Former American Idol judge Randy Jackson had some fun teasing his one-time colleague, Ryan Seacrest.
Randy and Ryan’s camaraderie dates back to 2002 when the iconic duo worked together on American Idol.
Randy — a talented musician and Grammy Award-winning producer in his own right — served as a judge on the panel while Ryan hosted the popular, long-running show.
Ryan is still hosting American Idol following a brief hiatus from his iconic role, but Randy announced his retirement from the show in 2013.
Although the two haven’t worked together in a decade, there’s clearly still some love between them, as evidenced by Randy’s recent appearance on LIVE with Kelly and Mark.
Randy was the guest on Monday, October 2, as he chatted with husband-and-wife co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.
Randy Jackson pokes fun at former co-worker Ryan Seacrest
While promoting his show, Name That Tune, Randy greeted Kelly and Mark before poking some fun at Ryan.
“Last time you were here, I was not here,” Kelly said to Randy, 67.
“That’s right,” Randy responded.
Kelly continued, explaining, “You were filling in for me, and you were working with Ryan.”
“Ryan… what’s his last name?” Randy joked, eliciting a laugh from the crowd before adding, “No, I love Ryan.”
Randy’s thin frame sparks concern among his fans
Randy’s appearance on LIVE with Kelly and Mark drew attention from his fans, and not just because of his work.
The former Journey band member sparked concern among his fans due to his ultra-thin frame. Some LIVE with Kelly and Mark viewers felt something was “off” with Randy, expressing that his voice sounded “weird” and noting that he began his interview seated rather than walking out from backstage like guests typically do.
Randy hasn’t made any mention of suffering from an illness, but he has kept more than 100 pounds off since undergoing weight-loss surgery in the early 2000s.
After weighing 358 pounds and being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2002, Randy decided to make his health a priority. In 2003, the best-selling author and talent manager underwent gastric bypass surgery and has since dropped and maintained a more-than-100-pound weight loss.
This isn’t the first time Randy’s fans have expressed concern over his appearance. Last year, the OG American Idol judge returned with Paula Abdul for The Great Idol Reunion.
During his appearance, fans took to social media, assuming that his weight loss was due to illness.
In 2021, Randy spoke with Dr. Oz about his weight-loss efforts.
Randy revealed two wake-up calls for him that propelled him to lose weight.
One was during his gig as a judge on American Idol, when contestants would comment that he needed to lose weight, and the other was landing himself in the emergency room when his blood sugars escalated over 500.
Randy credits three things for helping him maintain a healthier lifestyle for over a decade. In 2019, Randy launched Unify Health Labs, and on their website, he shares his secrets for keeping the weight off and feeling better than ever.
“It’s about mind, body, and spirit,” Randy says. “You need all three to truly change your habits and reclaim your health.”
Wheel of Fortune airs weeknights on ABC.