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Updated April 2, 2026, 9:22 a.m. ET
Howie Mandel’s got regrets.
The “America’s Got Talent” judge, 70, said on the “Hot Mics with Billy Bush” podcast he now somewhat regrets posting a lighthearted video where he apologized to Kelly Ripa following a viral appearance on her talk show.
“I kind of regret making the post,” Mandel said on the March 31 “Hot Mics” podcast episode, explaining he doesn’t “think that you should apologize for a joke.”
The saga with Mandel began when the comedian appeared on “Live with Kelly and Mark” for a March 23 interview, where Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos marveled at the fact that he is 70. “That doesn’t make any sense,” Ripa said, while Consuelos said that he looks “great.”
Mandel reacted negatively to their remarks, suggesting that these were backhanded compliments implying he only looks good for his age. “No, no, no, no, I don’t like that, because that’s a caveat!” he said, adding that this is “like saying you’re smart for a stupid person!”
The segment quickly went viral and received widespread media coverage that characterized it as an awkward on-air moment. So on March 28, Mandel took to Instagram to share a video addressing the situation. In a playful message that seemed to be dripping with sarcasm, he suggested the exchange was meant to be funny and expressed reluctance to apologize for it.
But Mandel continued in the video that “sometimes as a comedian, things don’t land the way you mean them to land,” and he apologized to Ripa, telling her, “You’re right. You’re absolutely right, and I’m sorry I didn’t see it that way.” He quipped, “After a lot of thought and self-reflection, I look great for my age. I really do.”
Speaking on Bush’s podcast, Mandel summed up the situation by saying he “told a joke that didn’t land well,” and while he didn’t feel he should have to apologize for it, he said he is sorry “if somebody feels that I did wrong,” adding, “I didn’t mean to cause any disruption. I didn’t mean to embarrass anybody.”
Bush, meanwhile, expressed bewilderment that the story took off in the first place, saying all parties involved were clearly just “having fun” in the original “Kelly and Mark” segment. In a playful bit, Mandel sat down on the podcast wearing an obvious wig, only to jokingly storm off set after Bush questioned his appearance.
“I don’t talk about looks,” he deadpanned.
Michael Gelman, the executive producer of “Live with Kelly and Mark,” previously shared a playful comment on Mandel’s apology video, writing, “During these divided times, one thing we can all agree upon is that you do look great … for your age.”
https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2026/04/02/USAT/89432654007-1693070990.jpg?crop=3737,2102,x0,y197&width=3200&height=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2026/04/02/howie-mandel-kelly-ripa-video-apology-age/89432530007/
Brendan Morrow
Almontather Rassoul
