Michael Gelman: All About The Oscars

Summary

Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa
Episode: Michael Gelman: All About The Oscars
Date: March 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

This special episode takes listeners behind the scenes at the Oscars with Kelly Ripa, her longtime executive producer Michael Gelman, and the core "Live with Kelly and Mark" team (including Jan Chalet, Albert Bianchini, and Kelly Burkhardt). Broadcasting just after the 2026 Academy Awards, the episode is packed with candid, unfiltered, and often hilarious stories from their whirlwind Academy Awards week—the exhaustion, the mishaps, the backstage chaos, red carpet encounters, and the sense of live TV adventure. Gelman opens up about a dramatic past injury at the Oscars, the realities of producing TV at Hollywood’s biggest night, and memorable interactions with celebrities, all told in the crew’s signature lively banter.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The Oscars Aftermath: Exhaustion & Survival Mode

Timestamps: 01:00 – 04:40

• The crew jokes about being “punchy” and “exhausted” after nights of minimal sleep flying back-and-forth for the Oscars week.
  • Kelly: “We are exhausted. How little sleep can a group of human beings survive? I don’t know. We’re gonna find out today.” (01:55)
• Stories of flight delays, canceled planes, and everyone just barely making it home for live broadcast duties.
• Celebration interruptions for Albert’s birthday—a “birthday week” overshadowed by Academy duties.

2. Producing Live at the Oscars: Crowd Energy & Logistics

Timestamps: 04:40 – 07:00

• This year, the energy at the Oscars was notably high, with every seat filled and a younger, more vibrant audience than in years past.
  • Gelman: “It was very exciting. You could feel the energy… 2000 is great, but 3000 is better.” (05:46)
• Backstage chaos and the difficulty in getting fans up early enough for the Hollywood Bowl audience load-in under security lockdowns.
• Recap of show highlights: Leanne Morgan, Matt Friend, Carson, Wyclef, Andra Day, and DJ Cassidy all performed or made appearances.

3. The Backstage Reality: Disorientation & the Unknown

Timestamps: 07:00 – 08:55

• The hosts explain that backstage at the Oscars, they can’t see or hear what’s happening live—often missing major moments and relying on stage managers for cues.
  • Kelly: “We miss the entire show and we can’t hear anything. So we are disoriented… We’re trying to not fall off the stage, which we will. We will get to that in a minute.” (08:04)
• The team often can’t comment on TV moments because they were “backstage in a bubble.”

4. Gelman’s Legendary Onstage Fall: Stoicism in Crisis

Timestamps: 08:55 – 16:21

• Kelly prompts Michael Gelman to recount the time he fell into the orchestra pit at the Oscars during rehearsal after a sleepless night.
  • Gelman: “Right as I was about to step on the stage, my foot went into the gap and I fell into the orchestra pit, which was about 12 or 15 feet down onto concrete.” (10:03)
• He sustained fractured ribs and a 75% tear in his ACL, but insisted on staying to do the show from the control room.
  • Kelly: “I would have called in sick that day. If I had gone… but here’s Gelman, right?” (15:35)
  • Gelman: “For me, I feel a little supermanish… I know myself. There’s not a danger here.” (16:21)
• The team jokes about their stoicism and the “never miss the show” mentality.

5. Red Carpet Stories: Fashion, Fan Frenzy, & Anna Wintour

Timestamps: 16:48 – 24:00

• The crew reflects on looking sensational and being the unexpected “belles of the ball” before the major celebrities even arrived.
  • Jan: “Everybody wanted to talk to you… We were turning people down…” (17:00)
• Kelly details her Oscar look, including Christopher Buckle’s hair and makeup tricks, hairpieces, and spray tans.
• The team tells a behind-the-scenes story about Anna Wintour’s surprise arrival in their backstage studio:
  • “And it’s Anna Wintour, like out of the movie!” (21:29)
  • Classic Kelly: “I feel like she’s going to be polite and she may lie, but I will be able to sense it like a spouse.” (22:21)
  • Mark to Anna Wintour: “Would you like some candy to take back to your seat?” (22:47)
  • Albert: “He was speaking a language she did not understand.” (22:52)
• Anna Wintour is described as “so friendly, warm, very charming, very funny.”

6. The Controlled Chaos of Booking Stars

Timestamps: 32:06 – 44:10

• Kelly Burkhardt (talent booker) calls in, explaining the frenzy of booking, wrangling, and sometimes strong-arming celebrities (including the viral moment with Brad Pitt).
  • Burkhardt: “They thought I was the movie publicist… I wouldn’t let his arm go. It was like an iron grip.” (36:52)
• The late arrival of major stars is confirmed as a “real thing” (“the bigger the star, the later they show up”—34:25).
• Backstage at the Oscars is "complete chaos"—publicists fighting, scheduling mayhem, and everyone wanting to talk/interview Kelly and Mark.
• Gelman occasionally steps in to do star interviews when the hosts are called away.

7. Inside Baseball: The “Curtain Pull” & The Green Room

Timestamps: 38:24 – 40:27

• Anecdotes about backstage traditions, e.g., pulling a curtain shut on rude or aggressive publicists or celebs (“Aggressive eye contact while I’m pulling the curtain close—sorry, no tequila for you, bitches.” – Kelly, 39:14)
• Everyone backstage wants access—for the candy, tequila, and good vibes.

8. Further Red Carpet Moments: Style, Preparation, & Wardrobe Snafus

Timestamps: 44:19 – 48:24

• Audrey Slater (Kelly’s stylist) joins to discuss wardrobe choices and potential dress/undergarment malfunctions.
  • “My fear was, is everyone going to see Kelly’s underwear?” (45:51)
• Kelly credits her gold dress and spray tan for helping her feel confident, with Christopher Buckle’s makeup and Jimmy Coco’s airbrush work making her “look like an Oscar.”
• Behind-the-scenes fun about altering runway dresses and improvising on the day.

9. Team Camaraderie and Travel Anxieties

Timestamps: 51:06 – 58:34

• The team commiserates about everyone’s travel nightmares, punchiness, and post-Oscars nerves.
• Jan recounts panicking over news headlines and bad flights, but being soothed by Gelman’s calm (and amusingly, a kindly flight attendant and Valium).
  • Jan: “She brings me into the pilot. The pilot turns to me and he goes, listen, my mama loves me and I love my mama. So nothing’s gonna happen because I won’t do that to my mama.” (56:45)
• Reassurances about flying and callbacks to previous years’ dramatics.
• Reflection on the team’s tireless preparation for Oscars week.

10. Wrap-Up: Gratitude & Jokes About “Calling In Sick” Next Year

Timestamps: 58:48 – End

• Kelly congratulates the entire production and support team, citing how much unseen work and camaraderie goes into pulling off such a live spectacle.
• Multiple running jokes about being “out sick” next Oscars after this year’s insanity.
• Lighthearted teasing: Kelly as Gelman’s “favorite,” jokes about never missing a show, and planning to broadcast from Palm Springs with cocktails instead.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Gelman on the fall:
  “My one foot went into the gap and I fell into the orchestra pit, which was about 12 or 15 feet… Luckily, my ninja quick reflexes… I missed my head, thank God.” (10:03 – 11:22)
• Kelly, on backstage chaos:
  “Behind the scenes is complete chaos—there’s like hand-to-hand combat… it’s chaos.” (35:12)
• Jan, on interviewing Anna Wintour:
  “She puts the sunglasses on as she walks in…” (21:48)
• Mark, to Anna Wintour:
  “Would you like some candy to take back to your seat?” (22:47)
• Kelly, on Oscared-out men:
  “I didn’t feel bad for any of the men… Men were kvelling about how hot they were. Take off your jacket!” (19:24)
• Gelman, on his “signature” Oscars dance:
  “He (Wyclef) was connecting with me… and just like I survived for the show and for all you people, I danced for you.” (31:22 – 32:05)
• Kelly, on the “curtain pull” backstage:
  “Aggressive eye contact while I’m pulling the curtain close—sorry, no tequila for you, bitches.” (39:14)
• Jan, on travel anxiety and pilot comfort:
  “The pilot turns to me and he goes, listen, my mama loves me and I love my mama. So nothing’s gonna happen because I won’t do that to my mama.” (56:45)
• Kelly, wrapping up:
  “You guys, that show would not be that show without you all… The entire staff, tails off work!” (58:43)

