Kelly, Albert and Jan: It’s All A Gift!

Summary

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Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa

“Kelly, Albert and Jan: It’s All A Gift!”

Date: December 24, 2025
Guest(s): Albert Bianchini, Jan Chalet, Seth Gronquist, Marco Pollio

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Episode Overview

In this lively holiday episode, Kelly Ripa brings her signature warmth and wit to a behind-the-scenes conversation with friends and colleagues Albert Bianchini, Jan Chalet, and others. The group shares personal anecdotes about gift-giving, family traditions, workplace parties, and the chaos and joy of the holiday season. Topics meander from Hanukkah rituals and covert missions in London to the social politics of workplace holiday parties and the meaning of gratitude. The episode captures the humor, neuroses, and genuine affection among friends — all presented in Kelly’s unfiltered, often hilarious style.

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Key Discussion Points & Memorable Moments

1. Gift-Giving Traditions and Holiday Panic

(Starts ~01:00)

• Self-Gifting Rituals:

  • Kelly shares her system with husband Mark: "I buy a gift for Mark, and then I buy a gift from Mark to me, and then I wrap it, and then I open it, and I watch Mark's face with wonderment as he watches me open the gift that I bought myself from him." [05:37]
  • Jan gives kids scratch-offs for Hanukkah: "I give them scratch offs every day... just a little something while we light the candles." [02:46]

• Holiday Shopping Procrastination:

  • Kelly confesses, "I just started my Christmas shopping. I'm usually done before Thanksgiving... I'm panic stricken." [04:18]
  • Mark’s chill approach: "This year I say we just, we do nothing... We'll just let the holidays be the holidays and we will do nothing." [04:53]
  • Kelly’s retort: "That is easy for the person who does nothing year after year to say!" [05:03]

• Lottery Fantasies:

  • The crew jokes about winning Powerball, with Kelly quipping, "Maybe I'll buy Sirius XM." [03:21]

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2. Navigating Holiday Parties: Sparkle, Slosh, and the Bumbies

(Starts ~16:45)

• Party Atmosphere:

  • Kelly describes hosting a Tuesday night party with “sloshy” guests, sarcastically noting, "The things people say to me when they're drunk. Oh, my God." [19:20]
  • Jan admits she and Seth arrived an hour early and partied in her car with beers. [17:18]

• The Bumbies Experience:

  • Jan explains: "There's two people sitting behind these typewriters... they're covered – ears, sunglasses, mouths... You go up and they just judge you." [17:49]
  • Kelly: “They flash a bright light on you and they give you a reading... based on your appearance.” [18:10]
  • Everyone is amazed at the accuracy: “They were dead spot on.” [18:25]

• Friend Group Games:

  • Albert and Kelly recount their Italian food word game, and how Albert’s perfect pronunciation regularly annoys Mark: “We mostly do that to piss off Mark.” [19:59]

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3. The Covert Mission: Surprise at Lola’s London Show

(Starts ~09:24)

• Surprising Her Daughter:

  • Kelly and Mark secretly attend their daughter Lola’s EP launch in London, despite her requesting they stay away so she wouldn’t be too nervous.
  • “She told us specifically to not come... Why her low key parents would make her nervous as anyone.” [10:13]
  • Their elaborate disguises: “We look like reject cast members from the Peaky Blinders.” [10:34]
  • Lola’s reaction: “We walked in right before her encore... She was floored... and she goes, ‘Iconic.’” [12:34]

• Reflection on Music:

  • Kelly, watching her daughter perform, shares: "I will never cavalierly listen to a record again..." and marvels at the sweat that goes into making music. [14:05]

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4. Office Holiday Politics: The Gift Rejection Saga

(Starts ~25:11)

• Gelman’s Producer Party:

  • Jan: “It’s otherwise known as the Hunger Games... none of it really mattered.” [20:31]
  • Shift from White Elephant to exposed gifts creates drama: “Every gift was laid out that you saw what it was... Lori Shulweiss wins...$500 cash.” [26:00]

• Seth’s Gift Refusal:

  • Seth describes ending up with leftover luggage: "I don't need any luggage situation... We don't have space in our apartment for luggage." [27:09]
  • Seth’s refusal sparks debate about etiquette. Jan insists you must take the gift; Seth holds his ground: “It wasn't a gift that was thought about... not only did I reject it, everybody else rejected it.” [28:33]
  • Kelly reassures Seth: “You are one of the hardest working and most appreciative people that I know... you are not an ingrate.” [30:15]
  • Ultimately, Seth gets a better replacement gift: "It's way more expensive than the original gift." [31:16]
  • Jan: "You turned down a gift, and somehow you won. Like, how does that happen?" [31:34]

• Marco Pollio’s Verdict:

  • Marco sides with Seth: “He didn’t need the luggage and he just, you know, stated what he felt... Parties are one of the reasons why I left. I left the show because of those parties, because the anxiety.” [33:12, 33:28]

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5. Producer Antics and Fond Memories

(Starts ~32:01)

• Oscars Broadcast Behind-the-Scenes:

  • Marco talks about switching careers to medical tech, but rejoices in annual Oscars reunions: "It feels like we never left off... and the conversations are still amazing... it's like family." [33:45]
  • Kelly credits the show's success to producers: "I can't even explain to you how hard our producers work... If it were up to me, I would hire our producers for the Academy Awards." [41:13]

• Italian Food Word Challenge and Drinking Tales:

  • Rapid-fire of food terms ends with “Martini!” [36:42]
  • Marco recounts Albert passing out in a hot tub after too many appletinis: “We look over and Albert passed out. Passed out in the hot tub drinking apple martinis.” [37:38]
  • Kelly: “I'm not even mortified about sleeping. I'm mortified that it was an apple martini.” [37:41]

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6. Family Stories, Food, and Culture

(Starts ~44:25)

• Family Gatherings:

  • Kelly is bundled up for the episode due to a broken heating system at home: "I'm wearing pajamas and a faux fur coat that I got at the Barney's 90% off sale.” [44:30]

• Albert’s Italian Funeral Experience:

  • “Every time we saw each other, [Uncle Frank] would go over and with his pinky ring extended and say, kiss the ring... The next morning, the funeral director had taken off the real ring and gave me the real ring. And I think he was expecting me to give the other ring back. But now I have both rings.” [45:09, 47:11]
  • Kelly: “You thought you were getting no ring and you wound up with two rings.” [47:35]

• Post-Funeral Food Feasts:

  • “Of course [we ate]. Everything you'd expect to be there, it was there... galamad [calamari], mortadel [mortadella], gabagool [capicola].” [48:56–49:21]

• Origins of the “Italian Word Fight”:

  • The group reminisces about how Mark and Albert’s debates over Italian pronunciations sparked a show segment: "The Bensonhurst Spelling Bee was written because Mark and Albert got into such a fight over the way Albert pronounces Italian words." [49:29]
  • Kelly: “Lorraine Bracco said it’s her favorite thing she’s ever done. I was like, really—not Goodfellas? Not The Sopranos?” [49:45]

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7. Coming of Age & Parenting Revelations

(Starts ~49:55)

• Jan’s Son Turns 18:

  • Jan shares that Caden’s 18th birthday prompted her husband to finally recount getting arrested in college.
  • “Glenn proceeded to tell Caden about when he got arrested in college... This is where Luke gets his investment.” [50:23, 51:29]

• Birthday Tributes:

  • Kelly jokes about almost posting an embarrassing comment: "I typed it out, and then I was like, no, I can't, and I deleted it. But I was going to say I was there when they cut off the tip of your penis." [52:04]

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8. Holiday Foods & Italian-American Traditions

(Starts ~52:53)

• Feast of the Seven Fishes:

  • Kelly recalls hating smelts stuffed with carrots as a child: "As little kids, we were just like, oh, you know, it's like, smells. It's a fishy fish." [53:13]
  • Albert notes, “It is really an American tradition. That didn't come over from Italy. It was all of these Italian Americans who created it.” [53:28]

• Garlic in Italian Cuisine:

  • Albert: "Garlic is also a southern Italian thing... Northern Italians don't use garlic in any of their recipes." [54:09]
  • Kelly: “Or if they use garlic, they will put a garlic bulb in whole and pull it out whole.” [54:13]

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Notable Quotes

• On Gift Exchange:

