Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are never shy about sharing the intimate details of their nearly three-decade marriage. However, the Live With Kelly and Mark co-hosts recently revealed that one simple bedtime habit instantly puts the brakes on their nighttime romance.
During an episode of their daytime talk show, the couple engaged in a hilarious discussion about a recent scientific study regarding koalas. Consuelos, 55, noted that he deeply resonated with the marsupials' relaxed approach to romantic rejection.
"When they're mating, the koala goes in there and says, 'Hey, I'm Mr. Koala, nice to meet you, Ms. Koala.' Sometimes they're not interested," Consuelos explained on the broadcast. "Instead of being heartbroken, they go back to sleep."
Ripa, also 55, was quick to point out the glaring similarities between the wildlife study and her husband's own bedroom demeanor. According to the former All My Children star, the universal sign that the night is officially over comes down to her dental hygiene routine.
"I pop my retainer in," Ripa told her husband with a laugh. "He hears the retainer pop in, it's like a chastity belt!"
Consuelos fully agreed with his wife's assessment. Taking the koala analogy one step further, he quipped, "I come to bed with my little eucalyptus leaf, and I'm like, 'Hey, you want to fool around? No? Okay.'"
This isn't the first time the couple has openly debated their bedroom schedule. Ripa previously shared on a podcast that the two have historically clashed over their preferred timing for intimacy. While Ripa prefers the evenings, Consuelos has always been a fan of early morning romance. However, once the two began working together on Live in early 2023, Ripa had to lay down the law, insisting that their grueling new schedule meant nighttime was the only viable option.
Between her dental hardware and his nighttime nasal strips, Ripa joked that they often feel completely unromantic before bed, describing themselves as being "pre-disgusted for tomorrow morning."
Fortunately for Ripa, her husband has finally accepted their new routine. Consuelos recently confessed that co-hosting a daily morning talk show has officially cured his craving for early bedroom rendezvous, calling their demanding early call times the ultimate "antidote" to morning intimacy.