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Noteworthy Timestamps

• Exhaustion & Arrival Stories:
  01:00 – 04:40
• Oscars Audience & Energy:
  05:07 – 07:06
• Backstage Disorientation:
  07:44 – 08:55
• Gelman’s Fall Story:
  09:31 – 16:21
• Red Carpet Fashion, Anna Wintour:
  21:28 – 23:50
• Booking Celebs, Brad Pitt “Strong Arm”:
  36:28 – 37:13
• Backstage Traditions (“Curtain Pull”):
  38:24 – 40:27
• Stylist Segment, Wardrobe Drama:
  44:19 – 48:16
• Travel Anxieties, Jan’s Panic:
  51:42 – 57:25
• Gratitude & Team Camaraderie:
  58:48 – End

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Episode Summary & Takeaways

This episode captures the relentless energy, chaos, and hilarity that defines Oscars week for the “Live” team. With vivid storytelling and group camaraderie, listeners are granted rare, unvarnished access to what really happens behind the curtains, on the red carpet, and in the control room. Standout moments include Gelman’s near-disastrous fall, Anna Wintour’s surprise warmth, and the team’s shared exhaustion transforming into laughter and affectionate ribbing. For fans and industry insiders alike, it’s a lively window into the unpredictable spectacle that is live television from Hollywood’s biggest stage.

Transcript

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[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

Let' From Nintendo and Illumination the Super

[Michael Gelman]

Mario Bros. Can take care of the kingdom.

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Comes a super powered adventure on April 1st.

[Kelly Ripa]

Pack our things.

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The galaxy gets even bigger.

[Michael Gelman]

He knows that's my bike, right?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes, sir.

[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

The Super Mario Galaxy movie KDPG only Peter's April 1st get tickets now.

[Kelly Ripa]

I think Jan said, here she comes. And I'm like, somebody's coming. And it's Anna Wintour like out of the movie.

[Albert Bianchini]

Here she comes, she's coming.

[Kelly Ripa]

Mark and I look like we got caught making out in our parents room. You know what I mean? Like what? Somebody gonna cue me or do I cue myself? Cue yourself. Okay. This is big. I know I say it every week, but I am. No, this one is gigantic. This one one is. Oh. Dear listeners, dear live listeners. That's right, we are back with another live I said it live episode of let's talk off camera. We're going to get talking, but before we talk about our first guest, I just want to remind everyone that we are a little punchy. Punchy. Jan, we are exhausted. We are exhausted. We've been up all night for several nights.

[Jan Chalet]

Several nights.

[Kelly Ripa]

Several nights. How little sleep can a group of human beings survive? I don't know. We're gonna find out today. Albert, you look rested.

[Albert Bianchini]

I'm not really rested. I went to bed at 2amyou went

[Kelly Ripa]

to bed at 2am I was so delayed. Yeah, but you did that stupid thing. You went out to celebrate your birthday week. By the way, what adult human being celebrates their birthday week? But Albert, do you celebrate your birthday? No, no, no, no, no.

[Jan Chalet]

I felt bad that Albert was celebrating his birthday because it was osc. All had a job to do and I just wanted to go celebrate him. But I was like, it's Saturday night.

[Albert Bianchini]

I kind of loved that it was gonna be overshadowed by everything. It made me very happy.

[Kelly Ripa]

And where did you go again?

[Albert Bianchini]

Cheesesteak Harry's Tramp cheesesteak. No, you called it Pork Chop Betty's, which it wasn't. It's tramp Stamp Grannies.

[Kelly Ripa]

Tramp Stamp Grannies.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes. In Hollywood. It's great. A piano bar felt very New York. It was a lot of fun.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Michael Gelman]

Did you say no?

[Albert Bianchini]

It's a big sing along. So it's like you're going to Marie's Crisis here.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, fun. Okay. It's love. That's fun. You could have just gone to Marie's Crisis and saved the all.

[Albert Bianchini]

It was the LA version.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, but you were there for the full week. So you transitioned over to LA Times.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah, yeah, but it was a lot of like meetings and meetings and crazy. And then when you guys got there, things started to get fun, but it was busy.

[Kelly Ripa]

Things got fun. When we tripped it did.

[Jan Chalet]

Did it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did you hear that?

[Jan Chalet]

Did it?

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, let me set the scene for you. Dear listeners, if you are regular viewers of our show, Live with Live with Mark and Kelly. So if you're a regular viewer, you know that we were out in Hollywood, California, broadcasting live at the Academy Awards and then we flew back home. Some of us made it, some of us did not make it. Planes were canceled, planes were rerouted to Chicago. Planes were delayed by eight hours. I myself got home at 1am and then, you know, had to get up at 5am to do my frothy morning talk show. And I said to myself, if I have to suffer this morning, I'm gonna make my executive producer suffer in the afternoon. And so here he is, he's got his feet propped up on a stool. He's got a bowl of warmed mixed salted nuts that he specially requested. He's got his earbuds in. He's wearing his casual. I'm gonna call casual, like, this is Schoolboy Gelman. Ladies and gentlemen, the executive producer of Live, Michael Gelman, AKA Gelman.

[Michael Gelman]

Wow, what a warm, fuzzy introduction. I'm so happy to be here.

[Kelly Ripa]

How did you feel about this show? I felt like this show was better than. I mean, I said this last year because last year's show really knocked my socks off. But this year's show, it just seemed like we had an immeasurable endless amount of people. Every seat filled to the rafters, standing room only. What say you?

[Michael Gelman]

It was exciting. I mean, listen, there's thousands of people that fit in there. They don't always show up because you have to show up at 3 o' clock in the morning at the Hollywood Bowl. I mean, it takes a really devoted fan. So the amount that sign up and show up is always different. And you don't know what that ratio is going to be.

[Kelly Ripa]

So you transport them from the Hollywood bowl to the.

[Michael Gelman]

Bust them in.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, my God. So they. That's stage one and then stage two.

[Michael Gelman]

It's really takes a lot to get them there because of the security lockdowns, but people do it. And we filled really high up into those tiers. I couldn't believe it was like a full house.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was.

[Michael Gelman]

It was very exciting. You could feel the energy. I mean, 2000 is great, but 3000 is better.

[Kelly Ripa]

But this energy was better than years prior. And it's always like a very energetic, robust crowd. But this felt like, oh, people were dressed up. They were.

[Jan Chalet]

And it felt young. Like there was a really young crowd. It was really cool.

[Kelly Ripa]

I noticed that. Yeah.

[Michael Gelman]

Well, we had good bookings ahead of time, so we never know if we're gonna get a live in the studio guest who just won the Oscar and stayed up all night and comes on the stage sometimes. It happens. We do know that we're gonna get all those great names backstage, which we did. And on the red carpet, which we did. But we had already had, you know, Leanne Morgan, who has a huge following, is very entertaining. And Matt Friend, who was on a red carpet. He was there in Carson, who's great. So we had, like, a packed show,

[Kelly Ripa]

no matter what, no matter what happened. And then, I mean, to have Wyclef and Andra Day and DJ Cassidy, it

[Jan Chalet]

was like triple threat.

[Kelly Ripa]

Triple threat. It was incredible. It was an incredible performance, a lot of fun. So they came.

[Michael Gelman]

They showed up to see you guys, too. Listen, people love to show up to see the two of you alone, no matter who we book. But those extra guests added to it the glamour of the Oscars, the idea that they're in the Dover Theater.

