Actor Mark Consuelos' past as a male stripper has been confirmed and discussed by his wife, Kelly Ripa, in a new interview with Vanity Fair magazine. Ripa explained that Consuelos stripped as a way to break into the entertainment industry.
(Photo: Twitter/Kelly Ripa)Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos."A lot of hot guys in Hollywood have done that," Ripa told George Wayne. "He was straight out of college, and he went to Notre Dame and finished his degree at the University of South Florida. So, there he was in South Florida, he's looking to break into show business; he started off as a roadie to a group of these guys, and then they talked him into stripping."
It's not clear just how long Consuelos performed as a stripper, but he graduated from South Florida in 1994 and started on "All My Children" in 1995. That's where he met Ripa, and the two eloped only one year later. The couple has three children: Michael Joseph, Lola Grace, and Joaquin Antonio.
Ripa and Consuelos appeared on "All My Children" until 2002, when Ripa left the series to appear on "Live! With Regis and Kelly," which is now "Live! With Kelly." Consuelos often guest-stars on the morning show, but the two have flatly denied that he will become her permanent co-star.
"No one would make me happier than Mark, but he values our marriage and he says that he doesn't see how we could stay married and both do that show," Ripa told Wayne.
Stripping is in Consuelos' past, Ripa says.
"My husband is probably the most responsible, hard-working, diligent person I know. He is very smart and stable. My parents worship Mark," she gushed.
The Daily Beast has managed to compile a list of celebrities who previously worked as strippers. It includes Channing Tatum, who recently starred in "The Vow," Lady Gaga, Nadya "Octomom" Suleman, and Brad Pitt.
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