Kelly Ripa maintains that she was completely surprised when she learned that she had been selected to be Regis Philbin's new co-host on his syndicated morning show. "I'm not kidding," she told today's (Thursday) New York Post. "I was told to the contrary that there was no job, that they weren't looking for a new co-host, and that these weren't auditions. I think they did that to keep me from being nervous. I think that maybe if I was going in there to get a job, maybe I wouldn't have the normal banter with Regis -- and I think they did me a favor."

Source: Studio Briefing