[Kelly Ripa]

They're in the seats where the stars sat.

[Michael Gelman]

Right.

[Kelly Ripa]

Although truthfully, I have to say, most of the executives were sitting. Were at the star sat. It's like. They're like, I want to sit. Exactly right.

[Albert Bianchini]

Lauren's aunt was in. Timothy Chalamet.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Yes.

[Jan Chalet]

You know, it was really cool. I don't know if you could hear it from where you guys were because you were behind multiple screens, but when the Open played, they were all singing along.

[Kelly Ripa]

We heard nothing.

[Jan Chalet]

Okay, so they were singing all the, like, so good. So good. They were all singing the Neil diamond song.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, wow.

[Jan Chalet]

So that was fun.

[Albert Bianchini]

That opened, by the way, every year, you guys. I don't understand. It's unbelievable.

[Jan Chalet]

It was fun.

[Kelly Ripa]

Mark and I always say that the part. What's so funny about the show to us is, first of all, backstage of the Academy Awards, we can't see or hear anything. So it's always, like, shocking. Like, we kind of are trying to follow what's going along. But usually we're interviewing somebody else when the next winner is being announced. So we miss the entire show and we can't hear anything.

[Jan Chalet]

Totally.

[Kelly Ripa]

So we are disoriented. And everybody will say, what did you think about this bit? What did you think about that bit? And I am like, oh, you know, Barbra Streisand sang. You know, you just, like, miss a lot of stuff that's happening. Big, monumental things are happening out there. And then. And then the same is backstage, you know, at 6:00am Louisiana. Time when we are backstage waiting to walk onto the Dolby stage. We have no idea what is going on. We can't hear anything. We're really disoriented. There's a stage manager back there counting us down. So we're just sort of focused on him. We're trying to not fall off the stage, which we will. We will get to that in a minute.

[Jan Chalet]

He's rolling his eyes.

[Kelly Ripa]

We will get to the time. We talked about this not too long ago on the show. But Gelman, once and for all, several years ago, we had an incident and nobody ever knew about this because we're very stoic people. You in particular.

[Michael Gelman]

Correct.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jan is the second. I mean, I would say Jan is number one most stoic and you are number two most dog.

[Jan Chalet]

I wasn't yesterday at the airport, but I'll tell you about that.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, to that. But Gelman.

[Michael Gelman]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

Confirm or deny you were, in fact, pushed?

[Michael Gelman]

I thought I felt something on the shoulder.

[Albert Bianchini]

Was the person in this room

[Kelly Ripa]

take us into that moment? Because that, to me, is the worst case scenario of when things go wrong. Because nothing really go. I mean, things go wrong all the time. Always going wrong. But this was a big thing.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah, this was a big thing. So, yeah, we're up all night. And so you're a little impaired in terms of your physicality, in terms of even walking. People tend to get trippy when they're, you know, under. They don't sleep enough.

[Kelly Ripa]

Exhaustion is exhaust.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah. So I'm watching a rehearsal. There's a big thing going on on stage. And I usually am like the fifth row in the center. I sit there. And then there were a bunch of things I wanted to correct. So I go to run up on stage. Well, what I'd forgotten was that these stairs were kind of like a triangle. So I started wide. And right as I was about to step on the stage, my one foot Went into the gap and I fell into the orchestra pit, which was about 12 or 15ft down onto one of.

[Albert Bianchini]

What did you fall onto?

[Michael Gelman]

Concrete. It's something heavy. Luckily, they had. We had taken the chairs out.

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh, my God.

[Michael Gelman]

And luckily, you know, my ninja quick reflexes. Yoga in the balcony.

[Kelly Ripa]

He's ground all of his bones. All of his bones have been ground into cartilage from years of just stretching.

[Michael Gelman]

I got lucky that I kind of rolled in a way. It. It. I was literally carrying my coffee, which somehow I think ended up spilling a little on me and ended up on the side of the stage.

[Kelly Ripa]

You placed your coffee down?

[Michael Gelman]

I don't know. It's like this stand.

[Jan Chalet]

It was sitting there.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah. So I somehow hit. In a way, I missed my head, thank God. And I was like, fine, except it knocked the wind out of me.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. Which is horrible. Horrible.

[Michael Gelman]

Because you feel like, I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

So.

[Michael Gelman]

And then I got. I. You know, I got it back. I'm like, okay, okay. And I was calm, and people were freaking out.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Michael Gelman]

And producers were crying, and I'm like, calm down. I'm coming them now. My big thing is I'm hurt, and I'm calming down the producer. Right. Okay.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's going to be okay.

[Michael Gelman]

I'm fine. I didn't hit my head. I'm okay. But my ribs hurt, so turn. So did you fracture your ribs? Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes. How many?

[Michael Gelman]

Two. So I come. You know, the paramedics come. They do all my vitals. They're very concerned about head injuries, as they should be. And they, you know, wanted me to go immediately to the hospital, which I refused.

[Kelly Ripa]

Attaboy.

[Michael Gelman]

And I said, what are my.

[Kelly Ripa]

Attaboy.

[Michael Gelman]

I was like, what are. My vitals were good. I asked him a lot of my, you know, Dr. Gelman, medical questions.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes. Like, what? Will I ever find love again?

[Michael Gelman]

And. And so finally they said, well, you cannot go. You know, usually I can't work the show from running around on the floor on the stage. They're like, you cannot do that. And I said, all right, I'll go to the control room. And so I did the show from the control room, which made me feel very powerless and realize how dumb it is. Like, you can't do anything in the control room. You can direct the show.

[Kelly Ripa]

Nothing happens, but you can't produce the

[Michael Gelman]

show in the control room.

[Kelly Ripa]

We had unfettered freedom that year. It was a very scary, terrible day.

[Michael Gelman]

And so then, of course, I told them not to let my wife know because I wanted to call her myself to say, listen, something bad happened, everything was okay. But instead, you know, a sobbing producer. And then I had like, okay, I'm all right, I'm coming home. So my good buddy and my tennis partner, Don Rose is an orthopedic surgeon. So I called Don immediately because on the way to the airport, I'm like pulling my bag. I realized getting into a high, like into a high car, that when I stepped up, I kind of like, something hurt, like, oh, I must have hit my knee.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, I'm sure you hit many things. Yes.

[Michael Gelman]

As I'm going through the airport now, I'm kind of limping, pulling my bag. I'm still in my tux with

[Kelly Ripa]

medical bandages.

[Michael Gelman]

Well, some, some little blood pressure almost, right. I didn't even realize, but I'm still in this, like coffee stained tux. And what happens is I tell him I'm coming. He said, I'll wait around. My flight was going to land, like at 5. I like to, yeah, get out of there quick. So I get out of there. I land, I pull up to his office. He comes out, he sees me looking like such a mess. So then he says, all right, you've got to take your pants off. I'm like, I'm in too much pain.

[Kelly Ripa]

I can't cut them off me.

[Michael Gelman]

Doc, you mind if I just drop trout?

[Kelly Ripa]

Listeners, if you have children listening to this, you may want to put them in another room.

[Jan Chalet]

Go ahead.

[Michael Gelman]

When I do that.

[Kelly Ripa]

And then what happened?

[Michael Gelman]

So when I do that, I realize I still have like the electrodes from the ekg.

[Kelly Ripa]

And you got right through security with electrodes on.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah, they're a little glue.

[Kelly Ripa]

I can't get 3 ounces of hairspray on. And he's walking on with electrodes.

[Michael Gelman]

So he like, does this hurt?

[Kelly Ripa]

I'm like, yes.

[Albert Bianchini]

Does this hurt?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Michael Gelman]

So it turns out I had a 75% tear in my ACL and my McLaughlin. So. So we get that immediately. He comes with me to the MRI and he's. So when he gets the film, though, he says, you know something? I don't think, I think we might be able to heal this without surgery. Which was like, I did not want surgery.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Michael Gelman]

I said, I'm game.

