Kelly Ripa Requests Invitation to Diddy's Yacht in Awkward 'Live With Kelly and Mark' Re-broadcast

Kelly Ripa Begged for Invite to Diddy's Yacht in Poorly Timed 'Live With Kelly and Mark' Rerun

Kelly Ripa, Sean “Diddy” Combs. Getty Images(2)

Live With Kelly and Mark faced some challenges when they decided to re-air an old interview, especially with Diddy's recent scandal in the mix.

On Tuesday, April 2, the morning talk show showcased an interview with Mary J. Blige from June 2023. During the chat, cohost Kelly Ripa jokingly asked Blige, who is 53 years old, for an invite to Diddy's yacht.

Blige shared that she was in Capri visiting her big brother Puff's boat, referencing one of Diddy's many nicknames.

Ripa, 53, responded, "Next time you go on Puff's boat, we'd like to!"

We has reached out to Ripa and ABC for comment.

Kelly Ripa Begged for Invite to Diddy's Yacht in Poorly Timed 'Live With Kelly and Mark' Rerun

Michel Le Brecht/Disney General Entertainment

The decision to re-air the interview was not well-timed, especially considering the recent raids on two of Diddy’s homes on March 25. These raids were reportedly part of a federal sex trafficking investigation. Despite being 54 years old, the rapper was not present during the raids and has not faced any charges or arrests linked to the investigation.

TMZ reported that Diddy's sons, Justin and King, were detained by police and then released a few hours later. Justin, who is 30, is Diddy's son with ex Misa Hylton, while King, who is 26, is his son with ex Kim Porter.

Diddy has not spoken about the incidents directly, but his lawyer issued a statement on March 27.

Attorney Aaron Dyer expressed concern about the excessive use of military-level force during the search warrants executed at Mr. Combs' residences last week. He stated that the show of force and hostility displayed by authorities towards Mr. Combs, his children, and employees was unwarranted. Despite the intense situation, Mr. Combs was not detained and cooperated with the authorities. Contrary to media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested, and their ability to travel has not been restricted.

Diddy broke his social media silence on Sunday, March 31, following the raids.

"HAPPY EASTER from Baby Love," he wrote alongside multiple pictures of his 17-month-old daughter, Love, whom he co-parents with his ex Dana Tran. Diddy turned off comments on the Instagram post.

The musician was also seen out and about on Thursday, March 28. In photos published by the Daily Mail, Diddy appeared carefree as he left a Top Golf in Miami with his twin daughters Jessie and D'Lila, both 17, whom he shares with the late Porter, who passed away at 47 in 2018.

After the raids were in the news, Cassie, who is Diddy's ex-girlfriend (real name Casandra Ventura), responded to the news through a statement from her representative.

The singer's spokesperson told Us on March 25, "We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct."

Cassie, who is 37 years old, dated the record producer on and off from 2007 to 2018. In late 2023, she filed a lawsuit against Diddy, accusing him of rape and repeated physical abuse during their relationship.

Diddy strongly denied the allegations, and the lawsuit was resolved out of court just one day after Cassie filed it.

Cassie told Us through her attorney Douglas Wigdor that she has chosen to settle this matter amicably, with some level of control. She expressed gratitude to her family, fans, and lawyers for their unwavering support.

Similarly, Diddy, through Wigdor, released a statement expressing the decision to resolve the matter amicably. He wished Cassie and her family all the best and sent his love.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Editor's P/S:

The recent re-air of an interview with Mary J. Blige on "Live With Kelly and Mark" has raised questions about the show's judgment in light of Diddy's current legal troubles. The interview, which originally aired in June 2023, featured Blige discussing her relationship with Diddy, prompting cohost Kelly Ripa to jokingly ask for an invite to his yacht. This request now seems insensitive given the serious allegations against Diddy.

The decision to re-air the interview is particularly ill-timed considering the ongoing investigation into Diddy's alleged involvement in sex trafficking. The raids on his homes, the detention of his sons, and the allegations of excessive force used by the authorities have cast a shadow over Diddy's reputation. Ripa's lighthearted comment about his yacht now appears tone-deaf and could be seen as trivializing the seriousness of the charges against him.