According to Kelly Ripa, it’s “hard to be married to someone who virtually never makes a mistake” — and Mark Consuelos should be well aware.
On a recent episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, Ripa talked about the key to keeping couples happy. She mentioned that according to psychologists, successful couples abide by the five-to-one formula.
“For every negative interaction that occurs during an argument, such as being critical, dismissive, defensive, there should be five or more positive interactions,” she added. “They came to predict with more than 90% accuracy which of the couples would stay together and which would get divorced.”
Before Ripa began listing the positive interactions, she urged those in the audience to “write this down,” prompting Consuelos to pretend to jot notes down on his hand. The list kicked off with “showing interest,” which she read out with a chuckle.
“Ok, so right away we are off to a slow start,” she teased to Consuelos. “We are off to a very slow start.”
Ripa continued by mentioning the importance of listening to your partner’s complaints, with a look of uncertainty. However, she highlighted that she and Consuelos are “affectionate,” joking “that’s the one” positive interaction on the list that they have mastered.
“Look, see that,” she quipped as she rubbed Consuelos’ arm.
After Ripa mentioned “making small but meaningful gestures,” Consuelos insisted that they do that “daily.” While Ripa initially issued an unsure “OK,” she and Consuelos noted that they have a “ritual” of “exchang[ing] coffee” first thing in the morning.
“Sometimes I make coffee for you, sometimes you make coffee for me, ” Consuelos detailed. “I know when you make me coffee, it’s meaningful to me. I like how you do it.”
Ripa boasted, “I know. I do it better. I should always make the coffee.”
As she made her way through the list, they agreed that they “focus on common ground” with their three children,” but things took a hilarious turn when Ripa read out “empathizing and apologizing.”
“I do that,” Consuelos insisted. “I can name on one hand the amount of times I’ve heard ‘I’m sorry.’ But I know it’s not rare to husbands. Husbands just don’t hear ‘I’m sorry’ from their spouses. That never works.”
Ripa fired back, “When we do something wrong, we will apologize,” earning some applause from the studio audience.
Consuelos chimed back in, “Statistically speaking, after almost 30 years of marriage, you’re probably going to do something wrong, like, maybe 12 times a year. Once a month.”
Ripa replied, “I would say, maybe 12 times in total.”
Consuelos said, “Exactly, which therein lies the rub.”
Ripa feigned support, telling Consuelos that she “empathize[s] with [his] conundrum,” quipping, “It is hard to be married to someone who virtually never makes a mistake.”
Consuelos got right back at Ripa, telling her, “And I empathize with someone who thinks that they don’t ever make mistakes. Because that must be a very, very hard cross to bear.”
However, Ripa got in another incredible one-liner: “And I accept your apology for only realizing it now how I hardly make a mistake,” she joked.
Live with Kelly and Mark airs on weekdays. Check out their website for your local listings.
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