[Kelly Ripa]

We were all like, get the surgery, take a few weeks off.

[Michael Gelman]

So, yeah, I don't think I missed a show. No, I definitely missed a show.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, you didn't miss a show. You didn't even. I would have, I'm going to be honest, speaking on behalf of myself, I would have Called in sick that day. If I had gone. And I know, but here's Gelman, right? So this is why you have to understand Gelman's mentality. Gelman would say to any one of us if we had fallen into the orchestra pit, yeah, but you can work, right? Like, you'll. You can do this show and then how about this? You do this show and then we'll take you straight to Cedars Sinai. Like, does that sound good? We've got like a doctor waiting there for you, and he can't come in until 7am Anyway. And so that way you can do the show. And I understand that, like, we all have some.

[Michael Gelman]

You have that mentality. We all have the same mentality, but for someone else. Truthfully, I would say, don't come in. I don't want you to get in. But for me, I don't feel like. I feel a little supermanish and just like, listen, it's going to be fine. I know myself and I'm going to. There's not a danger here. So that was the.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes.

[Michael Gelman]

Detailed story.

[Kelly Ripa]

I have the say I have. We all have that same mentality. Like, nothing will keep us down. We're going to do it. All right. Well, can I say yes?

[Jan Chalet]

Say you looked, both of you.

[Albert Bianchini]

Oh, my God.

[Jan Chalet]

You and your husband here.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did you hear how I went? Oh, cuz I already know you're going to come.

[Jan Chalet]

You guys looked since sensational.

[Kelly Ripa]

Sensational.

[Jan Chalet]

And here's the other thing that's really interesting. It's like, we know this is the Oscars and this is about these, like, movie stars, whatever. I bring Kelly and Mark down to the carpet every year. You guys were the belle of the ball there. Like, everybody wanted to talk to you. Everybody wanted pictures with you. I was turning people down, like, at that point, like, it was because we do a set amount of interviews and. And people were like, we're from Greece. We're from Greece. Can we talk to them?

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, I like talking Greece. I'm great. I'm 4% Greek.

[Jan Chalet]

I'm just saying, you guys looked incredible. Sensational.

[Kelly Ripa]

We were the belle of the ball listeners. Because there were no other bells there.

[Michael Gelman]

There were a lot. They just all come in the last 15 minutes.

[Kelly Ripa]

They all came much later and we had work to do. So we sort of show up in a timely fashion. We have, like, running around because we have to do a live hit, then we have to do another live hit, then we have to run backstage and interview Conan. Then we have to do all the other press obligations. And then of Course, the glambot.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes, the glambot.

[Kelly Ripa]

But I have to say, this year was. I really liked the way my look turned out.

[Jan Chalet]

It looked great.

[Kelly Ripa]

Christopher did the whole thing.

[Jan Chalet]

Sensational.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

He did a tutorial on, if you follow hristopherbuckle. He did a tutorial on my look. Yeah. And he did an extraordinary job.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

That Get Ready with Me video was incredible.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

And who knew that a girl with so much hair would still hold five separate hair pieces? I was like, I. Excuse me.

[Michael Gelman]

I thought it was natural.

[Kelly Ripa]

I wanted a simple, like. I was like, we'll just do it like a simple chignon and like. Like some. A couple of little bangy pieces in the front. And Ryan's like, yeah, but it's the Oscars. What if we do a topper and some hair pieces? And I was like, what's a topper? And then basically he put, like, a hairpiece that you would put on a man on top of my head. Came with its own scalp. It was wild. Whatever it was.

[Jan Chalet]

It looked great. Your skin looked insane. You looked amazing.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Mark.

[Kelly Ripa]

Mark is.

[Michael Gelman]

Mark.

[Kelly Ripa]

Breathtaking Mark.

[Jan Chalet]

But I felt bad because it was 90 degrees and he's in a. He's in a velvet jacket. I was dying for him.

[Kelly Ripa]

They were wearing velvet. And guess what? I didn't feel bad for any of the men. And here is why I'm gonna break it down. I'm gonna break it down for you, dear listeners, before you get enraged. Here's why. Historically, it is freezing cold at the Academy Awards. Freezing. And we, as the women of the event, are typically in, you know, dresses without sleeves or backless dresses, or some people are wearing backless and frontless dresses and sideless nudelus nudity everywhere anyway, and you freeze, and men are in, you know, their tuxedos, and they're very comfortable. But this year, the men were cavelling, all of them collectively about how hot they were. It's so hot. And I was like, take off your jacket. Take off your jacket. You know, the jacket that. All those years I was freezing, you would not take off, like, take off your jacket and sling it over your shoulder. Because all the women were saying the same thing. We were all comfortable. We all felt comfortable.

[Jan Chalet]

It was hot backstage, too.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was hot.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah, it was hot. And I'm always warm anyway. But, yeah, it was very hot. This year. I was sweating, taking my jacket.

[Kelly Ripa]

I finally figured out how to disable the air conditioning in the Dolby Theater. Congratulations to me.

[Jan Chalet]

I mean, the cubby hole was intense.

[Albert Bianchini]

Was it with Anna Wintour showing Up.

[Kelly Ripa]

Speaking of fashion, I mean, I wish Mark was here to go through it all with all of us because I guess some. I didn't see any of this. I was about to take off my shoes and, and, and change into my sensible shoes, right? And as I was doing that, I hear Mark say, no way, no way. Like, like, kind of like like in disbelief. No way, no way. And then suddenly I think Jan said, here she comes. And I'm like, somebody's coming. And it's Anna Wintour, like out of the movie.

[Albert Bianchini]

Like, here she comes, she's coming.

[Kelly Ripa]

Mark and I look like we got caught making out in our parents room. You know what I mean? Like what? And so here's Anna Wintour. And we tried to guide her to the place where she would stand. But no, no, Anna Wintour is going to guide us into where she would like to stand.

[Jan Chalet]

And by the way, she comes in and as she walks in, she puts the sunglasses on.

[Kelly Ripa]

Sunglasses?

[Albert Bianchini]

Well, she had them off on stage and everybody was freaking out. They're like, she doesn't have the glasses on.

[Kelly Ripa]

She has, she has eyes.

[Michael Gelman]

It probably is hard to read the teleprompter.

[Albert Bianchini]

Well, that's true. Right? Right.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, maybe, yeah. I don't know. But I was, I was absolutely terrified. And Jan's like holding up a cue card. Ask her how you look. Ask her how you look. Ask her. And I'm like, why don't you ask her how you look?

[Michael Gelman]

So Kelly was very brave and goes and goes, how does Mark look?

[Kelly Ripa]

I was, I was like, I don't, I don't want to. I, like, I feel like she's going to be polite and she may lie, but I will be able to sense it like a spouse. But she was actually so friendly, warm, very charming, very funny. And then Mark said the most amazing thing I've ever heard come out of his mouth. He said, albert, and I quote, uh, oh, Anna, would you like some candy to take back to your seat?

[Michael Gelman]

No.

[Kelly Ripa]

And she looked at him.

[Albert Bianchini]

Andy, did you eat?

[Kelly Ripa]

He was speaking a language she did not know understand.

[Jan Chalet]

Like, Kelly left her body.

[Albert Bianchini]

I watching you guys with her. I left my body.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

He left her body.

[Jan Chalet]

And then like, who's the next person who walked in? Like Jimmy Kimmel or something? And you're like, why did we just

[Kelly Ripa]

go from here to here? I don't know. I don't remember anything after. And all of my photos, I was like, gilman, did you take any photos of us with Anna Wintour? By the way, getting photos out of Gilman is Just the most excruciating. You sent me, like, four photos all

[Michael Gelman]

through the whole thing. I was airdropping with you.

