One Ohio audience member got on the wrong side of Kelly Ripa during Monday morning’s episode of Live With Kelly & Mark. The show started innocently enough with a chat about America’s most walkable cities. But when Mark Consuelos mentioned Columbus, Ohio, as one of the top contenders, things got weirdly tense in the studio.
Why? One bold audience member from Ohio decided to throw in a little unfiltered Midwestern sass. While Mark praised Columbus for its walkability (alongside cities like Burlington and Providence), he added that he personally found Ann Arbor more stroll-worthy. That’s when it happened. An audible “thumbs down” gesture from the crowd. Enter Kelly Ripa, who immediately zeroed in.
Without missing a beat, Kelly Ripa spun toward the Ohio resident’s silent protest and called it out like a pro. “Did you just give us the thumbs down, lady? What are you, from Ohio? ” she asked. And sure enough, the woman proudly shouted back, “Columbus!” like she was defending her city’s honor on national television, per EW.
Ohio Woman Defends Her City Streets To Kelly Ripa
To be fair, this wasn’t just a case of overenthusiastic regional pride. The Ohio woman clearly wasn’t here for the Ann Arbor slander. As the crowd laughed and the moment rolled on. However, Kelly couldn’t help but poke a little more fun before wrapping up the segment by reminding everyone she even walks around L.A., a city where nobody walks. But hey, maybe it’s the sidewalks in Ohio that sparked the strongest emotions and Kelly Ripa’s sass.
Let’s also not forget that this audience moment was just the latest in Kelly’s growing highlight reel of crowd callouts. Just last week, she and Mark put a young woman on the spot for using AI to break up with her boyfriend. No cringe behavior is safe when Kelly Ripa’s got a live mic and a sharp eye on the crowd.
So let this be a notice to future audience members. If you plan on repping your hometown like it’s the final round of Family Feud, be ready for Kelly to clock it, and clap back. Whether you’re slamming cities or confessing to robotic breakups, there’s no hiding in the crowd when Ripa’s radar is locked in.
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