LIVE With Kelly And Mark has been missing half of its dynamic duo this week. Surprisingly, Kelly Ripa has been absent from the show which has not yet been addressed. So far, the show has been guest hosted by actress Jane Krakowski and announcer Deja Vú. Maria Menounos and Jenny Mollen are scheduled to finish out the week as guest hosts. The prevailing theory is that Kelly, a long-time ABC employee, is preparing to travel from New York City, where LIVE is filmed, to Los Angeles to receive a Disney Legends award. Disney is the parent company of ABC.
Ripa, 53, is expected to attend the D23 Disney convention in Anaheim, CA, near the world-famous Disneyland Park. At this "Ultimate Disney Fan Event," Disney will continue its 40 year tradition of honoring "gifted animators, Imagineers, songwriters, actors, business leaders, and more for the significant impact they've had on the Disney legacy." Angela Lansbury, Dick Van Dyke, Phil Collins, and Robin Williams are just a few of the past entertainers who have been granted the honor in its long history. The roster usually contains a large number of behind-the-scenes contributors, but this year's list of honorees is particularly Hollywood-heavy, featuring actors like Angela Bassett, Harrison Ford, Miley Cyrus and Jamie Lee Curtis. The awards ceremony will be hosted by Ripa's former co-host and friend, Ryan Seacrest. In announcing her honor, Disney called Ripa "one of the most powerful voices in media."
When Ripa learned on LIVE that she would receive the honor, she was stunned and proud. She noted that she'd worked for Disney for 34 years, and her husband Consuelos shared in her excitement. "I think you absolutely do belong. And I'm really, really proud of you," he told his wife of 28 years.
If D23 is the reason for Ripa's absence from LIVE, it's likely she'll return to the show next week. If she doesn't, we'll have to wait and see what's keeping her away from the show she's hosted since 2001.
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