[Kelly Ripa]

You airdropped me four photos? I've gotten four photos.

[Michael Gelman]

Oh, I did. Our favorites.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, but you each celeb.

[Michael Gelman]

I. I said you and the each celeb I sent you to. But take a look here. There are a lot of Anna Winters.

[Kelly Ripa]

Maybe you actually sent them to Dr. Nesselson. I did not.

[Jan Chalet]

We're gonna post the. An Anna Winter one on our. On our Instagram.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah. I like photo credit, by the way. Photo credit.

[Kelly Ripa]

We're going to take a commercial break if you have any questions for Michael Gelman, because he is willing to ask anything.

[Albert Bianchini]

He's going to answer any question.

[Kelly Ripa]

He's going to answer any question you have. He is an open book. That's what we call him. Open book Gelman. We'll be back in a minute. Stick around, guys. Today's segment is sponsored by l'. Oreal. Well, Jan, how tired are you?

[Jan Chalet]

We're exhausted. That was a whirlwind.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, but you look good.

[Jan Chalet]

Well, thanks. You looked good. Thank you. You looked amazing.

[Kelly Ripa]

Thank you. You know what? I. You know what? Flying back and forth across the country 3,000 miles each way, airplane air, hotel room air, it's like dehydrating. It is crushing. And if we didn't have l'. Oreal.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

That triple power serum, the triple power Revitalift moisturizer. Oh, my gosh. I don't know what would have happened to my skin. And then Christopher Buckle used all l' Oreal on my.

[Jan Chalet]

Look, I saw that video. We. I think we posted it to our Instagram. He. I saw, he put. Put that on you before to, like, prep your skin.

[Kelly Ripa]

He does a great skin prep. He's much better at it than I am.

[Jan Chalet]

I know, but, like, I know you use it all the time and your skin looks so bouncy. Like, it was, like, perfect.

[Kelly Ripa]

He told. He told me. He's like, I've known you for 25 years, and your skin is better now than 25 years ago.

[Michael Gelman]

Wow.

[Kelly Ripa]

And that's saying something because he's seen my skin through all of the varieties of my skin. But yeah, yeah, it's.

[Jan Chalet]

And like, it's cool. Like, you, like, I remember you were saying to me, like, you can just have those two products and not travel with them.

[Kelly Ripa]

Everybody was laughing. Burkhard was laughing at me because I got on to the airplane with my backpack, because my carry on bag is a backpack and there's nothing in it except my serum and my moisturizer. That's it. I used to travel with 30 things.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

And it's so simple now it's just moisturizing and it keeps the moisture locked in. That's what it is. The whole flight my skin looked moisturized.

[Jan Chalet]

That's amazing.

[Kelly Ripa]

And you see women like they sleep in the masks on the plane. I don't know if you saw any of that on your plane. We had women sleeping in masks. We had everybody spraying everything. They're constantly trying to rehydrate. And Mark looked at me and he goes, you look shiny.

[Jan Chalet]

I feel like when I get off a plane, my skin feels like a raisin. I feel like it shrivels up. And so I have to be better about that because I know it's so important.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, it's just so easy. You just put on the serum first, the triple peptide serum. You put the moisturizer on top and you're done. And if it's sunny like it was in la, you put on the moisturizer with the spf. Yeah, I think the pro retinol cream, the vitamin C and the hyaluronic acid, it just works really well together. Certainly works well for my skin and I feel much more hydrated. And Christopher was saying the makeup goes on.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah, I know. He said that to me too.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, it goes on.

[Jan Chalet]

That's amazing. That's amazing.

[Kelly Ripa]

By the way, he put that glotion all over my body. So I had the spray tan and the glotion and everybody's like, you look like an academy award. I was like, yes I did.

[Jan Chalet]

You do look great.

[Albert Bianchini]

You looked amazing.

[Kelly Ripa]

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[Michael Gelman]

Let's go.

[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

From Nintendo and Illumination, the Super Mario

[Michael Gelman]

brothers can take care of the kingdom

[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

Comes a super powered adventure on April 1st.

[Kelly Ripa]

Pack our things.

[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

The galaxy gets even bigger.

[Michael Gelman]

He knows that's my bike, right?

[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

The Super Mario galaxy movie. Pretty PG. Only Peter's April 1st. Get tickets now.

[Kelly Ripa]

Guys, we're back. We are back with the executive producer of Live. Honored guest Michael Gelman survived that massive fall into the orchestra pit a few short. A few short Oscars ago and yet. Okay, 13 Oscars ago and yet survived enough to dance like we've never seen him dance. He danced like no one was watching.

[Albert Bianchini]

It was great.

[Kelly Ripa]

At the Academy awards stage at 6am to Wyclef Jean's performance. And I can honestly say never seen anything like that. Not since the Australian breakdancer have I seen.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's on Instagram, isn't it? It's on Instagram.

[Kelly Ripa]

What is that your signature move, would you say? Is that unfettered? Gelman?

[Michael Gelman]

I really didn't Want to let that loose in public or at that hour. You could have fooled us. But, you know, he came to me, and it's sort of. What's that expression they say in improv? You never, never say no. Never let it be unanswered, you know, and as an artist.

[Kelly Ripa]

As an artist, you just let it fly.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah. So he wanted that. He was connecting with me. He was pointing at me.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes, he was.

[Michael Gelman]

I think that was probably preset up by someone evil.

[Kelly Ripa]

He was saying, you will dance.

[Michael Gelman]

He was like.

[Kelly Ripa]

And you were like, yes, Wyclef, I will dance for you.

[Michael Gelman]

And just like, I survived for the show and for all you people, I danced for you, also danced for you.

[Jan Chalet]

Appreciate it.

[Michael Gelman]

Okay, thank you.

[Kelly Ripa]

We appreciate it. Just say thank you. All right, we've got a couple of calls coming in from New York City. We've got. I believe this is our very own Kelly B. Yes, I believe this is Kelly Burker. Kelly Burke, booker of the show. Talent booker of the show. She's responsible for the reason we have guests on our show not just daily, but also backstage and on the red carpet at the Academy Awards. Sick job, for sure. Kelly Burkhardt, you're on with Michael Gelman. What complaints or questions do you have for him?

[Kelly Burkhardt]

I want to say hi. What's up, guys?

[Michael Gelman]

Hi.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

We definitely are all exhausted and, like, wow. I have to say, Christopher Buckle, you look off the charts amazing.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, thank you. He's a true makeup artist. He really is an artist.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Yeah, it was awesome. The carpet was a million degrees Gelman hot.

[Jan Chalet]

It's also hard when the celebs get there so late.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah, well, they don't realize there's gonna be traffic.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Michael Gelman]

And, yeah, everyone got caught. Everyone's complaining. They got caught in traffic. So there's big.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Everyone comes, like, 10 minutes before the show starts. And it's the star power. This year was fantastic.

[Kelly Ripa]

And isn't it true, like, take me through the mentality here, because I'm. I'm a creature of, like, I trained in soaps where you have to be on time, you have to be punctual. You have, like, there is no such thing as late and not showing up and all of that stuff. And then went into a talk show where it's like, live TV is even more urgency. There's not even like, a spare second. There is no, like, one second late, you know, and then I did a sitcom where it's just, like, you know, the same sort of unrelenting schedule as this soap, so. But I understand, like, in the world of like, film and all of that. Like sometimes, like the later you show up, the bigger the star you are. Is that, is that true or false?

[Kelly Burkhardt]

It is 100% true. The biggest stars come. Yeah, man. Like five minutes and they're like, oh, they have to be seated. And we're like, oh, no, no, no. You're coming over to talk. Yeah, right. Gentleman.

