Kelly Ripa began Friday’s episode of Live with Kelly and Mark on a bittersweet note, telling the live audience it was a “devastating day” for the show, as that was the day longtime ABC executive producer Art Moore (77) retired.
Addressing the audience, she said: “This is a day of celebration, a day of joy and a devastating day for us personally in the studio. On this day we celebrate the retirement of Art Moore.”
“The special episode was dedicated to Art and featured montages of his funniest moments on the show, as well as a heartfelt speech from Kelly at the very end of the show.
Raising a glass of sparkling apple wine to her beloved colleague, she said, “I don’t know where to begin, but I want to say that we are not saying goodbye to you here. We will never say goodbye to you, as you know.”
“You have been by far the most important person to every single person here. It is evident by the number of people you work with every day who love, honor and appreciate you and all you have given us. You are a giver and we honor you and shower you with our gratitude and love, forever.”
She then hugged Art and told him, “I love you,” as Mark, announcer Deja Vu and producer Michael Gelman raised their glasses to him.
Art has worked for ABC for over five years and has been with Live since 1989. He has appeared on the show many times and is known for his great sense of humor.
His retirement was announced back in May. When he announced Art’s retirement, Kelly stressed that he decided to tell everyone the news on Kelly and Mark’s wedding day.
She said: “He chose today, yes today, our wedding anniversary, of all days, to announce that… the time has come.” She added jokingly: “That’s why we chose May 1st for our wedding, we knew it was Art Moore’s anniversary.
Instagram“Then Kelly got candid and said, ‘Art is the reason I’m here and why I’ve stayed here all these years. You are so, so important to me personally, to our family. You are unique among a multitude, you mean so much to all of us here. You are the most extraordinary, devoted, loyal, and exceptional person I’ve ever met in my life.'”
As Art tried to suppress his emotions, she continued, “I don’t have the words to properly tell you what you mean to me and to all of us here. We love and adore you, and I will spend the next few months of my life trying to talk you out of it.”
She continued: “I am confident that in the next few months I will be able to talk Art out of retirement because, as you know, I am certainly relentless.”
Art held a farewell party on September 19th and is adored by all who worked with him. In a statement to Variety, Debra O’Connell, President of News Groups and Networks at Disney Entertainment, said: “Art Moore is simply the best of the best.”
“His creativity, his ability to master any production challenge and his keen sense of what the audience wants are unparalleled in daytime television and can only be surpassed by his big heart, the helping hand he offers every colleague at any time and the pure joy he brings to the work.”
“Words cannot adequately express how much he is appreciated and how much he will be missed – not only by the entire company, but also by the viewers who have grown to love him as much as we have.”