  • Kelly: “That is easy for the person who does nothing year after year to say!” [05:03]
  • Seth: “I didn't go over to pick my gift. There was only one thing left... I just—hey, listen, it's lovely. I just—I'm not gonna...” [26:44, 27:27]
  • Kelly: “You turned down a gift, and somehow you won. Like, how does that happen?” [31:34]

• On Family and Holidays:

  • Kelly: “I will never cavalierly listen to a record again... so much work goes into that.” [14:05]
  • Kelly: "Having you as our listeners is a gift to all of us. And we can't wait to talk off camera with you in the new year." [55:41]

• On the Realities of Family Gatherings:

  • Albert: “Everyone’s yelling and laughing... A lot of people that have vendettas against each other. Why is this bastard in the front row?” [45:45]
  • Kelly: “There's a dead body there. Always ignore, ignore.” [46:09]

• On Italian-American Traditions:

  • Kelly: “Nothing really came over... They're like pulling a trick on us all.” [53:37]

• On Appreciation:

  • Kelly (to Seth): “You are one of the hardest working and most appreciative people that I know... you are not an ingrate.” [30:15]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:00] – Gift-giving traditions; self-gifting
• [09:24] – Kelly's covert London trip to surprise her daughter
• [16:45] – The holiday party and “the Bumbies”
• [25:11] – Producer party and the “Gift Rejection Saga”
• [32:01] – Reconnecting with former producer Marco Pollio
• [44:25] – Albert's family funeral rituals and ring saga
• [49:55] – Jan’s son turns 18; family revelations
• [52:53] – Italian-American holiday food customs
• [54:39] – Reflections, closing sentiments and gratitude

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Final Thoughts

This episode brings listeners into the inner circle of Kelly Ripa’s world, balancing classic family and workplace anecdotes with sharp, relatable humor. The conversations are candid and affectionate, full of the chaos, warmth, and messiness that the holidays bring. Whether discussing the politics of office gifting, the nostalgia of childhood traditions, or the emotional highs of parenthood, the hosts remind us: it’s all a gift.

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Transcript

[Kelly Ripa]

Marshall's buyers are hustling hard to get amazing new gifts into stores right up.

[Jan Chalet]

To the last minute. Like a designer perfume for that friend.

[Kelly Ripa]

Who never RSVP'd wishlist topping toys for.

[Jan Chalet]

Her kids who came too.

[Kelly Ripa]

Belgian chocolates for the neighbor. A cozy scarf for your boss, and a wool jacket for your husband that.

[Jan Chalet]

You definitely did not.

[Kelly Ripa]

Almost forget. Marshalls, we get the deals. You gift the good stuff, even at the last minute. Whew. Find a Marshall's near you. You know you've hit that stage in life when a new fridge or dishwasher actually excites you. And honestly, same here. I didn't think I'd geek out over appliances until I saw what a Bosch can do. Their fridge with Vitafresh drawers keep food so fresh. And the Bosch dishwashers with crystal dry. They get your dishes dry, even plastics, so your dishes can go from dishwasher to cabinet. Upgrade your kitchen with Bosch appliances.

[Jan Chalet]

Do you guys buy gifts for each other or only the kids?

[Kelly Ripa]

So what we do is I buy a gift from Mark, and then I buy a gift from Mark to me, and then I watch. I wrap it, and then I open it, and I watch Mark's face with wonderment as he watches me open the gift that I bought myself from him. So good. Somebody gonna cue me or do I cue myself? Cue yourself. Okay, we are going to end the fun now. The fun stops now. No, no. Hey. We are back with another episode. Hi, everyone. Hi, Tom. With another live episode of let's Talk off camera. We're gonna get talking. I just want to point out that for the record, nobody. Nobody in this here podcast tonight took an edible.

[Jan Chalet]

At least not that they know him.

[Kelly Ripa]

But what I walked into, possibly a.

[Albert Bianchini]

Pot brownie may have been served.

[Jan Chalet]

He served brownies. He did serve brownies.

[Kelly Ripa]

He did serve brownies, but they're olive oil brownies. They are not marijuana or olvia or Olivia. I don't know what that game was that I walked into, but it is not right. And I loved every second of it. Jan, happy Hanukkah.

[Albert Bianchini]

Happy Hanukkah.

[Jan Chalet]

Thank you. Happy holidays to you guys.

[Kelly Ripa]

Happy Hanukkah to all of our Jewish listeners. It is this second night. Second night of Hanukkah.

[Albert Bianchini]

Second night.

[Kelly Ripa]

Second night of Hanukkah. Jan, what happens on the second night of Hanukkah?

[Jan Chalet]

We light a candle and we give more gifts.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, more gifts. Now, are there. Are these big ticket gifts, or are they, like, smaller gifts building up to the big gift or what?

[Jan Chalet]

So when the kids were young, you would do a nice gift for each night. But now that they're older, it's usually one or two just big gifts and that's it. We call it a day. I give them scratch offs every day.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, that's great.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah, just a little something while we light the candles.

[Kelly Ripa]

I bet Luke loves that. A scrap. He's a gambler.

[Albert Bianchini]

Did I get a billion dollar powerball ticket this time?

[Jan Chalet]

No, we didn't get. We forgot to get it. But now I'm happy we didn't get.

[Kelly Ripa]

It because Wednesday night is the, the next one. Next one?

[Jan Chalet]

That's the one we'll win.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, that's the one.

[Jan Chalet]

That's the one we're going to win.

[Kelly Ripa]

But we have to go to like a, a Circle K or a, a gas station nobody's ever heard of in like Arkansas.

[Albert Bianchini]

Let's do it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Like that's where we have to go. That's. It's always. The winner is always from someplace totally unexpected.

[Albert Bianchini]

What's the first thing you're buying with that billion dollar ticket?

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, maybe I'll buy Sirius xm.

[Albert Bianchini]

I love it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right?

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

Just, just when they thought they got out, I pull them back in.

[Albert Bianchini]

I mean, I was going for more of like a car or a piece of jewelry.

[Kelly Ripa]

Piece of jewelry. Yes. I saw, I've been looking at a watch that I found that I think is nice, but it's for my daughter, not for myself.

[Albert Bianchini]

Well, she deserves it.

[Kelly Ripa]

She does.

[Albert Bianchini]

We'll get to why she deserves it.

[Kelly Ripa]

To why she deserves it. We have so much to get into listeners. A lot has been going on. I want everyone to know if you are like me, which is not like me, I'm, I'm unlike myself this year. I just started my Christmas shopping. I just started. I'm usually done before Thanksgiving. And I just began. You know, it's been one of those crazy years. I think we can all agree we've all had a lot going on. There's been a lot going on just in all of our lives, personally and professionally, and I have not had a moment. And today was the first day that I started Christmas shopping, which is sending a panic through my entire body. I'm panic stricken.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah, yeah, that would freak me out.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, I'm totally freaked out. I'm totally freaked out. Fortunately, Mark said something to me that was so remarkable. Maybe you'll relate to it, maybe you won't. He goes, this year I say we just, we do nothing, okay? We'll just let the holidays be the holidays and we will do nothing. Okay. And I was like, that is easy for the person who does nothing year after year to say. Right? But if the person who does everything suddenly does not, then there will be disappointed children, nieces and nephews, parents and siblings. That will be like, what happened this year? But Mark feels like he should continue the tradition of doing nothing and drag me into also doing nothing.

[Jan Chalet]

Wait, do you guys buy gifts for each other or only the kids? So we.

[Kelly Ripa]

What we do is I buy a gift for Mark, and then I buy a gift from. From Mark to me, and then I watch as I wrap. I wrap it, and then I open it, and I watch Mark's face with wonderment as he watches me open the gift that I bought myself from him. Because he's dying to see. He's dying to see what it is.

[Albert Bianchini]

I love it.

[Jan Chalet]

We only get for the kids. That's how we. Yeah. For Hanukkah. We've always done that.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

Makes it a little bit easier. A little bit easier.

[Albert Bianchini]

We buy for the dog, but Kyle and I buy for each other.

[Kelly Ripa]

But this year, we've decided. Mark and I, we've decided to liberate me from buying gifts for us.

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh.

[Kelly Ripa]

So, okay. So he. So I'm not getting him anything, and I'm not getting myself anything on his behalf. So that's two. That's two off the table.

[Albert Bianchini]

That's funny.