[Michael Gelman]

Well, this year I think people did get in a couple of years. They, they miss estimated what it would take. So even some people who I think wanted to get there maybe 20 minutes or half hour early now were really nervous they weren't going to make it to their seats or to backstage to present. So it's a combination. Some people like to get there late and that gives them an excuse, or they just walk right in and not talk to anyone. And others really are just late.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, I wish that people at home could really understand because, you know, for years, for decades, I watched the Academy Awards like a person on tv and you just sort of see a show play out and sometimes things happen and you're not sure what's going on or sometimes, like, there'll be like a gaffe. Something happens on TV or like a bit fun falls flat. And sometimes that's very funny. And you were seeing it on tv. What you don't realize is behind the scenes is complete chaos. There's like hand to hand combat. There's publicists back there getting into it. People are tussling, they're tugging, they're pulling. There's like just, it's like chaos. It's.

[Michael Gelman]

And it's a major production. It's a major production going on. Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

I mean, my favorite part.

[Michael Gelman]

Yes.

[Jan Chalet]

My favorite part is when you watch, like if you're watching the pre show, my favorite part is like, it should be a drinking game of seeing Kelly Burkhart going back and forth to get this.

[Kelly Ripa]

My favorite thing. I love watching everybody ever. It's seriously, seeing Kelly Burkhardt's drinking game ever on TV at the red carpet is my favorite thing. I love it so much. I'm like, I could watch Kelly Burkhardt stalk celebrities all day.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Brad Tate, the Brad Pitt year was.

[Kelly Ripa]

We have to, we have to pull that photo up of Kelly Burkhardt strong arming Brad Pitt. And it was a photo that was captured by like the AP or something and it went everywhere. It's like a viral photo of Kelly Burkhard. Maybe they thought you were his gal pal, but you were like strong arming him.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Huh? They thought I was the movie publicist. And Then when he realized I wasn't, I was. I wouldn't let his arm go. It was like an iron grip.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did you get the interview? Did you score the interview?

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Yeah, we sure did.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Michael Gelman]

Oh, there, there were a couple times when the host had to run out to be part of the real show.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Michael Gelman]

And so the plan was I would be there with the, you know, Kelly, Mike.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wait, so you're interviewing Brad Pitt on behalf of me?

[Michael Gelman]

It's a major. I did, yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

I thought it was Brad Pitt.

[Michael Gelman]

One was Brad Pitt. I did Roger Federer, which I was very prepared for. Yeah, no, we had a bunch of celebs. Oh, Scarlett Johansson. I think there were some. There were some major people who they brought over. And then I would just have my hand in there because a lot of times we'll just use a sound bite or two. And I have the cards. You know, the producing team writes all these questions. Some are ad libbed. And so then I was just there with my hand in there. And I really wish we had saved that because it was like, hey, I interviewed put it for my reel. I never even thought of it. Now that is footage is gone because we only use.

[Kelly Ripa]

Is hosting your own talk show. Is that finally a thing in your rear view mirror?

[Michael Gelman]

I forgot. Yeah, no, it's high on my list. I'm still. Yeah, still in my 80s. I'm gonna do.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. Kelly Burkhard.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Talk about the curtain fold.

[Kelly Ripa]

We say, oh, the curtain pole. Yeah. So. So occasionally there's a celebrity or a person. Like, I, I'm, I'm not saying a specific person. I'm saying any specific. What have you. Person of the year that's been

[Jan Chalet]

rude

[Kelly Ripa]

to us or aggressive with us in some way. It could be a publicist, could be a celebrity, a person that's really like not been a friend of the show. And we have like a curtain rod and we just pull the curtain closed so that they can't, they can't come.

[Michael Gelman]

It's a nice way of saying not being. Making eye contact with someone who you really aren't going.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, My favorite to do is make eye contact with them and then close the curtain. That is.

[Michael Gelman]

I tried to close it earlier.

[Kelly Ripa]

Aggressive eye contact while I'm pulling the curtain close. Like, sorry, no tequila for you bitches.

[Jan Chalet]

No, we got everybody, we got everybody back.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Everyone wants to come. Everyone wants to come. They all want to see you guys. You and Mark.

[Kelly Ripa]

And they want candy and tequila. And we have both.

[Jan Chalet]

We have the only TV back there that's like, everybody wants to see our and water.

[Michael Gelman]

You know how many bottles of water on the red carpet and backstage.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, we went, it's like, don't they

[Michael Gelman]

have water for everyone? We're like handing out waters.

[Kelly Ripa]

They have no water. They have no nothing. And we, I think we have the only tequila besides what Guillermo gives out on the red carpet. We're the only tequila game in town. Totally.

[Jan Chalet]

Oh, Shaboo liked it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Shaboozi, like he was like putting it in his pockets. It's great. I love, I love when they help themselves.

[Michael Gelman]

You should be give away more.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, I know, I know.

[Michael Gelman]

It was a very dry year.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was a dry year. People are, you know, Kelly B.

[Albert Bianchini]

Was it intimidating with Anna Wintour or no with you?

[Kelly Burkhardt]

It was. We all left our body and we're like, oh my God, it's Anna Wintour and she's talking to us.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was crazy. Speaking. Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

What happens is. So what happens is, is that we know a bunch of the presenters ahead of time. So Kelly will pre book it, all of that. But she wasn't announced. Right. Kel was. We didn't know she was coming.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

No, we did not know.

[Jan Chalet]

So when she was coming and they tell us, yeah, she'll talk to Kelly. We were all like, what?

[Kelly Ripa]

But you know who never ran a by anybody? Kelly. They never ran up by Kelly. I mean, because I'm glad I didn't know because I would have been too terrified. I would have been in my own head. I would have run back. I would have run back to get a different dress on. Like, you know, like, I would have been like, is she gonna like this? Am I showing too much shoulder? I don't. You just are riddled with self doubt in a fashion way. And you know, I just love Christian Suriano. I think he's a genius of a dresser. He really knows how to dress women. And so I thought maybe she recognized his sort of elegant cuts and the way he designs a dress.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Oh, definitely. Oh, you know, what's that? Jen, I love the way you and Mark looked.

[Jan Chalet]

I didn't hear because it's very hard for us to hear sometimes what you guys are even saying when you're having these conversations. How was Will Arnett? Was he so fun?

[Kelly Ripa]

He was great.

[Jan Chalet]

You guys were laughing.

[Kelly Ripa]

He's always funny. He's amazing.

[Jan Chalet]

Jimmy Kimmel was great.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jimmy Kimmel was one of the greatest in Hollywood.

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. He's one of the nicest guys in Hollywood. I mean consistently always. And I want to, I'm going to tell, I'll tell the story again because I just think it's such a good story. And so, like, speaking of nice guys, Michael B. Jordan wins his Academy Award. We're all so excited. It's such a thrilling moment. And he comes backstage and Mark says to him, you started on All My Children like we did. We all started out on All My Children. And the casting director that cast Mark is a casting director named Judy Bly Wilson. And she cast Michael B. Jordan also. But what's so interesting is she originally cast Chadwick Boseman in Michael B. Jordan's role on All My Children. So Chadwick Boseman was cast first. The network thought that Chadwick Boseman looked too old for the role. Cause he was playing like a 15 year old, a high school kid. And so, and Judy said, chadwick, it is not your performance. It is just the nature of. They want somebody that looks younger. So Judy Wilson not only cast Chadwick Boseman, she cast Michael B. Jordan. And Michael B. Jordan was talking about Judy Wilson and the foundation that that placed gave to him. And I just thought that was such like. I love that when people will talk about what gave them their foundation. Because doing a soap gets like, people will, you know, they'll crap all over it. But it's like that gives actors a real foundation. Yep.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

And you guys, like you.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

I mean, you read. So your scripts were crazy on the soul.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Albert Bianchini]

I met with one of the guys out there, Dom Newsy, who works at abc, and they just, he showed me the call sheet for General Hospital. 120 pages in one day, which is unheard of.

[Kelly Ripa]

Like, that's, that's not even a long day.

[Albert Bianchini]

That's two movies.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Albert Bianchini]

That's crazy.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's not even a long day for us.

