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Monday, December 3, 2001 Kelly Ripa: In the Hot Seat After mastering daytime television (as a star on "All My Children"), marriage and motherhood, Kelly Ripa stepped into a new role as co-host of Regis Philbin's popular morning show. Ripa grew up dazzled by the lights of New York City. The oldest daughter of a bus driver and a homemaker in New Jersey, Ripa and her sister began taking ballet and piano lessons at an early age. They visited Manhattan frequently to see professional shows and explore the culture of the big city. The young girl dreamed of the day when she would live in — and make her mark on — the Big Apple. After graduating from high school, Ripa enrolled in community college, but during the first week of school she auditioned for ABC's "All My Children." Although she was competing against several other actresses with more experience, she won a role on the soap. In 1990, she moved to New York City to play teen wild child Hayley Vaughan on the hit soap opera. The TV gig was a wonderful professional experience for Ripa, but it also set the stage for love. In 1996, the actress married her co-star Mark Consuelos; a year later, the couple had their first child, Michael Joseph Consuelos. While Ripa navigated her career, marriage and motherhood successfully, she couldn't have been prepared for the changes that would occur in the new millennium. After several appearances as a guest host on Regis Philbin's morning show, Ripa was offered the co-host seat that had been vacated by Kathie Lee Gifford. When Ripa accepted the job in February 2001, she was five months pregnant with her second child, Lola Grace Consuelos. Ripa kept her job at "All My Children" and began her career as Regis's sidekick. In her first months on the "Live With Regis and Kelly Show," she shared private information about her pregnancy and life with the show's large television audience. They adored her instantly. The program's ratings have gone up, and the job has catapulted Ripa into national superstardom. Viewers can relate to Ripa because she's a shining example of a contemporary working mother. She holds down two jobs, maintains a great relationship with her husband, and is the mother of two young children. |
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Monday, June 17, 2002 Finola Hughes: Family Woman Emmy award-winning soap star Finola Hughes chats about her early days performing on Broadway in the long-running musical "Cats," her surprise firing from the soap opera "General Hospital" and the recent success she's achieved playing "Alexandra Devane" on the fan favorite "All My Children." Interviews include ABC Daytime President Angela Shapiro, "All My Children," executive producer Jean Dadario Burke, and actresses Kelly Ripa and Linda Dano |
