Howie Mandel is issuing a public apology to Kelly Ripa.
The 70-year-old comedian took to Instagram to share a video apologizing to the Live with Kelly & Mark co-host after a recent appearance on the show.
Last week, Howie was a guest on the talk show when Kelly and husband Mark Consuelos brought up him turning 70 and said he looks great.
The comedian then hit back saying they were giving him a backhanded compliment, saying he looks great for his age, which has drawn some backlash leading to his apology video, which he says he contemplated doing for two days.
“I have been debating for 48 hours whether I should make this post or not. I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing,” Howie starts out his video. “Philosophically I don’t believe that somebody who’s a comedian needs to apologize for a joke. It is a joke. It is meant as a joke. And it’s not meant to offend.”
“You can not like it and, in all my years in the business, I haven’t ever publicly apologized for [a joke],” he lamented.
“This is for Kelly Ripa, who in the past has been incredibly supportive,” Howie continued. “Not only have I been a guest on our show, but I have, I’ve co-hosted with her and I’ve known her for years.”
“When I go out there, I just try to be entertaining and funny and sometimes as a comedian, things don’t land the way you mean them to land,” he added. “And I don’t know how to say this, but not only do I want to say I’m sorry to Kelly but — and this is the hardest part — you’re right.”
“You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry I didn’t see it that way,” he said. “And after a lot of thought and self-reflection… I do. I look great for my age. I really do. I look fantastic.”
You can watch the original comments and Howie’s full apology video right here!
