Kelly Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos share a lot of their romantic antics on their daily show, Live! With Kelly and Mark, but a suggestion from a recent guest had them endorsing the idea from the get go. 

Actor John Lithgow, 79, revealed that when he and his wife of 43-years got together she had one simple rule when it came to gifts – ‘nothing useful.’ 

Mary Yeagar, a retired UCLA college professor was fixed up the the actor when he was out of work. 

‘I was rehearsing something in LA that sH๏τ in Texas and I flew out from New York and a mutual friend of ours fixed us up.

The 3rd Rock from the Sun alum revealed he thought fate might be involved even before meeting face to face.

‘I went to Harvard and she is from Montana, and when I went up to her door to pick her up, I noticed she lived at the corner of Montana Street and Harvard Avenue,’ he explained.

Kelly Ripa, 54, and husband Mark Consuelos, 53, share a lot of their romantic antics on their daily show, Live! With Kelly and Mark, but a suggestion from a recent guest had them endorsing the idea from the get go (pictured in New York City in April 2024)

John Lithgow, 79, revealed when he married his wife Mary Yeager 43 years ago, she had one rule when it came to gifts – ‘nothing useful,’ explaining that during her first marriage she had a husband ‘who gave her things like electric can openers’  (Pictured in Beverly Hills in January 2017)

‘I thought, “There might be something here,”’ the actor said, and he was right, revealing, ‘And actually, we were married about a year later.’ 

Lithgow revealed Yeagar made the ‘nothing useful’ gift rule ‘early on’ in their marriage.

The Kinsey star said he thought it was ‘the most romantic gift ever.’  

‘That should be marital vows as far as I’m concerned,’ said Ripa, 56, and Consuelos, 53, wisely agreed.

The Conclave actor, who will be a presenter at the upcoming Oscar ceremonies, explained that during his wife’s first marriage, she had a husband ‘who gave her things like electric can openers,’ so from Lithgow she’s ‘gotten the rocks.’ 

The couple does make some exceptions when it comes to practicality and romance. 

Whenever the two-time Oscar nominee travels abroad for work, Yeager will join him towards the end of his schedule for a mini-vacation.

The devote couple via a mutual friend when Lithgow was in Los Angeles rehearsing for a project. They share two children, Phoebe, 43, and Nathan, 42. Lithgow is also dad to Ian, 53, from his first marriage  (Pictured in Los Angeles in January 2017)

‘That should be marital vows as far as I’m concerned,’ said Ripa, 56, regarding the ‘no useful’ gift rule   (Pictured in New York City in May 2024)

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‘We’ve worked out this great system whereby she arrives to visit in all these exotic locations when I have only about two weeks left,’ he told People in October.

‘By that time, I sort of know what I’m doing and I’m no longer a nervous wreck. And then at the end of the job we go off on holiday somewhere,’ he explained.

‘It’s been completely wonderful.’

The actor and the professor share two adult children,  Phoebe, 43, and Nathan, 42.

Lithgow is also dad to Ian, 53, from his first marriage.