Kelly Ripa's Son Brings a Book About a Stripper Pole to Class: "This Is Still the Greatest School Memory We Have"

Plus, Stephen Colbert asked the talk show host about her ongoing search for a new on-screen partner

By Samantha Schnurr Feb 23, 2017 1:27 PMTags
Kelly Ripa, Joaquin ConsuelosAxelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Stephen Colbert is bringing precious school memories to families one stripper pole book at a time. 

During an appearance on The Late Show, Kelly Ripa recalled one particular instance when the comedian wreaked a touch of havoc on her son's school life thanks to his 2012 book, I Am A Pole (And So Can You!)

"I have a bone to pick with you about a book you sold on our show," she told him Wednesday night. As the mother of three explained, Colbert appeared on her morning show once to promote his children's book. The night before, she had the book at home and her son Joaquin asked if he could bring it to school. Without asking why, Ripa agreed. 

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"He goes to school where the primary focus of the education is really learning how to read," she said of her son, who has dyslexia. "If you master so many books, you can bring in a book of your choice and the teacher will read the book out loud to the class."

"He sends it back to me and says, 'The teacher wouldn't finish reading the book,'" she remembered. "I think I know why," Colbert retorted. 

The book is about the story of a pole trying to find its purpose. At one point, the pole heads to a strip club. As the author wrote of his main character, "I interned as a stripper pole but I couldn't stand the grind."

Her son's teacher sent the book home with a note explaining to Ripa that, while the book was funny, it quickly became inappropriate for 9-year-olds. 

Fortunately, she saw the silver lining of the entire experience. "This is still the greatest school memory we have," she assured Colbert. "Nowadays, parents are so careful and they're so good at parenting and I became that mom."

While Ripa manages her wildly entertaining family life, at work, she's still on the hunt for a co-host since Michael Strahan started working for Good Morning America full-time in May. "When are you gonna put a ring on it, girl?" Colbert asked.

Ripa, always quick to the punch, quipped back, "Are you proposing?"

And the mystery continues...