Kelly Ripa Scolds Gen-Zers Looking to Disconnect with Vintage Flip Phones on ‘Live’: “Get a Rotary Phone!”

It’s time for Live with Kelly and Mark‘s latest installment of “Kelly Ripa Doesn’t Understand What the Heck Gen-Zers Are Thinking.” Today’s topic? Their latest obsession with so-called “vintage” flip phones.

Ryan Seacrest — who was officially named Pat Sajak’s replacement on Wheel of Fortune earlier this week — made another guest hosting appearance on this morning’s episode of Live, which he departed back in April after six years of co-hosting with Ripa.

“They say that Gen-Zers are loving disconnecting with the old flip phone — this vintage device that they stumbled upon,” Seacrest read as one of the opening chat’s topics.

Cutting him off, Ripa stared directly into the camera (and the souls of Gen-Z viewers) to school them on what a truly vintage gadget would look like.

“That’s not a vintage device. Get a rotary phone with a dial! Try making an emergency phone call,” she said, while acting out a demonstration of a panicking person trying to dial a number on a rotary phone.

Despite the interruption, Seacrest continued reading the article, which described TikTok videos of young people unboxing flip phones. He read that they are “bedazzled by all of their amazing lack of qualities” — including their inability to log into an Instagram feed or see anything that they can link to.

“They find it very relaxing … I agree,” Seacrest said. “The flip phone for me, I have one extra phone that isn’t connected to all the stuff. Like I have a travel phone. It’s an old iPhone that doesn’t connect to any of the social platforms.”

Ripa then joked that it’s the “one we don’t have the number for,” before Seacrest added, “Yes! Let’s move on with the show.”

This, however, is far from the only gripe Ripa has with Gen-Z. Just last week, the longtime host ripped into the generation for their love of what she referred to as “terrible” ’90s fashion.

“I don’t want to see your flannel shirt. I get it!” she called out to one audience member as she turned to another and exclaimed, “Or yours!”

Live with Kelly and Mark airs on weekdays. You can find local listings on their website.