[Kelly Ripa]

Which is good.

[Albert Bianchini]

I have a whole spreadsheet every year that I get very stressed out about. And this year, I think it was something you said about Black Friday. And I'm like, I'm just going to buy a bunch of things. And I finally, for the first time, bought Christmas gifts on Black Friday. And then I stopped and did nothing for three more weeks.

[Kelly Ripa]

You know, there used to be this great shop in Telluride, Colorado, and I used to the day after Christmas, because they would have, like. Like a 99% off sale. And what I would do is I would go in there the day after Christmas and buy everything for next Christmas.

[Marco Pollio]

Right.

[Kelly Ripa]

And that was really great.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah, no, it's intense. I mean, in New Yorkers, too, you have all the people that they're building that work there, and you have to, like, tip all these people.

[Kelly Ripa]

I rem the stress of living in a building. And then you see. You see names appear on that, that you're like, envelope. And I'm like, who's this? I've never heard of this.

[Albert Bianchini]

I'm convinced that they've created people just so they could split that up.

[Kelly Ripa]

I. I believe you. I think there's something to that. I think there are or there's ancillary people that suddenly appear. Never heard right before. You've lived in the same building for how long?

[Albert Bianchini]

Right? Never. I've been there since 2008, and I swear, there's half the people on that list. I have no idea who they are.

[Kelly Ripa]

When did Fran Leibowitz move in?

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh, so Fran Leibowitz moved in my building, and I saw her in the lobby for the first time and thought, no, she's here visiting someone. And then the doorman said, no, she lives here. She moved in wearing the cowboy boots, wearing the sport coat and the jeans. And I was telling Kelly, you've never attended a board meeting until you've sat behind Fran Leibowitz at a board meeting. It's one of the best things on the planet.

[Kelly Ripa]

I just want you to videotape it and send me. Because I, like. As you said, she's like, has a reaction to everything.

[Albert Bianchini]

Everything. Because there's obnoxious people. And you know what I would do instead?

[Seth Gronquist]

Oh, my God.

[Albert Bianchini]

Throws her arms up in the air. It's the best.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's. So what was this year? There was something you were telling me. Oh, yeah, it's something about a bench.

[Albert Bianchini]

Or a. Oh, my God. Oh. So, yeah, so there's a new bench that's appeared. So New York, I guess, has this new law that if there's a bus stop, there now needs to, by law, be a bench outside of that bus stop. So our building has a bus stop directly in front of it. And now there's a bench to the right of our building entrance, and everyone's lost their mind. So some lady said that she petitioned to the MTA to move the entire bus stop up one block just to get rid of the bench, and Fran lost it. Moving the bus stop a whole block just to get rid of the bench.

[Kelly Ripa]

Love it so much. I just, like, I've had. I've had fantasies of moving into your building just so I could bump into.

[Albert Bianchini]

You have to come next year to the. To the meeting. To the condo meeting and just sit there.

[Kelly Ripa]

Is it. Can you bring a guest?

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes. Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

Amazing.

[Jan Chalet]

Okay, I want to talk about your holiday party, but before that, I need to hear everything that happened this weekend because you had a covert mission, Major. Yes, we had a covert mission.

[Kelly Ripa]

So my daughter's ep. Sorry, it's all about me. Launched. And she had a launch party in London. Hello, London.

[Seth Gronquist]

Hola.

[Kelly Ripa]

And she performed at this club called the Lower Third, which Mark and I kept telling our cab Driver that it's called the lower 13th. And we drove around for quite some time looking for the. But fortunately we were looking for the lower 13th. It was the lower third. But because Mark likes to be everywhere an hour early, we had plenty of time to drive around the block several times. But we get there and we get there and Jem, her manager, comes out and sort of stops us before we walk in. And she goes. The stage is immediately to the left.

[Jan Chalet]

Cause you're surprising.

[Kelly Ripa]

Because she has no idea we're coming.

[Jan Chalet]

We've flown you not to come.

[Kelly Ripa]

She told us specifically to not come. She said, if you come, I'll be too nervous. And I just want to like, rip the band aid off and start performing. And I don't need my parents there making me nervous. Why her low key parents would make her nervous as anyone.

[Albert Bianchini]

Low key.

[Kelly Ripa]

So anyway, we went and we bought hats. And at like, I think it's called Block and Company, we bought hats at this hat shop in London. And we look like reject cast members from the Peaky Blinders. We look like two dudes rolling up in our trench coats and newsboy caps circa Peaky Blinders. And we're standing out by the ticket, like the ticket lady, we're standing out by there. And I take my phone and I wrap it around the corner. So it's sort of like it's off to the side of the stage. And my fear was that she would see my hand and recognize it because she makes fun of my elderly hand. And so my fear was that she's going to say, oh, my God, is that my elderly mother? Like a new song.

[Albert Bianchini]

I know that hand.

[Kelly Ripa]

Anyway, she crushed it. It was amazing. The crowd was so alive. You know, she had some friends in the audience for sure, but she had a lot of, like, people that just listened to her music and that came and she sold out of her merch. Wow. Which was crazy. And I wanted. I thought I would. You know, I'm like, I'm going to get in line and buy some merch so that you always buy merch and I'll have a T shirt. Merch was sold out. And she really. She was shocked when she saw us because we walked in right before she. She did two encore songs and. And then we walked in and she was floored on the stage. She was still on stage. She was still on stage. She had just taken her curtain call and she was. She was hysterical because she thought. We just walked in. And I said, you were incredible. And she goes, oh, my God, did you. I can't remember what she said? She was like, did you? She goes, were you there? Were you there? As if I wasn't here. Were you there? I go, I've been here the whole time. And she goes, iconic.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

And then. And then she. And then they got her to sing one more encore song and. And then I was able to actually come into the room and see it, and it was great.

[Jan Chalet]

I love that you got there without her knowing. I mean, you were planning that for a while.

[Kelly Ripa]

We were planning it for a month. And what was so funny was that our hotel, unbeknownst to us, is directly across the street from where her boyfriend works. Oh, funny. So we were truly in disguise, I think, the hotel.

[Albert Bianchini]

He didn't know either.

[Kelly Ripa]

He had no idea. He had no idea. We told no one. We told no one.

[Jan Chalet]

That's so fun.

[Kelly Ripa]

I mean, the only way you can keep a secret between two people is if one of them is dead. And Mark and I did not kill each other. We decided to not kill each other.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's cool that you're standing in that club and you're. I mean, you're watching all these people lose their shit over her and she sounds amazing and they knew all the.

[Kelly Ripa]

Words to the song and. And it was like a sing along. It was really incredible. And for me, I said, I will never cavalierly listen to a record again. Because for two years, watching my daughter sort of labor over this EP and really work so hard and so tirelessly and forget, like, the years of education that went into it, like her going to school for music and her really, like, being in the production side of things. And then just the years of writing, you know, going into the studio and writing at all hours and recording. And she got Covid, you know, during one of the sessions. And like, all of it, just all of it. I will never cavalierly listen to music again. Now I listen to music and I'm like, oh, my God. So much work goes in. So much work goes into that.

[Jan Chalet]

I like what you said to her. She was, like, nervous and texting. It was the Wednesday before. And you were just talking to her about being prepared. Yeah, like, that was really cool.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, because that was the thing. I was like, you have been preparing for this. She rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed. She really rehearsed. She had. She booked rehearsal. Rehearsal sessions with her band. And they went in and they like mapped it all out. And they mapped out, like, what if they want an encore? What if, you know, should we do a cover of a song that People love and. And they did all of that, and they really worked it over and over again. And I said to her, I was like, you are prepared. You've done everything in your power that you can control. The rest of it is just up to, like, good luck, good fortune, and, you know, if JetBlue gets your parents there sometime.

[Jan Chalet]

How was the travel this time? Did you guys have any snafus?

[Kelly Ripa]

No. It was heaven. Wow. That JetBlue flight to London is.

[Albert Bianchini]

I didn't get a menu this time.

[Kelly Ripa]

You know what? I'm sorry. I should have sent you a menu.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah, I always get it. Anytime Kelly travels on a plane, I.

[Kelly Ripa]

Insist on a picture of the. I. I forgot to send you the photo of the menu. Like usual, I did not eat anything except I. On the way home, I had the scone and the pizza.

