Kelly Ripa Criticizes Mark Consuelos on Parenting

Kelly Ripa has recalled a time when her husband, Mark Consuelos, took their son to Hooters on a “playdate,” and she wasn’t happy about it.

The revelation came during Tuesday’s (September 10) episode of Live with Kelly & Mark when Consuelos spoke about how “proud” he was that the Hooters restaurant chain is based in his home state of Florida. This triggered an unfortunate memory for Ripa.

“I remember when you took our son to Hooters!” Ripa said before Consuelos tried to defend himself, saying, “No, no, no.”

“He was having a playdate with his friend… I’m not kidding,” Ripa continued. “The two dads took the sons to Hooters. They came in reeking of cigarette smoke. I was like, ‘Did you guys sit in the smoking section?’ They were like, ‘The whole place is the smoking section.’”

Consuelos then shared his side of the story, explaining, “To be fair, we went on a dad and kid playdate. And sometimes, you know, when your kid’s friends with a kid, the parents are like, ‘Alright, fine, I’ve gotta hang out with the parent as well.’ It wasn’t like my go-to hangout.”

He continued, “It was solidified by the fact [the other dad] said, ‘We’re gonna go take the kids out to eat chicken wings.’ I said, ‘Sure.’ And he was driving, and then we pulled into Hooters.”

The couple, who share sons Michael, 27, and Joaquin, 21,  as well as daughter Lola, 23, laughed off the situation, and both agreed they were fine with “blaming the other dad.”

Michael, the pair’s oldest, currently lives in New York City and works with Andy Cohen on the Real Housewives franchise. Meanwhile, Lola lives in London with her boyfriend and is focusing on her music career. Joaquin, meanwhile, studies at the University of Michigan, where he’s part of the school’s varsity wrestling team.