ENTERTAINMENTKelly Ripa Blasts Met Gala for Creating 'Gridlock Traffic' in Her Upper Manhattan Neighborhood: 'It Seemed Endless'
Kelly Ripa could do without the Met Gala's traffic.
May 6 2026, Published 5:16 a.m. ET
The Met Gala may cause early evening chaos, but it also results in a strange sense of peace after the event concludes, according to Kelly Ripa.
During the Live with Kelly and Mark of Live With Kelly and Mark, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos discussed the longevity of the Met Gala while analyzing one of the internet’s most pressing post-event questions: how do celebrities use the restroom in their over-the-top ensembles?
“'To Pee or Not to Pee' is the title of this article,” Ripa shared before wondering about the topic herself. "I don’t know — I would think you just dehydrate for the entire event and then hook yourself up to an IV after."
'That’s a Job I Would Not Want'
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos' neighborhood was in 'gridlock traffic' during the Met Gala.
Consuelos pointed out the obvious challenge, noting, "Those costumes are quite elaborate," prompting Ripa to reveal some surprising behind-the-scenes details.
"They’re saying that some designers create a discrete trap door that allows their guests to go to the bathroom,” she explained. “But now they have staff with the assistance — bathroom assistants — there to help people in their elaborate costumes.”
The revelation didn’t exactly sound glamorous to the Hope & Faith actress, as she admitted, "That’s a job I would not want. There’s no amount of love of fashion that would get me to do that job."
Kelly Ripa was disgusted by an article about Met Gala bathroom assistants.
She then jokingly reminded her own crew not to worry about being assigned similar duties.
"Interns here at Live, I want you to thank your lucky stars. Count your blessings — that’s not part of the job here,” she quipped, adding that production assistants are reportedly “dispatched to the bathroom to help celebrities use the facilities.”
Consuelos, still curious, asked how long the Met Gala actually lasts, questioning: "Is it a couple hours? A few hours?"
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'We Were Really Complaining'
Kelly Ripa was thankful the neighborhood became extra quiet after the event.
Ripa couldn’t recall the exact timing but admitted "it seemed endless" — especially when factoring in the chaos surrounding it.
"We were really complaining yesterday because of all the gridlock traffic,” she said, detailing the disruption near their home. "We couldn’t get down our street—we had to show proof of residence, and then they made you walk to Fifth Avenue side and come up the street. It was like a whole thing."
Despite the inconvenience, the night did come with one major perk.
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos attended the Met Gala in 2007.
"We got a good night’s sleep because they didn’t allow any people to camp out outside of the hotel," Ripa recalled. "So we weren’t awoken all night."
"That was nice — it was quiet," Consuelos agreed.
"It was the quietest our street’s been in a long time,” Ripa added.
