Kelly Ripa Responds To Heated Thanksgiving Stuffing Debate

On Monday, Nov. 25, a lively debate unfolded on “Live with Kelly and Mark,” as co-host Kelly Ripa raised a question that struck a chord with audiences nationwide: What should the classic Thanksgiving dish of seasoned bread pieces be called?

The discussion revealed a regional divide in terminology, igniting a spirited — and, at times, contentious — conversation online, with Kelly Ripa getting slammed for her take.

Is it “stuffing” or “dressing”?

The topic generated so much buzz that Ripa revisited it on the November 26 episode, addressing the backlash with a dose of humor. “I mean, forget any political discourse,” Ripa remarked on the show. “The real discourse are the people arguing about stuffing and dressing.”

While most Americans are accustomed to calling the dish “stuffing,” the South predominantly refers to it as “dressing.” Meanwhile, Pennsylvania locals often use an entirely different term: “filling.”

The debate over the proper name for the Thanksgiving bread dish has some attributing the difference to preparation methods—whether it’s cooked inside the turkey or separately. However, HuffPost offered another explanation for the difference in terminology, suggesting that “the Victorians deemed stuffing to be too crude for the dish to be named.”

For Ripa, though, the uproar surrounding the topic seemed wildly out of proportion. “Basically, I’m going to say something: Get a life, honestly. Just get one. Calm down,” Ripa added. “If you’re worried about this, then congratulations, you don’t have actual problems.”

To Ripa, it was clear that the dish’s name—whether stuffing or dressing—was not a debate worth losing sleep over.

Ripa and her husband and "Live with Kelly and Mark" co-host, Mark Consuelos, decided to bring in a fresh perspective on the stuffing versus dressing debate. They invited actress Scarlett Johansson to join the conversation and weigh in.

"What I understand is dressing is kind of Southern. It's stuffing, but they call it dressing?" Johansson said. "We said that yesterday! But we got hate!" Consuelos said. "Stuffing is what goes inside the turkey. If it doesn't go inside the turkey, if it's on the side, it's dressing."

"According to some on the internet who have a lot of time on their hands," she added.

The stuffing versus dressing debate is a lighthearted yet deeply rooted discussion about the terminology and preparation of a Thanksgiving staple made from seasoned bread or starches.

Traditionally, stuffing is cooked inside the turkey, absorbing its juices for flavor, while dressing is prepared separately, often baked in a dish with added broth and herbs. The divide is largely regional, with "stuffing" favored in the North and "dressing" more common in the South, where cornbread is often a key ingredient.

The terms were once interchangeable, but "dressing" became popular during Victorian England as a more polite alternative to "stuffing." Over time, food safety concerns reduced the practice of cooking stuffing inside the bird, further popularizing dressing.

Consuelos cooked up a tasty Thanksgiving suggestion this year, but Ripa isn’t on board.

On the Friday, October 25 episode of "Live with Kelly and Mark," the 53-year-old co-host floated the idea of celebrating Thanksgiving earlier, sparking a playful debate with Ripa. According to the couple, it’s a recurring hot topic in their household." Survey said 42% of Americans agree that food should be served somewhere between 1 and 3," Consuelos said as he read from a news story. Ripa responded, "That's called lunch!"

"29% like to chow down between 4 and 5. And 14% like to eat between 5 and 7 p.m.," Consuelos added. "Because that's when dinner is served!" Ripa added. "And if you don’t like it, then you host Thanksgiving for a change. How about that!"

Consuelos went on to suggest a revised Thanksgiving schedule this year, hoping to accommodate their three children—Michael, Lola, and Joaquin. "Since our kids are older now, they wake up later and when they’re visiting, they’re home and it’s kind of a rolling wakeup. 9, 10:30 — they really kind of maybe get a light breakfast in," he said. "So, if we had lunch, the people that didn’t eat that much… your appetite between 1-3, that’s when you really want to chow down and have a massive meal."

Ripa then had the perfect response to her husband. "Do you know what I’m going to do? I am going to think about it," she said. "I’m going to think about it in the way that you’ve taught me to think about things, when you say, ‘I’ll think about it.'"

Sorry, Mark, it doesn't seem like Thanksgiving dinner will be served at lunchtime.