Kelly Ripa Says Her Mother Was 'Convinced' She'd Be Kidnapped and in 'Porn' When She Went to New York

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImageKelly Ripashared a never-before-told story about how her mother was convinced when she was a child that she would be abducted and forced into porn if she ever went to New York City.TheLive! With Kelly and Ryanco-host, 51, spoke with palAnderson Cooperon Thursday while discussing her new book,Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, at Symphony Space in New York City. Her dreams of the Big Apple started when she was around 7 years old after her grandfather took her to see a film set in the city.But her New Jersey-based parents, Joseph and Esther, were not particularly enthusiastic about their daughter’s plans.“My parents were like, ‘New York City? You’ll be killed. You’ll be kidnapped,” Ripa recalled.According to Esther, now 81: “These girls like you [are] coming off the bus and they chloroform them. … They chloroform you and then they drag you into the bathroom. And they chloroform you, and they put junk in your arm.““I didn’t know what that was. I was like, ‘Junk in my arm?'” she told Cooper, 54, about her youthful ignorance to the slang term for heroin.But Esther kept going, describing how vague city people would “get you hooked on junk. And they’ll cut your hair so you’re unrecognizable to your parents. And the next thing you’re in porn!“Astrid Stawiarz/GettyAnecdotes like this are just some ofthe tea that Ripa spills inLive Wire, which was released on Tuesday.In the memoir, the formerAll My Childrenstargets personalabout marrying husbandMark Consuelosfive days after they broke up, then going on to have three children and a thriving sex life.She also got real about the"good days and bad days"she had while co-hostingLivewithRegis Philbin.

Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage

Kelly Ripashared a never-before-told story about how her mother was convinced when she was a child that she would be abducted and forced into porn if she ever went to New York City.TheLive! With Kelly and Ryanco-host, 51, spoke with palAnderson Cooperon Thursday while discussing her new book,Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, at Symphony Space in New York City. Her dreams of the Big Apple started when she was around 7 years old after her grandfather took her to see a film set in the city.But her New Jersey-based parents, Joseph and Esther, were not particularly enthusiastic about their daughter’s plans.“My parents were like, ‘New York City? You’ll be killed. You’ll be kidnapped,” Ripa recalled.According to Esther, now 81: “These girls like you [are] coming off the bus and they chloroform them. … They chloroform you and then they drag you into the bathroom. And they chloroform you, and they put junk in your arm.““I didn’t know what that was. I was like, ‘Junk in my arm?'” she told Cooper, 54, about her youthful ignorance to the slang term for heroin.But Esther kept going, describing how vague city people would “get you hooked on junk. And they’ll cut your hair so you’re unrecognizable to your parents. And the next thing you’re in porn!“Astrid Stawiarz/GettyAnecdotes like this are just some ofthe tea that Ripa spills inLive Wire, which was released on Tuesday.In the memoir, the formerAll My Childrenstargets personalabout marrying husbandMark Consuelosfive days after they broke up, then going on to have three children and a thriving sex life.She also got real about the"good days and bad days"she had while co-hostingLivewithRegis Philbin.

Kelly Ripashared a never-before-told story about how her mother was convinced when she was a child that she would be abducted and forced into porn if she ever went to New York City.

TheLive! With Kelly and Ryanco-host, 51, spoke with palAnderson Cooperon Thursday while discussing her new book,Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, at Symphony Space in New York City. Her dreams of the Big Apple started when she was around 7 years old after her grandfather took her to see a film set in the city.

But her New Jersey-based parents, Joseph and Esther, were not particularly enthusiastic about their daughter’s plans.

“My parents were like, ‘New York City? You’ll be killed. You’ll be kidnapped,” Ripa recalled.

According to Esther, now 81: “These girls like you [are] coming off the bus and they chloroform them. … They chloroform you and then they drag you into the bathroom. And they chloroform you, and they put junk in your arm.”

“I didn’t know what that was. I was like, ‘Junk in my arm?'” she told Cooper, 54, about her youthful ignorance to the slang term for heroin.

But Esther kept going, describing how vague city people would “get you hooked on junk. And they’ll cut your hair so you’re unrecognizable to your parents. And the next thing you’re in porn!”

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty

Anecdotes like this are just some ofthe tea that Ripa spills inLive Wire, which was released on Tuesday.

In the memoir, the formerAll My Childrenstargets personalabout marrying husbandMark Consuelosfive days after they broke up, then going on to have three children and a thriving sex life.

She also got real about the"good days and bad days"she had while co-hostingLivewithRegis Philbin.

source: people.com