[Albert Bianchini]

Well, that. You said that pizza is good pizza. The JetBlue pizza.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jet Blue pizza in a box. It is. I know it's gonna sound crazy. It sounds crazy. It sounds crazy. They offered it to Mark, and then they came up to me and they said, mark refused the pizza. And I said, give it to me. And I walked back to his seat because we weren't seated near each other. And I took the pizza and I said, we're giving him this pizza. And I stood in front of him, and he goes. And he was watching something, and he goes, no, no, no. And I go, no, no. I go, pause, pause. I go, you have to have the JetBlue Margherita Pizza. A margherita margarita.

[Albert Bianchini]

No pepperoni.

[Kelly Ripa]

No pepperoni. It is delicious. I don't know what they do to it. It's delicious.

[Albert Bianchini]

Wow.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes. Okay. So where are we going? Holiday party from London.

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh, yes. Holiday party.

[Kelly Ripa]

So did you guys, like, especially. Speaking of pizza. Pizza. Crazy Pizza.

[Albert Bianchini]

Pizza. Pizza.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Fun.

[Jan Chalet]

It was so fun. Like, it was so fun.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was so weird for us to, like, throw a holiday party on a Tuesday night from 6 to 8. Yeah, it was wild. I was like, are we really doing this?

[Albert Bianchini]

But it's so dark at that hour anyway that it felt like a nighttime party.

[Kelly Ripa]

It felt like a nighttime party. We said, next year we're going to do a brunch. We're gonna do brunch after work.

[Jan Chalet]

Seth and I got there an hour early and we sat in my car. We went to the bodega and got beers and drank in the car.

[Kelly Ripa]

You could have just come in and just drank in the car.

[Jan Chalet]

No, but the meter didn't change until it.

[Kelly Ripa]

I see, I see. I understand.

[Jan Chalet]

So we just sat in the front seat with open bottles. Not getting arrested.

[Kelly Ripa]

I love that. I love that.

[Albert Bianchini]

It was a fun party. People were festive. There were some really cool. There's a lot of sequence that was around.

[Kelly Ripa]

What did you think of the bumbies?

[Jan Chalet]

They were incredible. First of all, it's so funny. So do you want to describe them?

[Kelly Ripa]

I mean, will you describe them?

[Jan Chalet]

So you walk up and there's two people sitting behind these typewriters and they have. They're covered. I mean, their ears are covered. They're wearing sunglasses, their mouths are covered. You don't see their faces.

[Kelly Ripa]

They're fully masked. They're wearing bandanas over the lower half of their mask. Sunglasses and wigs.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah. And you just go. You go up and you stand in front of them and then they just judge you.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, what they do is they take a light and they flash like. They flash a bright light on you and they look at you and then they give you a reading of what they think about you based on their. Your appearance.

[Jan Chalet]

And they were like, dead on it, everybody.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was wild. They were dead spot on.

[Jan Chalet]

It was really fun.

[Kelly Ripa]

Amazing. I highly recommend the Bumbees. If you're throwing a party and you want something that, like, you know what was. Of course, the craziest thing is Kyle and Albert walk in and Kyle goes, are those the Bumbies? And I was like, wait, you've heard of this?

[Albert Bianchini]

Of course he has.

[Kelly Ripa]

Of course he has.

[Marco Pollio]

Right.

[Albert Bianchini]

And did he get a reading? I don't know if we were both really too busy talking to everybody.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's your problem.

[Jan Chalet]

There was a lot of drinking going on.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, yes, a lot of drinking. I thought because it was 6 o' clock on a turkey tank. I thought because it was six o' clock o' clock on a Tuesday, people would be less sloshy than bef, you know, than the Friday nights at the. You know, the good old days. But no, people were sloshy. Sloshy, sloshy. The things people say to me when they're drunk. Oh, my God, it is so wild. Wild.

[Jan Chalet]

It is. It is wild. There was some. There were some funny things going on and it was the. The food was great, too.

[Kelly Ripa]

Food is excellent. And. And so imagine my surprise when you and Albert are playing your Italian word game, saying Italian words to each other. It's saying Italian food words to each other. And Albert has perfect pronunciation.

[Albert Bianchini]

Ristorante tartufo.

[Kelly Ripa]

Because Albert and I are standing in line together and he goes, kel, are you going to have some barat? And the guy goes, you want Baratha? And I looked at him and I go, you are such an asshole.

[Albert Bianchini]

But we mostly do that to piss off Mark.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes, but Mark wasn't there.

[Albert Bianchini]

Mark wasn't there. But we've gotten into a groove, so we like to piss him off.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes. Yeah.

[Albert Bianchini]

I love it.

[Kelly Ripa]

So how was Gelman's party last night? Which we missed because Gelman had this, like. I don't know about you guys when you were invited, but I was invited a week ago, and we already had, like, a long standing dinner reservation with people that were coming in from California.

[Jan Chalet]

Well, the Gelman party is traditionally like, the immediate. Immediate staff.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Jan Chalet]

And it's otherwise known as the Hunger Games. Right, The Hunger Games. It is. It is the Hunger Games, because traditionally we have to play all these games to make a pecking order and then do this crazy white elephant game. So it's like none of it really mattered to begin with.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Jan Chalet]

But the thing with the white elephant is it got nasty some years, like, people got mad.

[Kelly Ripa]

People I know, like, I used to like, because he. He would only invite me to the 7pm hour, and I'm like, I'm not coming. If. If I'm like, I'm the executive producer of this show, and if I can't come to the producer's portion, then I'm not coming. So then he started begrudgingly inviting me to the. He's like, I just feel like the producers would be more comfortable without you there. And I'm like, why? So they can shit talk me? Is that what's going on? Is that what you do? He's like, no, but they have. We play games, and I'm like, I'm a good game player. I will play.

[Jan Chalet]

You have played with us.

[Kelly Ripa]

I have played. And I'm a very. I'm a worthy. Yes.

[Jan Chalet]

So the first game that we had to play was we were divided into teams, and there was a game of Cornhole, which Ashley, our Ashley, participated in. She crushed it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yep.

[Jan Chalet]

But Laurie Chaff beat her, but she crashed it. And then you were assigned points. And then it became this weird game of Celebrity where he had to do, like, clues to figure out who the celebrity was. Then you had to mimic them and do charades, and it got interesting, but there was no white elephant. And I want to tell you about what happened with Seth when we come back from here.

[Kelly Ripa]

We have to take a break. We have to take a break. I want to hear about what happens.

[Jan Chalet]

And we need to know if you think I'm right or he's right.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, it's between my two children. Oh my God. All right, we're going to take a break. We'll be back in a minute. We're going to hear about the rest of the Gilman Fiesta. Stick around, Struggling to see up close. Make it visible with Viz. VIZ is a once daily prescription eye drop to treat blurry near vision for up to 10 hours. The most common side effects that may be experienced while using Viz include eye irritation, temporary dim or dark vision, headaches and eye redness. Talk to an eye doctor to learn if VIZ is right for you. Learn [e-mail] ag1 is the daily health drink that combines your multivitamin, pre and probiotics, superfoods and antioxidants into one simple green scoop. It's one of the easiest things you can do to support your body every day. This time of year, it's more important than ever to be proactive about supporting your immune health. We all know that heading into the holidays it can be hard to maintain a balanced diet and give your body the nutrients it needs. I love that AG1 Next Gen contains more vitamins and minerals than ever before, and it's clinically shown to fill common nutrient gaps. And the Pre probiotics in AG1 also help support your gut health and digestion. For a few weeks now, I've been drinking it first thing in the morning before my coffee and I've noticed a huge difference. I have more energy and it lasts all day long. My typical 3pm slums have completely disappeared. I started with the original flavor, which I must add is delicious. I'm now trying their berry flavor, also delicious. And get this, AG1 has their best offer ever. If you head to drinkag1.comoffcamera, you'll get a welcome kit, a morning person hat, a bottle of vitamin D3K2, an AG1 flavor sampler, and you'll get to try their new sleep supplement AGZ for free, which been a game changer for my nightly routine. That's drinkag1.comoffcamera for $126 in free gifts for new subscribers. L.L. bean Flannel has been part of the holidays for over a century. Cozy, reliable and made to last. It's the shirt you wear when you pick out your tree and when you're home relaxing with a warm cup of tea. And it's the one you wear in the family photo where somehow everyone's matching without even trying to. For me, nothing captures that classic holiday feel like a flannel. It's Such an easy way to look. Instantly festive. Go check out L.L. bean Flannel. Invited to the holidays since 1912. Okay, we are back. If you're just joining us, we are back with another live episode of let's Talk Off Camera. We're going to get to a caller in a second. We have a very special caller waiting on. Very special. And what is happening now is Jan Chalet is taking us inside the Gelman producer party, which over the years has caused more strife and more agony. I've never seen. It's the. Would you say. Would you say it's the opposite of my party?

