telling him she didn’t believe he was 70, but the damage was done and viewers felt he had been unnecessarily harsh on her.
Mandel addressed the aftermath in an Instagram video on Sunday, admitting he had considered whether to say anything.
For a comedian with 50 years of experience in the business, he said, apologizing for a joke doesn’t come naturally. But he made an exception for Ripa.
“This is for Kelly Ripa, who in the past has been incredibly supportive,” he said, noting that they have a long history of working together, including periods where he co-hosted alongside her.
“When I go out there, I just try to be entertaining and funny, and sometimes as a comedian things don’t happen the way you hope,” he explained.
He made it clear that the initial comment was meant as a joke and not to offend. But he acknowledged it didn’t happen that way and offered the apology Ripa deserved.
“Not only do I want to say I’m sorry to Kelly, and that’s the hard part, you’re right. You’re absolutely right, and I’m sorry I didn’t see it that way,” he said.
He then concluded with a very brand-focused conclusion.
“After a lot of thought and soul-searching, I look great for my age. I really do. I look fantastic and I just have to accept the fact that I’m also beautiful.”
