Since Mark Consuelos joined his real-life wife, Kelly Ripa on the morning talk show Live with Kelly and Mark, the ratings have never been better.  In fact, according to the Nielsen ratings, the former All My Children stars came in second behind The View for the 2022-2023 television season in total viewers averaging 2.293 million.

Now with the new season upon us come September, Ripa spoke with the Purist about what fans can expect now that Mark is coming into his own as her co-host.

Kelly shared, “We’re going to provide the same sort of humor and irreverence that people have come to know and love. Mark has taken the trivia game, where Ryan (Seacrest) and I would just give away coffee mugs to the audience, and decided that he’s not going to do that any more. There are no participation trophies in life, he says. If they want to win a mug, they’re going to have to stump me. I don’t really follow the ratings, but from what I’ve been told that since Mark has taken over, people stay with the show all the way through because they want to see whether or not Mark gets stumped.”

Photo: JPI

When asked what favorite segment on Live is her current favorite, Ripa expressed, “I love talking to the trivia callers. Our show is best when it’s going off the rails, when our audience gets to see the slip-ups. It is not this highly polished, Hollywood thing. It is two people meeting, having coffee, having just read the paper. We never cover actual news, we cover absurd news. When you factor in a person calling from their cellphone in the parking lot of a grocery store, what have you, it is rife with the ability to derail very quickly, and I think that’s what I love the best. I also love our viewer feedback at the very end of the show, where we take our viewers.”

So, are you looking forward to more Live with Kelly and Mark? Enjoying the duo on-screen together on the morning talker? What are your favorite staple segments from the show? Comment below.

The Broadway community is mourning the passing of one of their most beloved members, who also appeared on several daytime soap operas throughout her career.  Pamela Blair, the original Val in A Chorus Line, died at her home in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday following a lengthy illness. Blair was 73-years-old.

Throughout her career, the singer/dancer/actress continued to showcase her exceptional talents in shows such as: Promises, Promises, Wild and Wonderful, Sugar and Seesaw. She also gained major kudos from the musical theatre community for her portrayal of Amber in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. 

Pamela also had notable roles on soap operas taped in New York City. First, Blair played Elizabeth Shank Ryan on Ryan’s Hope in 1980. She followed that with her most-known daytime role as Loving’s Rita Mae Bristow, a part she played from 1983-1985.

Photo: ABC

Later in 1985, 1986 and in 1992, Blair made brief appearances in two roles on All My Children, Maida Andrews and Mrs. Goodman.  It was the role of Maida Andrews that landed Blair a Daytime Emmy nomination in the newly named Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series back in 1987, only losing that year to John Wesley Shipp for his role of Martin Ellis on Santa Barbara.  Blair’s last soap role was in 1994 as Another World’s Bonnie Broderick.

Throughout her enduring career, she appeared in numerous television and motion pictures including: Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Law & Order and the motion pictures version of Annie.

Let us know if you ever had the opportunity to see Blair as Val in ‘A Chorus Line’, or if you remember her daytime roles on Ryan’s Hope, Loving, All My Children or Another World via the comment section.

He was at the epicenter of the hottest storyline on the early days of All My Children as Phil Brent, and now comes word that actor Nick Benedict has passed away at 77 years old.

According to the Jake’s Steakhouse Facebook Page, where Benedict’s wife, Ginger works as a bartender in Tehachapi, California. it stated, “Nick Benedict’s birthday was July 14. He went to be with the Lord this day. Please pray for Ginger.”

Benedict’s passing comes following the set-up of a GoFundMe page, which detailed that Nick had emergency spinal cord surgery on July 2.  However on July 4, he was admitted to hospice, paralyzed from the neck down.  Apparently, ten days later in Arizona where Nick and Ginger lived, and surrounded by his loved ones, Nick passed away.

Photo: ABC

All My Children fans remember fondly, Nick taking over the leading role of Phil Brent from Richard Hatch in 1973.  Phil was involved in a romantic triangle with Tara (Karen Lyn Gorney) and Erica (Susan Lucci).  Phil was the second in a long line of husbands for Pine Valley’s Erica.  Throughout his career, Benedict played Phil three times during the ABC soaps run (1973-1975, 1975-1977 & 1988).  He also received a Daytime Emmy for his performances back in

In 1980-1981, Nick came on to The Young and the Restless as Michael Scott, the nemesis of Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), for the love of Victor’s wife, Julia (Meg Bennett).  Y&R fans recall, Victor locking Michael up in a cage in a basement with a bunch of rats.

Photo: ABC

Benedict also played the abusive Curtis Reed on Days of our Lives.  In 1993 he debuted as the treacherous father of Billie Reed (Lisa Rinna), Curtis Reed (Patrick Muldoon) and the ex-husband of Kate Roberts.  Curtis was killed by Stefano DiMera (Joe Mascolo), but Benedict returned as his ghost several times over through 2001.

Throughout his acting career, Nick appeared on Santa Barbara, Tribes, Knots Landing, The Dukes of Hazzard among other TV series and films.

Nick is survived by his wife, Ginger Benedict and his loved ones.

Share your remembrances and condolences for Nick Benedict via the comment section below.