[Jan Chalet]

It was the opposite, but it's traditionally a great party. No, you say it's a great party.

[Kelly Ripa]

But it's the opposite. Right, but my party is for everyone that works on the show. Gelman is like. He's like, some of you will come to the party, and some of you will not be invited. And some of you will only be invited past 7pm no, it was. And you will only be allowed to stay 40 minutes max.

[Jan Chalet]

But here's what happened this year, okay? So typically, it's a white elephant. So then you go pick a gift, unwrap it. Someone can steal it, or pick another one. This time, every gift was laid out that you saw what it was, so you Knew it was $150 gift card. You knew it was an iPad. You knew what it was, right? Okay, so now we have this pecking order, and Lori Shulweiss wins, and she goes over and takes the $500 cash.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, yeah, that's not fair.

[Jan Chalet]

That's not fair, but whatever. So now we're going down the line.

[Kelly Ripa]

But you can't steal her cash.

[Jan Chalet]

You can't steal it. You can't steal it. It's just now in order.

[Kelly Ripa]

But if I know Gelman something, there's gonna be trickery. There's gonna be trickery.

[Jan Chalet]

There wasn't.

[Kelly Ripa]

He's gonna say, everybody pass your gift to the left.

[Jan Chalet]

No, no, no, no, no. Wasn't like that.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay.

[Jan Chalet]

This time we just pick it. So now Seth, who is kind of at the bottom of the barrel, per usual, goes over to pick his gift. Okay, and what happened?

[Seth Gronquist]

I just want to say, unequivocally, working at this show is a gift.

[Kelly Ripa]

It is a gift in itself.

[Seth Gronquist]

It is a wonderful gift.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes.

[Seth Gronquist]

I didn't go over to pick my gift. There was only one thing left.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay.

[Seth Gronquist]

Okay.

[Kelly Ripa]

So you went over to pick up your package. Yeah.

[Seth Gronquist]

Yes. And I also want to say that there's kind of A tradition of what some may construe as gift rejection, if you will. It can be presented that way.

[Kelly Ripa]

But anyway, I understand.

[Seth Gronquist]

So to get to the point, I've.

[Kelly Ripa]

Been to the party, I've seen it play out.

[Seth Gronquist]

It's a very lovely, nice, functional, stylish. Stylish. Large.

[Jan Chalet]

Very large.

[Seth Gronquist]

Large luggage situation.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay.

[Seth Gronquist]

I don't need any luggage situation.

[Kelly Ripa]

What if you have to go somewhere?

[Seth Gronquist]

We don't have space in our apartment for luggage.

[Kelly Ripa]

What if you have to hide a body?

[Seth Gronquist]

And as I said, working at the show is a gift. The Christmas party is a gift.

[Albert Bianchini]

Alitalia.

[Seth Gronquist]

Grateful. I'm already grateful for everything. And so I. I guess I just. Hey, listen, it's lovely. I just. I'm not gonna.

[Jan Chalet]

What did you say to Galman?

[Seth Gronquist]

Thank you very much. This is so generous and lovely. This just isn't something that I need.

[Jan Chalet]

He rejected the gift.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, then what happened? And then what happened?

[Albert Bianchini]

Turn to send it.

[Seth Gronquist]

Then it was pleasant, and I accidentally then knocked it over. And then I put it back up quietly. And we, you know, we said our goodbyes and we left and we got.

[Jan Chalet]

In the car, and I said to Seth, here we go. This is what you do when someone gives you a gift. You just take it. You can shove it in the back of my car, you can do whatever you want with it, but you just say thank you and you take it. You don't tell them, I don't want your gift. Right. And Seth disagrees with me.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, Seth. Okay, so here's Seth has a space problem in his house, and you explain that. Correct?

[Seth Gronquist]

Yes. And also, if I may, this wasn't a gift that was thought about.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, no, no. This was just a gift.

[Seth Gronquist]

It was the end of the line. And. And not only did I reject it, everybody else.

[Kelly Ripa]

Everybody else rejected it.

[Seth Gronquist]

Rejected it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Seth Gronquist]

So it wasn't like he thought of me in this gift and I said no to that gift. I just, you know, politely. Oh, God.

[Jan Chalet]

You said no. And he used the line of, it's just a gift to work here, Tim.

[Albert Bianchini]

Which it is.

[Kelly Ripa]

Which it is.

[Albert Bianchini]

Which it is.

[Kelly Ripa]

Lovely.

[Jan Chalet]

But, Kelly, you would have just taken the gift and either put it in the back of the car or, by the way, I accidentally left it at your house. Like, I just, like, walked out and I forgot to take it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right, right. I forgot to take it.

[Jan Chalet]

But you say, thank you, but I don't want your gift. Like, do you.

[Kelly Ripa]

Here's the thing. I don't think he said thank you. I don't want your gift. I Think what he said. The way he explained it is, you understand, I've got Fozzie. There's little kid shit everywhere. I have no space in my apartment. And by the way, you indicated that you need a raise because your apartment is small.

[Seth Gronquist]

I've been indicating.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes. That's a good.

[Seth Gronquist]

There's a history of rejecting these gifts.

[Kelly Ripa]

There's a lack of space. Right. There's a lack of space. If only I had more space. If only we could. If only there was a spare room to put all of the gifts I've had to reject.

[Seth Gronquist]

I once won a ring with a ring camera. We don't have a porch.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right, Exactly.

[Seth Gronquist]

That's another rejective.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Jan Chalet]

Okay, but, Albert, you would have taken it.

[Kelly Ripa]

You wouldn't have.

[Jan Chalet]

You wouldn't have said no.

[Albert Bianchini]

I would have left it outside in one of the New York City garbage cans, but I would have taken it.

[Kelly Ripa]

I would have said no.

[Jan Chalet]

I have a problem. Problem saying no. And then I got in his head.

[Kelly Ripa]

On the way home, and it bothered him.

[Jan Chalet]

But Kim and Kim agreed with me.

[Kelly Ripa]

Let me absolve. I'm gonna absolve you of your worry. I think that you are fine. And I think the way you. The. You are one of the hardest working and most appreciative people that I know. And I know that you sat up agonizing all night because Kim and Jan got into your head and told you you were an ingrate. But you're not an ingrate. You're a very grateful person. Now, here's what happened, okay?

[Jan Chalet]

Today, we're still arguing about it, okay? The show's going on, and I'm saying to him. Or it was in between shows today, I'm saying to him, I really still think you should have just taken it. I think it's rude. I think it's rude. Okay, that is my point. And then Gelman comes over, who's obviously very upset and bothered by the fact that he didn't take this gift and please do.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, he's upset about it.

[Jan Chalet]

He was just, like. He felt bad.

[Seth Gronquist]

It all turned out for the best.

[Jan Chalet]

What did he do?

[Seth Gronquist]

I did end up getting another lovely gift.

[Kelly Ripa]

What did he give you?

[Seth Gronquist]

Which is going to be a gift for my wife, so I can't say what it is, but I'm gonna. So I'm gonna re. Gift it. But it's a good enough gift that's gonna stay in the family.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, great.

[Jan Chalet]

It is way more expensive than the original gift.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, so you got a better gift?

[Seth Gronquist]

It's a one. They're both wonderful gifts. Working at the show is a wonderful gift.

[Kelly Ripa]

We got it.

[Seth Gronquist]

So many gifts.

[Kelly Ripa]

We got it. You love the show. It's great.

[Albert Bianchini]

Like, he won.

[Jan Chalet]

Like, he got just as good as a gift, as, like, I would say, Laurie Schilweiss.

[Kelly Ripa]

Really?

[Jan Chalet]

And I was like, wow, you turned down a gift, and somehow you won. Like, how does that happen?

[Kelly Ripa]

Winner. Winner. You know what you should say, Jan? You should say to Gelman, you know, I was so upset for you that Seth rejected your incredible gift of luggage, and I'm taking a trip.

