Kelly Ripa Puts 29-Year Marriage to Mark Consuelos to the Test on Live TV

As of November 13, 2025, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, who have been married for 29 years, are still going strong. The couple, who eloped in Las Vegas in 1996 after meeting on the soap opera "All My Children," have three children together: Michael (28), Lola (24), and Joaquin (22).

Recently, Ripa decided to put her husband's love to the test on live television. She used the "bird theory," a concept developed by couple's researcher John Gottman, to see if Consuelos was truly engaged and interested in her life. Before discussing the theory on their show "Live with Kelly and Mark," Ripa casually mentioned to Consuelos that she had seen a bird that morning. Consuelos responded with a follow-up question, proving that he was indeed listening and interested in what Ripa had to say.

Ripa explained that the "bird theory" suggests that if a partner asks a simple follow-up question when the other mentions a bird sighting, it means they are "intensely listening" and "love" their partner. Consuelos joked that the theory could also mean the partner just likes birds, but ultimately agreed that it was a "good test" of their relationship.