Mark Consuelos Was Mistaken for Regis Philbin at a NY Knicks Game Despite Late Host’s 2020 Death

Mark Consuelos had a doozy of a story he shared on Live With Kelly and Mark on Tuesday, March 26, revealing that a viewer mistook him for late host Regis Philbin at a New York Knicks game, and he couldn’t convince her otherwise that it wasn’t him.

“We ate in the owner’s lounge,” Mark, 52, explained to wife Kelly Ripa of his experience at Madison Square Garden. “This lady thought I was Regis. She goes, ‘You’re Regis! and I said, ‘I’m not! I’m not. But let’s talk!’ I knew what she meant.”

“She was like, ‘He’s very muscular!’ And I go, ‘That’s me!’” the Riverdale alum continued, doing slight flexes with his arms.

“She was lovely. They watch the show every morning,” Mark said of the confused fan, before adding, “So, if you’re watching, hi!” with a sweet wave, as Kelly, 53, looked quite amused.

Regis was the original host of Live with cohost Kathie Lee Gifford when it became nationally syndicated in 1988. After she departed the program in 2000, then-All My Children star Kelly snagged the cohosting gig, with it being retitled Live With Regis and Kelly in 2001.

The TV legend retired from Live in 2011. He told viewers in January of that year, “This will be my last year on this show. It was the biggest thrill of my life … There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people.”

Regis died on July 25, 2020, from a heart attack due to coronary artery disease at a hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was 88 years old.

Upon his retirement, Kelly got the lead title on the show and a new cohost in Michael Strahan the following year. After his contentious departure to Good Morning America 2016, Ryan Seacrest joined Live in 2017, leaving after six years in April 2023, due to his hectic bicoastal work schedule.

With their natural chemistry as husband and wife and Mark filling in as guest host so many times over the years, he was made Kelly’s full-time host upon Ryan’s departure. The pair has amused audiences with stories about their home life and personal interactions.

In a February 2 episode of Live, the couple discussed their weird bedroom habits.

“A study has revealed the 10 most bizarre activities people carry out while asleep,” Mark said as they began the discussion. The couple admitted to “laughing or crying,” two of the items on the list.

They both denied “hitting,” which was another trait. Kelly told viewers that when Mark is snoring, she nudges him in the hopes that it will get him to stop. When Mark mentioned “moving their hands” was another thing on the list, he sweetly told Kelly, “You don’t do that. But, you do have a little foot that moves.”