[Albert Bianchini]

That's insane.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. Yeah. It's really wild.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, so let's talk about Kelly. Thanks for calling in. Should we get to Audrey? Okay. All right. Bye, honey.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

I'm going to sleep. Love you guys.

[Michael Gelman]

We'll be joining you soon on Mars.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes, Kelly will be going to sleep on Mars. Let's get to Audrey. Audrey Slater, who's in New York. I believe this is our Audrey. Audrey, are you there?

[Kelly Burkhardt]

I'm here, guys.

[Kelly Ripa]

Hi, honey. How are you?

[Kelly Burkhardt]

I'm good. I'm. I'm actually. I'm horizontal right now because you guys are exhausted. But exhausted and also exhausted in the best way because it really all came together. You guys did an incredible job. Kelly, you looked incredible, and that's all I need. I'm so proud.

[Kelly Ripa]

I want to remind our listeners, Audrey Slater is my stylist and she works tirelessly. She really finds. You did. Did such an exceptional job this year, Audrey, that I really didn't have a bad choice to make. It was really just about sort of like, temperature. What fits backstage. It's always like. It always comes down to how hot or cold is it and what will fit backstage in terms of a dress. But they were all so good. You did such an exceptional job. You have such a fabulous eye. Did you. Were there any snafus that you can recommend report on your end in what we call what we like to call the porno hotel room. We call it the porno hotel room because we've shot many pictures in there, you know, videos and stuff to air on the show. And no matter how we light it and no matter how we stage the curtains, it does look like we're shooting an adult film.

[Michael Gelman]

I've never seen one, so I don't know what you're talking about,

[Kelly Ripa]

Audrey.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

I think I always create something to panic over. This is our eighth time doing this together, Kelly, which is amazing that it feels like we just started, but at the same time, I feel like we've always been there too long. Forever and ever. Oscars. But. So this year, my fear was, are we. Is everyone going to see Kelly's underwear? So we did. We put the dress on, and I'm, like, sweating internally inside. Sweating, sweating. And we did our little walk around in all the different spots up in the. In the glam room. And I think, no, we could. Thank God.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. Well, as it turns out, I was one of the few people there wearing underpants. You are.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Yeah, that's true.

[Albert Bianchini]

That's. That was. That dress. The gold dress.

[Michael Gelman]

When you put that on, did you guys love it?

[Kelly Burkhardt]

I thought it was.

[Michael Gelman]

Oh, my.

[Jan Chalet]

She looked like an Oscar. She looked like an A sexy Oscar.

[Albert Bianchini]

Breathtaking.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. And I do have. I do have to say that Jimmy Coco spray tan helps.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

He really makes everything better. You know, he will. Air. Yeah. He airbrushes a body onto you, but it's also. I can make your boobs look bigger with airbrushing. I was like, no, you can't.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's also amazing how you guys can look at a dress, because that dress was a lot higher before.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Michael Gelman]

And you.

[Kelly Ripa]

And then boom. We had a feeling about it.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's amazing.

[Kelly Ripa]

We should have. Audrey, you know what? I regret we didn't take pictures of me before. It was tailored so people could see how high the shelf was on the neckline of that dress. I know we didn't have.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

We have with the, we have. With the clamps on it. We have a photo of you pre. Pre actual final tailoring. But we didn't. We don't have, you know, there's this, this dress is literally right off the Runway. The process being, you know, I reach out to our very good friends, the people that come through for us every year, the designers that come through for us every year.

[Kelly Ripa]

So good to us.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

Yeah. And Kristen is so generous. Always and always gets the most beautiful of his that of the moment options to us. And that dress came right off the Runway so we could see what it looked like on a model and then

[Kelly Ripa]

on a not model.

[Kelly Burkhardt]

And it was even better, honestly. It was even better one. Once we cut down the top of the dress to normal human neckline.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, Audrey, I really appreciate all the work. Go get some rest. We're gonna take a break here. Don't forget, Gilman is here waiting to answer your burning questions. And we'll be right back. If you know anything about me, it's that I love to do laundry. It just gives me such satisfaction. But. But did you also know that skincare can start in the laundry room? The first step of a sensitive skincare routine is choosing the right laundry detergent. All Free Clear is the number one detergent brand recommended by dermatologists for sensitive skin. All free clear is 100% free of dyes and fragrance allergens. It provides an effective clean that's gentle on the skin while removing impurities like dirt and body oil that can irritate your skin. It's made with eight carefully selected ingredients to fight stains and be gentle on skin. How great is that? Allfree Clear has been a game changer for me. It leaves my clothes feeling fresh and my skin feeling happy. I especially love that it doesn't give my laundry a strong artificial odor like some other brands. You know what I mean? For an effective skin friendly clean wash

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[Michael Gelman]

Let's go.

[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

From Nintendo and Illumination, the Super Mario

[Michael Gelman]

Bros. Can take care of the Kingdom

[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

Comes a super powered adventure on April 1, pack our things, the galaxy gets even bigger.

[Michael Gelman]

He knows that's my bike, right?

[Super Mario Movie Trailer Voice]

The Super Mario galaxy movie. Pretty PG. Only Peter's April 1st get tickets now.

[Kelly Ripa]

We are back, everyone. We are live, and we are here with Michael Gelman. Yes.

[Albert Bianchini]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, if you don't know, then you are missing out. He is the reason that. Live with. Insert your favorite names here. Live with Blankety Blank and Blankety Blank. Michael Gelman has seen the show, threw it on all but Galman. We can be honest.

[Michael Gelman]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

We're talking amongst friends.

[Michael Gelman]

Okay.

[Kelly Ripa]

I'm your favorite host. I mean, we can all.

[Michael Gelman]

Mark is up there, too.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, Mark is up there, too. I get it. Mark is up there, too. But would. I mean, just.

[Michael Gelman]

It's like the favorite child. Is this the favorite child?

[Kelly Ripa]

We can all agree that I'm your favorite.

[Michael Gelman]

You're. You're up there. I believe you're. You're. You're in the top five.

[Kelly Ripa]

He doesn't. I didn't want the others to feel bad, but. I know. I know.

[Michael Gelman]

You know I'm winking right now.

[Kelly Ripa]

I know. I see the way you're looking at me. I see the way you're looking at me.

[Jan Chalet]

He was also a therapist this weekend.

[Kelly Ripa]

He was a therapist. I want to get into. Everyone had a travel nightmare.

[Jan Chalet]

Well, first of all, my note to self for next year is like, maybe don't read the news for the entire time I'm there. We land, and the first thing I see is that there is drama drones going to attack California.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right?

[Jan Chalet]

We're gonna get bombed. So I freak out, and I call Gelman. That's who I call. I don't call my husband.

[Kelly Ripa]

I don't.

[Jan Chalet]

I call Gelman.

[Kelly Ripa]

Call Dr. Gelman.

[Michael Gelman]

So I said, calm down.

[Kelly Ripa]

And did you take a deep breath in?

[Michael Gelman]

I tried to do it by, you know, demonstrating myself. Take a. Okay. And then I said, look, I read the article, okay? I'm flying out. I don't feel endangered. Anything can happen at any time, but it won't. This is not your destiny. If you read the article, it was kind of from a month before. It was an intelligence report. I think there's something to worry about. But I said, I really don't think this is something that you should be focusing on.

[Jan Chalet]

And I said, if Kelly and Mark are coming, I'm good, because they wouldn't let them die. They'll let me die, but they won't let them. I'm talking.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, I think. I mean, I don't think it's a. It's not a question of letting us die. It's a question of we are hearty New Yorkers, we've been through a lot and we're not going to not put our show on because of articles. And again, I wish this wasn't true or what weren't. I wish it weren't. Wasn't. Doesn't matter. I wish it wasn't true. But nothing leads like a panic article in the news. It got everybody to click on it. It got lots of eyeballs. And if it was a happy go lucky story, nobody would have read it. And if it was a measured story, if it bleeds, it leads, you know, and it's just the way it is. And you went for it.

