NEWSSnubbed: Kelly Ripa ‘Not Invited’ To Regis Philbin Funeral
Regis Philbin’s former on-air partner Kelly Ripa paid tribute to the legendary television host on air Monday morning — but her tears masked a bitter feud that has carried on even after his death.
OK! has learned Ripa, 49, has not been invited to his funeral, according to a source close to the family.
Philbin, who died Friday of natural causes at the age of 88, will be remembered at his beloved alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, with a service. He will also be buried on campus, Fox 5 New York is reporting.
“Kelly isn’t invited,” said a source. “You have to understand the dynamic of their relationship. It was an on-air, not off-air, friendship—and towards the end (of their time on-air together), there was a lot of bad blood.”
Regis Philbin Confesses Kelly Ripa Was ’Offended’ When He Left 'Live' Show
It is not known if Ripa will still attend, regardless of the family’s position.
In the meantime, the television host — who appeared alongside Philbin from 2001 to 2011 — is taking the high road, saying in a statement she is “beyond saddened” at his passing.
But Ripa was said to be agitated when Philbin left the show in 2011. Philbin himself appeared to confirm that during a 2017 interview with Larry King.
“She got very offended when I left. She thought I was leaving because of her,” Philbin said. “I was leaving because I was getting older, and it wasn’t right for me anymore.”
Even Ripa has acknowledged the tension between the pair, suggesting their on-air charisma was limited to just that.
She previously told The New York Times Philbin even had a rule against talking when the cameras weren’t rolling.
“He had almost a superstition about it. You save it for the show,” she said. “I’d be like, ‘Good morning,’ and he’d say, ‘Save it for the air!’ ”
Opening her show Live! With Kelly and Ryan on Monday, Ripa said: “Mark Consuelos and I were lucky enough to have all of our children with us this past weekend on Saturday, so we were all together when we heard this horrible news.
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“As people get older, you always know that certain things are inevitable, and passing away is one of those things, but Regis is one of the people that we all believed would somehow figure out a way around the inevitable. It was not in the cards, I suppose.”
Upon his death, the former Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host’s family released a statement saying: “His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him — for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss.”
The bitter battle between the pair has become the stuff of Hollywood legend in years past.
During a radio interview in 2019, Howard Stern and guest Jimmy Kimmel talked openly about “war” between the two.
“I’m sure that will go over big. Kelly I don’t think likes Regis. That’s the thing. They have a war,” Stern said, according to Radar Online.
“I think it is true, and I think she would say that it’s true. They don’t talk or anything as far as I know. I thought it was an issue where Kelly felt that she should’ve been told by Regis that he was leaving the show.”
Kimmel suggested that Philbin didn’t leave Live! under his own accord, hinting that it may have been his strained relationship with Ripa that led to his exit.
The funeral will take place at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the burial at Cedar Grove Cemetery, according to the South Bend Tribune. A date has not been announced.
Philbin is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joy Philbin, and three daughters.