[Jan Chalet]

I already got luggage the year before.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, I'm just trying. I just want everyone to win. Should we go to Marco Pollio?

[Albert Bianchini]

Let's hear about. He's been to these parties.

[Kelly Ripa]

Marco Pollio can give us insight. Marco Puglia is a producer of ours who has fled. He's fled. One of the few producers to escape, but he keeps coming back.

[Jan Chalet]

We bring him back for Oscars.

[Kelly Ripa]

We do. We bring him back for Oscars. He's like. He's like the herpes of producers coming back at least once a year. And he lives in Florida now. He's a beautiful life, a gorgeous family, and we're so happy for him, and we're happy to have him on the line. Hey, Marco.

[Marco Pollio]

Hey. How are you guys? Quite. Quite the introduction as being the herpes of. I'm gonna put that on my IMDb account.

[Albert Bianchini]

Your Instagram bio.

[Marco Pollio]

Herpes. Yeah, I like that one.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, you know how. You know, we love you, Marco. Give us your insights. Who's right, Jan or Seth?

[Seth Gronquist]

Marco.

[Jan Chalet]

Marco, Come on, Marco, you would have never.

[Marco Pollio]

I. I know Seth really well, and he is very appreciative of it, but he's an honest guy, and he didn't need the luggage, and he just, you know, stated what he felt.

[Jan Chalet]

What would you have done?

[Marco Pollio]

I would have declined. Definitely 100%. I wouldn't have taken it.

[Albert Bianchini]

I don't agree.

[Jan Chalet]

I call BS on.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, I. I don't call BS on that. I believe Marco's being honest.

[Marco Pollio]

Yeah, I mean, I agree with such decision. You know, parties are one of the reasons why I left. I left the show because of those parties, because the anxiety.

[Albert Bianchini]

How much do you miss us? So how much do you miss us on a scale of 1 to 10?

[Marco Pollio]

I mean, I've been listening to you guys for a half an hour in the car driving home from work, and just. It feels. We never left off. It feels like you know, 10 years ago. And the conversations are still amazing. And it just feels good to hear all you guys and you know, I miss you guys a lot. And I, I love you guys and I love seeing you every, every year during the Oscars. And it's like family. Yeah, we miss you 25 years.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Marco Pollio]

So tell us with you guys, what.

[Kelly Ripa]

Are you working on right now? Give us the four. One, one.

[Marco Pollio]

I work in the medtech space now, so I do videos for medical technology, life saving devices, catheters, implants. So we do a lot of conferences. We have a docu series that we went around the world and highlighted all these high level med tech companies. The host of the show is like the Anthony Bourdain of medical technology. So we get to go to Israel. We went to. Yeah, we've been to Germany. Just kind of highlighting the. The latest technology in. In the medical industry. So completely different from reality, but very rewarding.

[Kelly Ripa]

What's the best. What's the best device on the market right now? Would you say, like, what blew your mind?

[Marco Pollio]

We're robotics. We're like more like surgery. Robotics, Implants, catheters. There's like technology that implants into your brain that can reduce the risk of stroke. Yeah. There's just so many devices. I don't have one. Off the top of my head.

[Kelly Ripa]

I got excited when you said implants. I assumed breast implants. Tell me about the new technology in breast implants.

[Marco Pollio]

Yeah, the BBL Microbot is my favorite. And that's kind of the one where it looks.

[Kelly Ripa]

All right. I don't know. Did you hear this game that Seth and Albert were playing? The Italian food game?

[Marco Pollio]

Yeah, I heard about it.

[Kelly Ripa]

So do you. Do you think you could play this game?

[Marco Pollio]

I could, yeah. My dad's from the rapid fire.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay. It's.

[Marco Pollio]

I don't do the Albert Sicilian thing. I don't do the.

[Albert Bianchini]

Come on, come on.

[Jan Chalet]

Rapid fire.

[Kelly Ripa]

So. Okay, so, all right, so who wants.

[Jan Chalet]

Callie starts, then Albert.

[Kelly Ripa]

Albert. I want it to be two people going back and forth. It's like a. It's like a match. You and Marco go. So go.

[Marco Pollio]

Prosciutto, burata. Semolina.

[Albert Bianchini]

Gelato.

[Marco Pollio]

Body.

[Kelly Ripa]

I'm gonna say something right now. I don't think it's fair. Albert has his computer out and he's reading. He's reading Italian food off of his screen.

[Albert Bianchini]

Marco, I'm gonna let. Let's end it on one word that we love in common. You know, it starts with an M and we could say it together. Are you ready?

[Marco Pollio]

1, 2, 3. Martini.

[Albert Bianchini]

Martini.

[Marco Pollio]

Can I just tell a quick story about Albert and a martini?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes, please tell us.

[Marco Pollio]

So we were at an unnamed producer's house in. In South Jersey. One year, she invited us out for. For the summertime. And we go out there and, you know, get pretty sauced up and hang out and have a good time. And Albert shows up, and she had a hot tub. And Albert showed up, and he was trying to be smooth and cool, drinking his apple martinis. And he had probably two or three sitting in the hot tub. And we look over and Albert passed out. Passed out in the hot tub drinking apple martinis. So we pet. Wake him up and get him out of the hot tub. And, you know, that was. That was, I think, the last time that I drank with Albert because he.

[Kelly Ripa]

Literally passed out in the hot tub.

[Marco Pollio]

In the hot tub. Albert. Am I lying?

[Albert Bianchini]

No, you're not lying. But the worst part of the story is that I was drinking an apple martini. I'm not even mortified about sleeping. I'm mortified that it was an apple martini.

[Kelly Ripa]

Where did you procure?

[Albert Bianchini]

I used to drink apple martinis. That's right.

[Kelly Ripa]

I forgot about back when you were on Sex and the City.

[Albert Bianchini]

I did.

[Marco Pollio]

Oh, boy.

[Albert Bianchini]

I don't. I did not forget about that. And it's the only other time that I've fallen asleep while drinking or eating. And that was a really mortifying. Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

What did you eat?

[Marco Pollio]

Do you remember the time that I made more. Oh, he didn't eat anything. He just straight drank the whole time.

[Albert Bianchini]

No, but another time at Florent, at three in the morning, I fell asleep eating a cheeseburger story. Marco wasn't there for that.

[Marco Pollio]

You remember when we made the martinis on air for Kelly and Ryan and I. Oh, yes.

[Albert Bianchini]

Right.

[Jan Chalet]

Oh, yeah.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

Ryan couldn't handle it. Right.

[Marco Pollio]

My God, could he?

[Kelly Ripa]

Could Ryan handle it?

[Marco Pollio]

You both sipped it and you were like, disgusting, and Albert had to go remake them.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. Yeah. But I think, Marco, you're like the.

[Albert Bianchini]

Mary Lou Henner of food when it comes to life, remembering situations.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was. It was December 4th.

[Jan Chalet]

It was raining yesterday.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was a Wednesday at 9. Yeah. That's the thing. People don't realize. Like on our show, the people expect us to drink martinis at like, 9:18 in the morning. And they're like, come on, Kel. I'm like, come on, Kel. It's 9:18. You drink. You. You first have a dirty martini and then let me know how you feel.

[Albert Bianchini]

You did one time make the Bianchini tini on the air, which was great.

[Kelly Ripa]

Bianchini Teeny was great.

[Albert Bianchini]

You do the swirls and you Threw it into the floor.

[Jan Chalet]

Threw it onto the floor.

[Kelly Ripa]

But I did learn how to make a really good martini.

[Albert Bianchini]

You did, yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

Marco, you're locked in for the Oscars this year, right?

[Marco Pollio]

I am. I'll be out there for a conference, and then I'm coming over straight down to you guys. So I'm there.

[Kelly Ripa]

Amazing.

[Marco Pollio]

I would have missed the.

[Jan Chalet]

Seth and Marco do this. They do this thing where every year they're like, we have to go a day earlier than the year before. Forks, we need to shoot B roll.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, they shoot B roll. B roll, Right. B roll of nothing happening.

[Seth Gronquist]

Gotta get a time lapse.

[Kelly Ripa]

The sunrise. Yes.

[Seth Gronquist]

Sunset and sunset pillar.

[Kelly Ripa]

I do time lapses from my hotel room window. Would you like me to send them to you? No, no.

