Ryan Seacrest was forced to flee from his co-host Kelly Ripa’s side on Wednesday when she offered to help him put on his shoes.
This bizarre moment happened after the pair did a brief segment on standing desks, and decided to mimic what it would be like to work at one, with Ripa announcing early on she was taking off her heels for the bit.
Seacrest then did the same, but later had trouble getting his loafers back on, with the host seen visibly struggling as he attempted to jam his feet into his fancy footwear.
It was shortly after he made a comment about the fact that this task would likely take him 10 minutes that Ripa said: ‘Sweetie, do you want me to put your shoes back on for you?’
A visibly uncomfortable Seacrest then began to fidget with his hands as Ripa smiled while looking down at his feet.
The moment happened after both NBC spoke with an individual that worked at E! with Seacrest and claimed the host had shoved a stylist Suzie Hardy’s head into his crotch while she worked to secure his footwear.
Secrest disputed that claim by sending Today a clip of him not doing the aforementioned offense while Hardy put on his shoes.
Awkward moment: Ryan Seacrest was left visibly nervous and uncomfortable after Kelly Ripa offered to help him put on his shoes Wednesday during Live
Ying and yang: ‘Sweetie, do you want me to put your shoes back on for you?’ asked a smiling Ripa after Seacrest was seen struggling to get his loafers on after a segment
On the move: Seacrest responded by booking out from behind the desk and heading to the front of the stage so Ripa could not assist him in that desk
Seacrest at first accepted Ripa’s offer as she declared: ‘I’m a mom, I can do that.’
He then seemed to realize the optics of the situation, and distanced himself from Ripa by heading to the front of the stage and putting a desk between the two.
‘Somehow I have shoes that are too small. Here is what has to happen,’ declared Seacrest, who then made an animated show of getting his loafers back onto his feet.
It became clear after 15 seconds how much trouble Seacrest was having, with Ripa looking on smiling and producer Michael Gellman sitting stunned as he watched what was happening in the studio.
At one point Gellman even advised Seacrest to stop trying to jam his foot into the shoe, stating: ‘That is not good for your back.’
Ripa meanwhile inquired about getting Seacrest a shoehorn, but he was able to get on both loafers before needing that option.
‘I just pulled a muscle in my back,’ said Seacrest.
He did not address the actual allegations on air, and had been seen earlier that day heading to work in a hoodie and jeans.
A smiling Seacrest was accompanied by two security guards as he exited his Upper East Side Brownstone, while longtime girlfriend Shayna Taylor exited solo when she headed to the gym in pink spandex.
Taylor showed her support for Seacrest with an Instagram post which showed her kissing the check of her boyfriend.
‘I love you so much Ryan. You are the most respectful, well mannered, civil, gracious, loving, kind human being, wrote Taylor.
‘I have known you for 6 years and every day you impress me with your kindness. Not only to me or your friends and family, but most importantly in your work environment.’
Hardy claimed in a legal letter sent to E! and obtained by variety that Seacrest hugged her while wearing only underwear, without her consent, 10 times while she was working as a stylist in 2007.
The single mother alleged that this inappropriate behavior continued into the following year.
She says Seacrest stuck his hand between her legs and cupped her crotch. A co-worker later confirmed that Hardy told him about the incident at that time.
That same co-worker also said he witnessed some of the hugs described by Hardy and saw Seacrest push her head into his crotch while she was tying his shoes on multiple occasions.
The following year, Seacrest smacked Hardy’s buttocks so hard it left a red welt, she claimed in her letter.
She provided photo evidence of this injury to both E! and Variety.
It was also around that time that Hardy claimed Seacrest jumped on top of her in his underwear and rubbed his erect penis on her while the two were at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood getting read for the Academy Awards.
The worst offense however occurred in 2010, with Hardy alleging that after she began dating a ‘high-powered entertainment lawyer,’ Secrest asked if she had ‘f***ed him yet’ before forcefully grabbing her genitals.
‘I didn’t know how to deal with it,’Hardy told Variety, saying that as a single mother she needed the job to support her family.
‘I really didn’t. I was battling finally being in a decent financial position to breathe and be a mom, that I didn’t have to be freaking out all the time, and then dealing with this infantile celebrity person who was testing me on every level and manipulating me and knew that I was in a vulnerable position.’
Hardy claims that she kept things completely professional with her boss despite this alleged behavior.
She says in the letter than when Seacrest at one point asked her if she was attracted to him she replied: ‘I’m attracted to my paycheck.’
The letter claims that this exchange left Seacrest on the verge of tears.
Seacrest’s attorney denied all of the allegations being made by Hardy while taking issue with the decision to publish them in the wake of E! clearing his client of any wrongdoing.
‘It is upsetting to us that Variety is electing to run a “story” about untrue allegations that were made against my client, after they were told that the accuser threatened to make those false claims against him unless he paid her $15 million,’ said Andrew Baum.
‘At that time, the claimant threatened to issue a demonstrably false press statement unless she was paid. Instead, my client proactively and publicly denied the claims and agreed to fully cooperate with E!’s investigation about the matter.’
He then pointed out that these claims were all dismissed by the network.
‘On January 31st the network notified us that their independent third-party investigation had concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support her claims, effectively, clearing my client’s name,’ stated Baumm.
‘It’s telling that after my client refused to pay her money, and the E! investigation resulted as it did, that she is now coming forward to share her debunked story to the press.’
E! did not respond to a request for comment but did give a statement to Variety saying that the investigation into these allegations was ‘extremely comprehensive and thorough.’
The network added: ‘Over the course of a two month process, our outside counsel interviewed more than two dozen people regarding the allegations, including multiple separate meetings with the claimant.
‘The investigator is an attorney with nearly 20 years experience and is highly regarded professionally. Any claims that question the legitimacy of this investigation are completely baseless.’
Hardy and her lawyers deny ever asking for $15 million, and no proof was provided to back up this claim.
Soon after Hardy sent her letter, Seacrest released a statement about the allegations being made against him without getting into specifics.
‘Recently, someone that worked as a wardrobe stylist for me nearly a decade ago at E! News, came forward with a complaint suggesting I behaved inappropriately toward her,’ read a statement released by Seacrest at the time.
‘If I made her feel anything but respected, I am truly sorry. I dispute these reckless allegations and I plan to cooperate with any corporate inquiries that may result.’
He did not stop there either, going on to explain what a model co-worker he has been over the course of his career.
‘I treat all my colleagues with kindness, dignity, and understanding, as this is a principle that’s core to who I am. Throughout my 25 years in the entertainment industry, the majority of my co-workers have been women, and I’ve endeavored to foster a positive work environment of mutual respect and courtesy, as that’s how I believe it should be,’ said the American Idol host.
‘I’m distraught that anyone or any situation would call that into question. I’m proud of my workplace reputation, and believe my track record will speak for itself. I’m an advocate for women. I will continue to support their voices.’
Hardy claims however that this all came out because she was asked by human resources about her relationship with Seacrest, not because she sought out a meeting.
‘I never touched him, I never kissed him, I never f***ed him, nothing. But I said, “But he touched me,”‘ Hardy said she told HR in that meeting.
‘I was in there for hours. I told them everything.’
Two weeks later she was out of a job, and for her final assignment with Seacrest, Hardy said she was not even allowed to dress him for the 2013 Oscars, instead being charged with leaving his tuxedo in an empty room for him to wear to the ceremony that evening.
She is now working at a tech company in San Francisco while Seacrest is back hosting American Idol and is co-host of Live With Kelly & Ryan on ABC.