Mark Consuelos’ ‘risque PDAs’ with Kelly Ripa on Live are all about power, but it’s backfiring, expert says
A BODY language expert has identified Mark Consuelos as the sole culprit behind ongoing PDA with his wife Kelly on their daytime TV show.
The expert claimed the 52-year-old’s flirty gestures are an attempt to “expand his own territory” on Live with Kelly and Mark – a show his wife has hosted for much longer than him.
Kelly, 52, and Mark kicked off their much-anticipated show, Live with Kelly and Mark on April 17.
The married co-hosts are famed for wowing with their natural on-screen chemistry. They are also known to enjoy a healthy personal life back home.
With this combination, it is not surprising that Kelly and Mark constantly flaunt PDAs.
This has involved posting passionate comments online and sharing plenty of romantic Instagram pictures with followers.
Kelly and Mark have also discussed their physiques and personal life on TV.
During the show’s launch, one Twitter fan wrote: “When she and Mark get together they overshare about their private lives which is inappropriate for TV.”
They added: “It’s a morning show and kids are watching.”
Later that week, another tweeted: “Is there something wrong with Mark’s right hand? It seems it is a magnet and Kelly’s leg is metal.”
More recently, Kelly and Mark worked out with a personal trainer on set. They performed butt exercises lying on the floor.
During the May 25 taping, Joey Thurman encouraged Kelly and Mark: “Squeeze the glutes. You can smack your butt if you want to, Mark.”
Mark obliged and reached over and slapped Kelly’s as well. Kelly shouted: “This feels pornographic to me.”
In an exclusive interview, body language expert Judi James told The U.S. Sun: “It is actually Mark who continues to show how hot they are for each other, and not Kelly anymore.
“Mark uses touches, risqué comments, and flirty stares.
“This also defines an underlying power battle between him and Kelly.
“Sexual signals in the workplace have long been seen as more about power than sex.
“When one person flirts more with the other, that other person will often be put under pressure to diminish their own status.
“Kelly would curb her power signals.
“She might act coyly, angrily, or embarrassed.
“This could be Mark’s cheap route to dominance, even though Kelly and he are a very happily married couple.
“When Mark arrived to front the show with Kelly, there were initial comments that she was going in hard.
“She was overpowering her husband in terms of confidence and experience.
“Mark’s hotter recent PDAs suggest that he wants to expand his power and territory on the show.
“Kelly sounded embarrassed when she said it feels pornographic during the butt exercises, as they lay doing pelvic thrusts.
“But Mark raised the PDA level and took control while throwing her some strong eye contact and a sexy, playful grin.
“He also often grabs her knees and hands when she is sitting still.”
Kelly and Mark met when they starred together in All My Children in 1995.
They married the next year and went on to have three children: Lola, Michael, 25, and Joaquin Antonio, 19.
On Episode 1 of Kelly’s SiriusXM podcast Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa, Mark discussed their marriage and sex life.
Consuelos also told Just for Variety podcast: “I think the audience has a really good BS detector.”
Mark added: “But I definitely do not think we will be talking about that from 9 to 10 am on Mondays through Fridays.”
He said of their candid conversations that they were more of “a podcast thing.”
In February, Mark and Kelly were busy sharing details of their personal life on set.
During a bizarre exchange as Mark sat in for Ryan Seacrest, they explained why Lola had to knock before going into their bedroom.
They also mentioned their now famous so-called freaky week antics.
During an April episode, Mark and Kelly got frisky once again. This time a yoga session showed Kelly straddling her husband’s back.
She rested her forearms and hands on her spouse’s shoulders and head.
“Mark might say they are not going to be discussing their sex life anymore,” added Judi.
“On the show, he is discussing it silently with these telling body language PDAs.
“Mark has become the driver of the PDAs now as he continues to grab at Kelly’s hands while she is in mid-flight verbally.
“This May the sex/power signals intensified with Mark still flirting.
“Sometimes he shuffles and straightens the papers on his desk as though trying to define his space and territory and nest in it.
“During the yoga, Kelly says she thinks she could be bendier and Mark immediately moves into sexual interest mode.
“He zones in on Kelly with his eye contact and his vocal tone drops sexily as he says, yeah.
“He turns to grin at the camera like a Cheshire cat.
“The way Mark grabs Kelly’s thigh is a sign of attraction but it also looks like another power move.
“By reaching across with his hand he gets to splay his body and expand his territory while seeming to take charge of the messaging.
“Kelly responds by self-diminishing, relinquishing space to her husband here.”
As reported by The U.S. Sun the show has struggled to fill seats at the pre-recorded tapings, some of which were for episodes not airing until two months later.
Our expert notes Mark’s PDA and silent sexual messaging with his wife might be part of the cause.
“Constant leg-grabbing or bum-slapping and innuendos are a risk,” added Judi
“They suggest a couple are zoning out from a conversation with the viewer,
“More sexual PDAs can also be quite anti-social rituals to do in public.
“Cute glances can work but actual sexual touch can send out signals of preoccupation or distraction.
“These behaviors on set by Mark especially can come across as boasting.”