Sidestepping the drama. Kelly Ripa has finally responded to Kathie Lee Gifford‘s comments that she has no plans to read Live Wire out of concern that it would include negative stories about their former cohost, Regis Philbin.

Kelly Ripa Revisits History With Regis Philbin in Memoir: Biggest Bombshells

“It’s really hard to sell a book, right? And [her comments came during] like, week three of the book [being released],” the Live with Kelly and Ryan cohost, 52, told Amanda Hirsch on the Tuesday, October 18 episode of Dear Media’s “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast. “I’m not gonna lie, I was not reading any headlines anywhere [at the time]. And suddenly all of these headlines pop up and there’s all of this attention on my book. I am a person that tends to take a negative and turn it into a positive, so my ultimate comment [to her] is, ‘Thank you.’”

Ripa added that she thinks “people that read the book” will have a “completely” different take on the chapters that mention the late morning show host, who died in July 2020 at the age of 88.

“You know, if you read it, if you do the deep dive, I take his side in most of the chapter,” the former soap star continued. “I’m, like, on his side because … at the time, I had no awareness that this was not a choice for him [to have a new cohost]. I wasn’t a choice for him.”

Former ‘Live’ Cohosts Kelly Ripa and Regis Philbin’s Ups and Downs Through the Years

Ultimately, Ripa thinks it’s “ironic” that the chapter of Live Wire that is gaining the most attention is actually one where she reflects on whether it’s worth it to correct the record of her relationship with Philbin. “This entire chapter is about correcting the record in real-time,” she explained. “Do you do it? Should one do it, theoretically? … People who read the book have a very different take on those chapters because they read the book. … And the comments I’ve gotten about those chapters have been overwhelmingly positive and the people who read the book took away a lot of positivity from it.”

Though the All My Children alum stated that “nobody has to read every book on Earth,” she did appear to throw shade at the former Today host, 69. “I’m like, the opposite [of her]. I don’t comment on things I don’t know about, so I don’t know [exactly what she said].”

Earlier this month, Gifford made headlines after she stated that she would not read Live Wire. “I was very sorry to see the headlines,” she told Fox 5’s Rosanna Scotto on October 10. “You know, you never know what’s true and what’s not true. I went, ‘I hope this isn’t true. I just hope it isn’t.’ ‘Cause what’s the point? I don’t get it. I don’t get it.”

Referring to Ripa’s claims that there was a power struggle between her and the late Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host, Gifford continued, “I’m not gonna read the book. … I just know what Regis was to me, Rosanna. He was 15 years the best partner I could ever have professionally. But he was my friend. We were dear friends and after I left the show … for the next 20 years we became better friends. Dearer friends.”

The TV producer added that she hopes Philbin’s four adult daughters and his widow, Joy Philbin, wouldn’t have to hear about Ripa’s book. “Lord, protect Joy and the girls from this,” Gifford said. “In all the years I’ve known him, I never saw him [be] unkind to anyone. I never did. I’m just saying my reality is something completely different from that.”

Everything Kelly Ripa and Kathie Lee Gifford Have Said About Each Other

At the time, an industry insider told Us Weekly that Gifford’s comments only served to draw more attention to the tell-all memoir. “It’s sad but ironic that by commenting about a book she hasn’t read, Kathie Lee will ensure this number one bestseller will actually be read by even more people,” the source said.

For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!

Source: Read Full Article