[Seth Gronquist]

We want to come out a day early.

[Jan Chalet]

It's become, like, three days early.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's great. You know, it's so funny. Every year we do that show, and it's such a beast of a show. You guys, listeners, I cannot tell you. Mark and I work really hard doing that show, but we're not even, like. We're not working a fingernail full. As hard as our producers are working. I can't even explain to you how hard our producers work on this show. And it is so good every year. Every year when we walk out on that stage where they've just held the Academy Awards, and we cannot believe that it has been pulled off as seamlessly as it has, and that the packages have been edited together and that the sunrises and sunsets have been so elegantly shot.

[Albert Bianchini]

But truth be told, all of you. And I'm amazed every time I've gone, like, you're given the keys to that place at midnight, and you have to produce and direct and all of it and host a live show six hours later on the biggest stage in the U.S. it's crazy.

[Kelly Ripa]

I know that they hire these big, fancy Hollywood production companies to broadcast the Academy Awards, but if I were the Academy Awards, if it were up to me, I would hire our producers. Not that you want that kind of bullshit on your hands. I mean, I would hire our producers and Brian Chapman, I would be like, guys, our people are incredible.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's incredible. Yeah, you have hours. I mean, it's. And yes, you're out there prepping for it, but still. And the red carpet pieces.

[Jan Chalet]

That's what Marco's pieces.

[Albert Bianchini]

The red carpet and the little cutout behind that you are crammed into.

[Kelly Ripa]

Every year, it gets smaller. I can't believe it. I'm like, oh, my gosh. We're doing it this year with even less space. Amazing. All right, Marco, can't wait to see you at the Academy Awards. We miss you so much. We love you. Happy holidays to your family. Give everybody a kiss for us. And we have to take a commercial break. We're going to talk more about holiday party when we return. Stick around, Struggling to see up close. Make it visible with Viz. VIZ is a once daily prescription eye drop to treat blurry near vision for up to 10 hours. The most common side effects that may be experienced while using Viz include eye irritation, temporary dim or dark vision, headaches and eye redness. Talk to an eye doctor to learn if Viz is right for you.

[Jan Chalet]

Learn [e-mail] an extraordinary holiday starts at Paragould. The destination for luxury home. Elevate the season with unique heirloom quality decor, gifts, hosting essentials and more from design's best brands. Our largest ever selection has something for every celebration and style. Shop in store and [e-mail] and enjoy free fast full service delivery.

[Kelly Ripa]

Small traditions that mark the changing of the season feel good. And that includes updating your makeup look from a simple just gotta get out the door routine to festive fall glam. Thrive Cosmetics is your go to for completing any fall look. My go to is their brilliant eye brightener. It immediately makes my eyes look more awake and is so versatile. I use it as a highlighter on the brow bone, as an eyeshadow or sometimes to line my eye. And Every product is 100% vegan, cruelty free and made with clean skin loving ingredients that work with your skin, not against it. And the best part for me, for every product purchased, Thrive Cosmetics donates products and funds to help communities thrive. I love that every time you use your favorite Thrive Cosmetics product, you're doing more than enhancing your glow. You're helping others to shine too. How great is that? Complete your fall Look. Go to thrivecosmetics.com off camera for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. That's ThriveCosmetics. C A U S E M E t I c s.comoffcamera. Well, that was really nice to hear from Marco Polio. That was very nice. We're doing this is. What is this? This is our last live episode before the holidays. So I feel like this is our holiday. Like our fireside chat for the listeners just joining us.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's a little party.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, like a little party.

[Jan Chalet]

Hot brownies for those of you who.

[Albert Bianchini]

Can'T explain what you're wearing.

[Kelly Ripa]

I am wearing. So the Heat in our house is broken. And it's been broken since this bomb cyclone has struck the city. I'm not kidding. Our heating system was functioning normally. And for the past, like, two weeks, we've had these heating repair people here every day in the boiler room, working. We have no heat. So I'm wearing pajamas and a faux fur coat that I got at the Barney's. 90% off sale. And it's.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's so chic.

[Kelly Ripa]

And this is how I'll be dressed for the. Probably, you know, until. Until the heat gets fixed. All right, Albert, you had some sad news.

[Albert Bianchini]

I did. My Uncle Frank passed away a couple weeks ago.

[Kelly Ripa]

I'm really sorry about that. Thank you.

[Albert Bianchini]

And he was my godfather. And every time we saw each other, he would go over and with his pinky ring extended and say, kiss the ring. Kiss the ring. It was always a kiss the ring, right? So Frankie, after he passed, said, my dad wants you to have the ring. He's like, he's going to give you the ring. And I'm like, oh, my God, this is intense. I'll give it to you the night of the wake and we'll go get to the wake. And as you know. And I think everyone else is surprised, but no one would be surprised by this. It's a shit show. The screaming.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, yes. Italian funerals are. I mean, I've been to many myself.

[Jan Chalet]

Wait, what kind of screaming? What do you mean?

[Albert Bianchini]

I mean, everyone's yelling and laughing.

[Kelly Ripa]

A lot of people laughing. A lot of people. People crying. A lot of people that have vendettas against each other. Why is. Why is this bastard in the front row? Why is that bastard over there?

[Albert Bianchini]

The front row is a big scale. You better never sit in that front row.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. This bastard, that bastard.

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh, it's bad. It's ugly. So anyway, everyone's ignoring that there's a dead body.

[Kelly Ripa]

There's a dead body there. Always ignore, ignore.

[Albert Bianchini]

And I look and he has on his hand the pinky ring. The pinky ring.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, no.

[Albert Bianchini]

I'm like, he's asshole doesn't expect me to go up and take the picture off of his finger and put it on here. I'm not touching him in this. Yes. So I go. So Frank comes over to me and he's like, so, you know, he wanted you. Now I'm about to go white because the last thing I'm going to say to him is, no, I'm not going to go take the ring off of his body. And he reaches into his pocket and he takes Out a different ring, which was not the ring that I was promised.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did you explain to him that you.

[Albert Bianchini]

Would prefer this is the ring? And he's like, well, put this one on. I put it on and it was loose. I'm like, this wasn't the ring.

[Kelly Ripa]

The ring is on that finger.

[Albert Bianchini]

He's like. And he looks at me and he goes, I'm not taking it off. I'm like, well, I'm not taking it off.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's why you should have brought me there. I would have taken it off.

[Albert Bianchini]

Would you have?

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, I think he wanted you to have the ring.

[Albert Bianchini]

Well, so.

[Kelly Ripa]

And then you swap out the ring for the other ring.

[Albert Bianchini]

So the next morning when we go. Because you would then go back the next morning and you have your final goodbye. And then they close the casket, the whole thing. The next morning, the funeral director had taken off the real ring and gave me the real ring. And I think he was expecting me to give the other ring back. But now I have both rings.

[Kelly Ripa]

So you are functionally like your Seth.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes. Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

You thought you were getting no ring and you wound up with two rings. With two rings, yes. That's amazing.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

So you're keeping both?

[Albert Bianchini]

We're keeping both. He would have wanted that. I'm not wearing them. I should have had it on. I know. Next time I come.

[Kelly Ripa]

Do they fit?

[Albert Bianchini]

Well, one of them was almost broken. I think the one that was on his hand was really tight, tiny. Well, I'm gonna bring it to Carrie and she's gonna stretch it for me.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, she'll stretch it. She can stretch the ring.

[Albert Bianchini]

She can stretch the ring.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, incredible.

[Jan Chalet]

And you don't do a thing afterwards where everybody goes to someone's house. Does that happen?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, there's a big. There's a big. Like a Shiva. Like. It's like a Shiva, but with Italian food.

[Albert Bianchini]

And you drive. There's a whole thing of procession where you drive by the house with the car and you have to put your flashes on.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Albert Bianchini]

And you're driving through red lights and cars are honking at you and screaming.

[Kelly Ripa]

Stay in the procession.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

You drive by the house of the person who passed.

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh, yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

And then you go to someone else's house.

[Kelly Ripa]

Then you go to.

[Albert Bianchini]

Then you go. It depends. You go to. We went to a restaurant, but yes, you can go to someone's house.

[Kelly Ripa]

You know, I had an uncle that used to get in line behind funeral processions and just go through all the traffic.

