Kelly Ripa shared a photo of her husband, Mark Consuelos, swimming in the ocean during their family vacation on Tuesday that garnered a lot of attention. The attention was partly because he was shirtless and rocked a toned physique standing waist-deep in the ocean, and also because of Ripa’s response to a troll who felt it necessary to criticize the snap.
As it is with social media, not everyone was thrilled with the photo — or what they thought it represented. One user in particular seemed to be offended by the shot.
“He spends a hell of a lot of his time working out should spend it with his wife and kids,” the user said.
It didn’t take long for Ripa to slam the troll.
“He’s on vacation WITH us. He’s a multitasker,” the television host said.
Ripa wasn’t the only one who replied to the comment. Hundreds of fans came to Consuelos’ defense, claiming that he should be able to spend his time doing what he pleases. Many fans suggested the troll could possibly be jealous or bitter — or worse.
“Working out and being the best him possible is the best thing he can do for his family. Additionally how do you know what he is doing and what he should be doing? How can you claim to know what is best for another person?” one fan wrote.
“Who the hell is she to determine how much time Mark spends with you & the kids? The nerve of people!!!” another fan said.
Ripa and Consuelos met on the set of the soap opera All My Children in 1995 and were married in May of 1996. The couple’s three children, Michael, Lola and Joaquin, appear to be Ripa’s pride and joy, as most of her Instagram account is filled with photos of them — or her husband.
This isn’t the first time the Live With Kelly and Ryan has had to handle online criticism. In an interview with Us Weekly , she said she never takes her relationship with trolls seriously, but she does “counter-troll with love.” She went on to compliment her trolls, claiming that she believed she had the smartest trolls and that she would feed them because they deserve to be fed, adding that they inspire each other. She even said she liked to troll her trolls.
Fans wanting to keep up with Ripa — and how she trolls her trolls — can follow her Instagram account.