Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Host ‘Live’ With Eerily Empty Audience After Sleeping ‘Across the Street’ During NYC Blizzard

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos proved the show must go on — even if the audience can’t make it through the snow.

The married co-hosts fronted the Monday, February 23, episode of Live With Kelly and Mark to an eerily empty studio as a powerful blizzard battered New York City, keeping fans at home and stranding executive producer Michael Gelman in Florida.

With staffers scattered throughout the seats to lend some cheers, Ripa joked, “It is a snow day around here and Gelman is stuck in Florida, so, we are running the show everybody!”

‘Live’ EP Michael Gelman ‘Stuck in Florida’ During NYC Snow Storm

Consuelos interrupted his wife to note Gelman was missing in action “for a good reason,” celebrating his father Ron Gelman‘s 90th birthday.

“Happy birthday, Ron Gelman!” the co-hosts exclaimed. “90 years old!”

Ripa went on to share a funny story about Michael’s dad from “the early days of the pandemic” when the Live EP was “shooting [the show] from home” in Florida.

“Once in a while, Ron Gelman would wander behind the sot in his bath robe,” the All My Children actress recalled. “And Ron, if you wanna do that today, if you want to do a FaceTime in, I would love that because I miss that. I have more screen grabs of Ron Gelman in a bath robe than I care to admit.”

Kelly Ripa Hopes to ‘Never Endure Another Blizzard’

While addressing Michael’s whereabouts and discussing the “snow day,” Kelly sarcastically said she was “thrilled that we rushed home from Palm Springs and the 80-degree sunshine.”

“This happens as you said, every 10 years,” Mark shared, as his wife noted: “We’ve been together for every major blizzard that has struck this city.”

The Riverdale actor sweetly added that he hopes they’re “together for a few more.”

Kelly, however, suggested, “May we never endure another blizzard!”

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Slept at a Hotel to Host ‘Live’ During Blizzard

As for how Kelly and Mark made it to the studio to film Live on Monday, the mom-of-three revealed the talk show hosts “spent the night in a hotel.”

“The hotel across the street from the studio. Which, I thought would be an easy commute, but as it turns out, it was a very difficult commute because drudging through the snow [was hard] and the wind was very blustery,” she admitted.

Kelly and Mark weren’t the only stars to make it into the ABC production building, as they were joined by frequent guest Carson Kressley — who arrived using public transportation.

Carson Kressley Drudged Through Snow to Join ‘Live’

“How was it getting here this morning?” Kelly asked the television personality, who replied: “It wasn’t bad. I took the subway. I took the 6 and then, I love New York on a snow day because you can just walk in the middle of the street. So I walked all the way across, I don’t know, Vandam Street or something.

“You didn’t where these shoes? Kelly questioned, seeming concerned as she stared at Carson’s shiny burgundy shoes.

While Carson “did not wear these shoes” when he left the house and “looked so cute,” the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy star only “got two blocks” from his apartment before feeling something “flapping.”

“The sole was flipping under and coming undone because I hadn’t worn them for so long, they had dry rotted in my closet and it was too late to turn back. But fortunately, I had these little babies in my bag,” he explained, pointing to his stylish footwear.

Mark was also worried, asking Carson, “How wet did your feet get?”

“Well, they got wet when the sole was coming off the other pair. I could feel the moisture and I was like, ‘No, no, no, I’m gonna have to sacrifice the Pradas,'” he quipped.

“Oh no!” Kelly exclaimed. “But it looks like they made it fine.”

“They were fine. I just walked the tire tracks the whole way. I gave them a little buff with a paper towel when I got here and, um, that’s why I’m a fashion expert,” Carson concluded.

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