Kelly Ripa is the hostess with the mostest.

Here's the 20-year-old former "All My Children" star back in 1991 (left) -- and 21 years later, the 41-year-old "Live! with Regis & Kelly" host at an Oscar party in February (right).

She really knows how to put on a good show.

Our photog asked Rob Lowe straight up yesterday at LAX -- would he be interested in taking over Regis Philbin's chair next to Kelly Ripa -- and he certainly didn't give us a straight answer. 

As TMZ first reported, ABC loved the chemistry between Rob and Kelly during his two-day guest hosting stint this week and have already approached the "Parks and Recreation" star to gauge his interest in coming aboard full-time.

So far, we're told, he's been noncommittal. 

Rob Lowe could be Regis Philbin's replacement ... if ABC has its way.

Lowe just finished a two-day stint, guest hosting with Kelly Ripa and an ABC source says the honchos "loved the chemistry between them." We're told network execs have spoken with Lowe's reps about making it a permanent gig, but Lowe -- who already has a job on "Parks and Recreation" -- is non-committal.

But we just shot Rob leaving NYC at JFK airport. Our camera guy asked him, "Do you think you could live in New York?"

Rob replied: "We were just talking about that. I love New York. I love the energy. It would be a change of pace. I'm a California boy, but it could be fun."

If you've ever wanted to see Hollywood's hottest women hump a workout ball, then Jimmy Kimmel's post-Oscar sketch mocking exercise infomercials is the video for you!



Make sure you watch the whole thing to catch Lindsay Lohan's cameo mocking her latest legal troubles.

Tom Cruise, Kelly Ripa and Gwyneth Paltrow could have been spinning in their graves ...  because TMZ has learned, the locker room in their NYC gym just got shut down over safety concerns.


City inspectors issued a vacate order this afternoon for the basement of the SoulCycle spinning gym in Union Square due to "hazardous conditions."

According to the order, the cellar has no functioning secondary means of exit ... and also fails to meet the building's fire code -- two serious violations.

The City also tells us, SoulCycle has been operating without several required permits -- including operating as a gym without proper City approval.

Regis Philbin quit his show after execs told his agent they would cut his salary when his current contract expired ... sources tell TMZ. 


Sources connected with the show tell TMZ ... Regis' agent, Jim Griffin, was talking with execs from the ABC station group about a new contract for Regis when his current deal expired.  We're told the honchos made it clear ... Regis would be getting a pay cut, partly because the show is not performing as well as in the past ... and partly because he takes a lot of time off.

Sources say Reeg is currently pulling in between $18 and $20 million a year.

Regis, we're told, was angry at the offer and that was the trigger for his announcement this week that he's leaving the show.

TMZ first reported ... Regis told Kelly Ripa about his decision 15 minutes before they went on the air.  Initially we were told she was stunned but not angry.  Now we've learned she was furious -- partly because, as one source says, "She felt it showed a total lack of respect for her."

We're told the entire production team is angry at Regis because they feel he hurt the show by blindsiding everyone.

As for Regis' agent, Jim Griffin, Reeg fired him.  We're told Regis feels Griffin did not negotiate the upcoming deal effectively.

Sources connected with "Live! with Regis & Kelly" tell TMZ ... Regis Philbin blindsided Kelly Ripa with his retirement announcement today ... telling her less than 15 minutes before they went on the air.



We're told Kelly was "stunned" that Regis didn't tell her well in advance.  But one source connected with the show tells us, "She wasn't upset."

Our sources say Regis felt if he talked about it before making the announcement, it would have leaked out.

Regis Philbin says he's finally ready to give up his talk show gig ... after 28 years on the morning shift.


79-year-old Philbin made the announcement this morning on "Live with Regis and Kelly."

Regis said he'll tape his last show towards the end of the summer -- but he didn't give a specific date.

During his announcement, Regis joked, "There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people."

Using a pair of crutches, Kelly Ripa slowly made her way to a doctor's office in NYC on Monday.


The 40-year-old revealed on "Live with Regis and Kelly" she has a stress fracture on her right hip and can't exercise for 3 to 6 weeks.

Ugg.

Kelly Ripa's 9-year-old daughter scored an awesome gig to appear on an episode of "Hannah Montana" -- but according to her contract ... producers wanted something from mommy in return.



Because her daughter is a minor, Kelly had to file Lola Consuelos' TV contract with the court so a judge could approve the deal ... and according to the docs, Lola made $810 for one day's work.

But in the contract, "Hannah" producers specified the whole deal was "contingent on Kelly Ripa's appearance" on the very same episode as her daughter.

In Hollywood, it ain't what ya know ...

Showing off their tone and tan physiques together, Kelly Ripa and her hunkband Marc Consuelos cooled off at the beach in the Hamptons this weekend.



After fourteen years of marriage, the 39-year-old couple's relationship is still in amazing shape.