Howie Mandel Apologizes After On-Air Age Joke

Howie Mandel has decided that, yes, he does look good for 70—and that Kelly Ripa deserves an apology. The comedian posted an Instagram video Saturday addressing an awkward moment on the March 23 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, where he pushed back after Ripa and Mark Consuelos complimented his appearance, arguing that saying someone his age "looks great" comes with a backhanded "for your age" clause. Ripa tried to clarify that she and Consuelos simply thought Mandel looked great—period—and even said she didn't believe he was 70, per People. "No, I don't like that," Mandel said on the air. "It's like saying you're smart for a stupid person."

In the new video, Mandel said he'd wrestled with whether to speak out, noting he doesn't think comedians should have to apologize for jokes and hadn't done so in his 50-year career. But he made an exception for Ripa, calling her a longtime supporter and admitting, "You're right. You're absolutely right." He added, "I just try to be entertaining and funny, and sometimes, as a comedian, things don't land the way you mean them to land." With a smile, he said he now accepts he does, in fact, look great for his age and "just has to embrace" it. Though the apology seemed genuine, the full message ultimately sounded as though Mandel was "poking fun at the incident," per USA Today.