[Albert Bianchini]

Stop.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. And he would just pretend he was in the funeral. I was like, that is really dark.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's genius, though.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's genius, but it's also dark. Karma. Wow.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's pretty great.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wow. Yeah. So then you went out to eat?

[Albert Bianchini]

Then we went out to eat. And then it was a whole.

[Kelly Ripa]

So you went to the reception after, afterwards. And did you eat there as well?

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah, of course.

[Kelly Ripa]

What did you eat there?

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh, eggplant parm, parmigiano. I mean, you name it, it was everything you'd expect. Expect to be there. It was there. Galamade, which, by the way, I still, to this day, when I hear my family say Gala Mod, I think of Galamad. I think of one person, Marc Consuelos.

[Kelly Ripa]

Would you like some Galamad and some Mortadel?

[Albert Bianchini]

It's irate.

[Kelly Ripa]

You want Mortadel? You want. What is. What's the other one?

[Albert Bianchini]

Gabagool Brigitte.

[Kelly Ripa]

I'm like, I don't want any of those things.

[Jan Chalet]

That's what kicked off this show you guys did?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes.

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh, yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

The Benson, her spelling bee. The Benson her spelling bee was written because Mark and Albert got into such a fight over the way Albert pronounces Italian words.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

And that's where the entire show came from. God, that's so great.

[Albert Bianchini]

It still gets sent to all of us. People go crazy.

[Kelly Ripa]

I mean, Lorraine Bracco said it's her favorite thing she's ever done. I was like, really not good, fellas. Not the Sopranos.

[Albert Bianchini]

I love it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, she really enjoyed it.

[Albert Bianchini]

Jan Kaden's birthday.

[Jan Chalet]

Kaden turned 18.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, my.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah, over the weekend we went to dinner. Luke was supposed to join, but the flight from Michigan got delayed. Whatever, whatever. But we're in the middle of dinner and Caden turns to Glenn and he Sundays, so I'm 18 now. And Glenn's like, yeah. He's like, well, this is when you said you would tell me the stories. Oh, this is when you would tell me, like, stories. And so Glenn proceeded to tell Caden about when he got arrested in college.

[Kelly Ripa]

Amazing.

[Jan Chalet]

And Kaden was like, wait, you told me you were never arrested.

[Kelly Ripa]

He.

[Jan Chalet]

But you were an 18. And proceeded to tell him the story of getting arrested and being in jail for the night.

[Kelly Ripa]

How did he get arrested? Why did he get arrested? Why did he get arrested?

[Jan Chalet]

Because he was the pledge master. And him and his friend Ben had the pledges in a field doing some crazy stuff. And the police came over and they, He. They talked back to the police, and the police opened the back of the trunk and there was a 10 foot bung in the back of the street. So they got Taken down into a jail cell. And they spent the night in the jail cell.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did he get bounced out of the frat?

[Jan Chalet]

No, he didn't get bounced out of the frat. And in fact, he tried calling his dad, and his dad didn't answer. So they called their law professor.

[Albert Bianchini]

Stop it.

[Jan Chalet]

And the law professor's like, listen, plead not guilty. They'll let you out of there. He's like, I'll figure this out. He's like, give me $500 and I'll get this all taken away. And he did. And they didn't have the $500, so they went and gambled and got the $500 paid for the lawyer fee.

[Albert Bianchini]

Come on.

[Jan Chalet]

And the lawyer argued it out.

[Kelly Ripa]

This is where Luke gets. This is where Luke gets his investment.

[Jan Chalet]

Kaden loved it. It was a good.

[Kelly Ripa]

He loved that story.

[Jan Chalet]

Good birthday present.

[Kelly Ripa]

That is a great birthday present. Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, my gosh. I almost. When you posted. When you posted his birthday tribute, my initial comment, I delete. I typed it out, and then I was like, no, I can't, and I deleted it. But I was going to say I was there when they cut off the tip of your penis. Oh, no. Oh, no, you were. But then I just thought, too much too soon. Too soon. I like it. I said, this comment will go. It will be received by Jan. Like, Jan will love that comment.

[Jan Chalet]

I like.

[Kelly Ripa]

And then other people will probably be like, what kind of a monster are you? Oh, my God.

[Albert Bianchini]

What did you eat for his birthday?

[Jan Chalet]

We went to the River Palm, which is a steak restaurant, but they also have a good sushi chef. So I don't eat steak, but they ate a delicious steak and I had sushi. See, we're doing a food episode without doing it.

[Albert Bianchini]

I love it. It's amazing.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. How do you feel about that?

[Albert Bianchini]

I feel great. I love to hear When Jan eats. I love it. Jan eats as my should be a hashtag.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah, it was. It was good. It was good. I did enjoy the pizza at your party last night. There was some more sushi, so, yeah, I've had some good meals lately. It's been good. But you guys have that big meal coming up for Christmas, right?

[Kelly Ripa]

You do all the fishes, which I don't mind telling you, we used to do it at my aunt's house. Every year. We used to do it at my aunt's house. And we would get so bummed out because she would serve smelts stuffed with carrots, which apparently was heavenly and a delicacy. And everybody raised, raved. The adults Raved.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

But as little kids, we were just like, oh, you know, it's like, smells. It's a fishy fish. It's stuffed with carrots. I guess it's like it's poached in some sort of. I. We didn't get it as kids. We didn't get it.

[Albert Bianchini]

I read recently that that it is really an American tradition. That. That didn't come over from Italy. It was all of these Italian Americans who created it, I believe. Right.

[Kelly Ripa]

Nothing came over. Every time I go to Italy, I am, like, convinced nothing really came over. They're like, pulling a trick on us all.

[Jan Chalet]

I'm gonna give it a shot, guys. What about the gelato.

[Albert Bianchini]

Chocolato?

[Kelly Ripa]

Fiori de latte?

[Albert Bianchini]

No, but that is a big. I mean, I don't. I agree. I mean, it feels like there's so many, many things. Also, garlic is also a southern Italian thing. It's not an all Italian thing.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes. Right.

[Albert Bianchini]

And northern Italians don't use garlic in any of their recipes.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's right.

[Albert Bianchini]

Kind of wild, the things that you realize.

[Kelly Ripa]

Or if they use garlic, they will put a garlic bulb in whole and pull it out whole. Like it's. It goes into, like, sort of.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Lightly flavor something so you're not like, drenched in. Right. The. That taste of it.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Marco Pollio]

Yeah.

[Seth Gronquist]

Like the vermouth and a B and keeni. Teeny.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes, like the vermouth. The ghost vermouth.

[Albert Bianchini]

It is fun, though, the holidays where you get to splurge. I think with food is great, guys.

[Kelly Ripa]

I don't know. I loved this episode.

[Jan Chalet]

It's fun.

[Kelly Ripa]

This is a fun episode.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

I like just talking to you guys.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Let us know what you think. Or I actually don't. I don't. I wouldn't even know. I wouldn't even even know where to begin to look for what you think about this episode. Nor would I call.

[Albert Bianchini]

Don't tweet us.

[Kelly Ripa]

Don't call. Don't tweet. I don't want to hear it.

[Albert Bianchini]

We're going to be around screaming Italian words at each other.

[Kelly Ripa]

Screaming Italian words. Are we going to. Are we going to read Twas the Night Before Christmas in any upcoming episodes before Christmas or.

[Jan Chalet]

No.

[Kelly Ripa]

This is it. This is the. This is it. This is the big goodbye holiday.

[Jan Chalet]

Goodbye.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, well. Well, you know what? I hope that you all have a wonderful rest of Hanukkah. I hope you all have a divine Christmas. I hope, Albert, you have a beautiful feast of the sephin fishes. Seth, we hope you grow some manners.

[Seth Gronquist]

Thank you so grateful. It's all a gift.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's all a gift. I hope you all remember that having you as our listeners is a gift to all of us. And we can't wait to talk off camera with you in the new year. Bye bye, everybody. That was fun. Jan let's talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa is a production of Malojo Productions. From Malojo, our team is Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Albert Bianchini, Jan Chalet, Seth Gronquist, Roz Therian, Devin Schneider, Michael Halperin, Julia Desch and Team Radio Andy Lisa Mantineo, Scott Marlowe, Jake Goetz.

[Marco Pollio]

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[Jan Chalet]

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[Kelly Ripa]

Always so fresh and delicious.

[Jan Chalet]

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