[Jan Chalet]

Yes, I did. And then on the way home, now, granted, I haven't slept. Not only did I pull an all

[Kelly Ripa]

nighter, we were all punchy. Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

But like for the last four days, I had a really slapped.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Jan Chalet]

And I'm a terrible flyer. Like, it's just one thing about me.

[Kelly Ripa]

You're afraid.

[Michael Gelman]

Very nervous. Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

I don't.

[Jan Chalet]

I'm a nervous flyer.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay.

[Jan Chalet]

And so no sleep, nervous fire. And then I read there's tornadoes going across the country.

[Kelly Ripa]

Tornadic activity.

[Jan Chalet]

Oh, Albert. No, no, no, no.

[Kelly Ripa]

All across the country.

[Albert Bianchini]

It's just so out of character for you, though, because you're not like this in any stoic.

[Jan Chalet]

Jan was sobbing and who did I call?

[Michael Gelman]

Yeah, Gelman. So I said send. And I gave her the same speech. I'm like, they are tornadoes. It is true. They can be dangerous. People die.

[Kelly Ripa]

But you're in a plane,

[Michael Gelman]

they see a tornado, they go the other way. They go higher, they go lower. You know, I don't. You don't hear a lot of people dying flying in airplanes from tornadoes.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes, very true. It's very true.

[Michael Gelman]

I said, this is not now.

[Kelly Ripa]

Can't think of one.

[Michael Gelman]

She sends me the article.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, okay, I'm reading here.

[Albert Bianchini]

I saw the wizard of Oz. It didn't.

[Michael Gelman]

Rare tornado threat covers mid Atlantic, including the D.C. area. I read the article. I'm like, unless you're flying to Washington, D.C. this article isn't. Isn't even about anything in your flight path. So she was trying to find things she was focusing on, you know, these

[Jan Chalet]

things were getting canceled. He is on the plane. He's sitting on the plane. He goes, we just got delayed for 45. Now, besides flying, which makes me crazy, the next thing that makes me crazy is the idea of being stuck on an airplane without being able to get out for multiple Hours. He's sitting in the plane and he's delayed. Oh, my God. I started freaking.

[Kelly Ripa]

See, I need to travel with you at all times because I'm a really good flyer, and I. Yes, I need to. From now on, I'm attaching myself to you when you fly, because I will keep you calm and I will keep you entertained. And I will show you how, in the event of an emergency, I am going to get you out of the plane. Because unlike the rest of society, I pay attention when they give the safety briefing. I'm not. I am listening to what's going on.

[Jan Chalet]

I think I spammed him.

[Michael Gelman]

Oh, no, there's a lot, like tax. She goes, I'm in tears. More delays. I'm getting off. I'm running. I'm like, okay, you're delayed. They're not going to lose this plane. You're gonna be fine.

[Jan Chalet]

I start, like, legit having a panic. Remember, I did not sleep. Okay.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

So I'm having a legit panic attack. Okay. This lovely woman, lovely woman on United. Sonia. I love you.

[Kelly Ripa]

This Sonia. She gave you her Xanax.

[Jan Chalet]

She comes to me and she literally sees me. This is a flight attendant. She sees me and she's like, you're gonna be okay. I'm like, I think I might get off. Like, I'm freaking out. She's like, you're gonna be okay. She goes, hold on one second. Stay right here. I'm in the little galley, right?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

She leaves, she comes back. She goes, come with me. She brings me into the pilot.

[Michael Gelman]

Did you get wings?

[Jan Chalet]

And the cockpit was like, the guy. The pilot turns to me and he goes, listen, listen. My mama loves me and I love my mama. So nothing's gonna happen because I won't do that to my mama. And he's like, I have never put a plane in the air that I was worried about, and I'm not worried about this.

[Kelly Ripa]

And I was like, amazing.

[Jan Chalet]

Okay? And then I took one of Bill's little pills, and I was fine. I coasted for the rest of the flight.

[Kelly Ripa]

What pills does Bill take?

[Jan Chalet]

It was like a little Valium. I took Valium. I was fine.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, my God. I would have died for Valium. Not because I panic on a plane, but because I just would like to have slept. I would have liked to have had some sort of sleep.

[Michael Gelman]

But this was a repeat of years ago where I sat next to Jen on a plane. Where was it?

[Kelly Ripa]

Is that going to dc?

[Michael Gelman]

It was somewhere. Maybe it was. But where? I think I still have scars on My arm. Because she was holding on to. Yeah, she, like, was grabbing me. Her nails were digging into my.

[Kelly Ripa]

You gotta give her a little booze. That's the trick. Jan, what is it you like whiskey?

[Jan Chalet]

I like tequila.

[Kelly Ripa]

Tequila, right.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

I don't know.

[Jan Chalet]

It was. It was. It was crazy. By the way, there was no turbulence on the way home. I had zero turbulence. What?

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, well, we. I had all the turbulence for you. And you would have pooped your pants. Jan, let me tell you, you are the girl that produced the Run Across America at the White House the night that Osama bin Laden was killed. Okay?

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

And you. And when I was the one, I was like, we gotta get out of here. We have to get out of dc. We are going home. And you were like, we're not going home. We're doing the show. It's gonna be fine. So remember who you are, Jan.

[Jan Chalet]

Okay?

[Kelly Ripa]

I want you to remember.

[Jan Chalet]

I know it was a weak moment. It was a weak moment and my therapist and executive executive producer got me through it.

[Kelly Ripa]

How come you never therapized me that way?

[Michael Gelman]

You don't come to me in that way, Kelly.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's true.

[Michael Gelman]

I'm here for.

[Kelly Ripa]

I go to an actual clinical therapist.

[Michael Gelman]

I'm good for a short term. You know, before you get to the therapist.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, I just want to congratulate everybody in this room, especially Michael, Jan and Seth, Ashley, also. You were a rock star. You guys. That show would not be that show without you all. You really put it together. You did. The entire staff.

[Jan Chalet]

Tails off work.

[Albert Bianchini]

Incredible.

[Michael Gelman]

Oh, yeah. Well, Jan works on this show. I mean, next week. She's starting on next year's. And then the. Seth, work on that.

[Kelly Ripa]

I forgot to tell you.

[Michael Gelman]

Ages.

[Kelly Ripa]

I have strep throat next year. Yeah, I have strep throat next year.

[Jan Chalet]

I think I do too, maybe.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Jan Chalet]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Galman, Jan and I are out sick next year for the Oscars.

[Jan Chalet]

We're gonna do the Oscars from Palm Springs.

[Michael Gelman]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

Look at that. Yes. I got a great party we could go to. Maybe the.

[Michael Gelman]

The post show.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes.

[Michael Gelman]

The Tri show party.

[Kelly Ripa]

Guys, that's it. That's all we have time for. I'm sorry, callers. I'm sorry. And Galman, you're welcome. I didn't take mysterious callers from scary people. We'll talk all off camera next week, everyone. Bye. Bye. 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, Juliet Desch and Team Radio Andy Lisa Mantineo, Scott Marlowe, Jake Goetz hi neighbor. Welcome to Birch Lane, your home for classic furniture and decor. Easily update your home for spring with new beds and dressers, home reno essentials and more. Their timeless designs are crafted to bring joy for years to come and delivered fast and free so you can celebrate what matters most. Its classic style for joyful living. Shop Birch Lane, a Wayfair specialty [e-mail]

[Michael Gelman]

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[Kelly Ripa]

cash back on goals.

[Jan Chalet]

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[Michael Gelman]

Chase make more of what's yours. Restrictions and limitations apply.

[Jan Chalet]

Cards are issued by JP Morgan Chase

[Kelly Ripa]

Bank, NA member FDIC.