Kelly Ripa's Big $core

JUNE 21--Kelly Ripa, the perky and grating sidekick to Regis Philbin on that ABC morning show, just signed a lucrative new contract, a network spokesperson has confirmed.

But we knew that already since the folks at In Touch this week reported on the 33-year-old Ripa's five-year deal in great detail after actually obtaining unsigned copies of her agreements with the producers/syndicators of "Live with Regis and Kelly." Kudos to the weekly magazine, which kindly provided TSG with a copy of Ripa's contract (found at left) with Buena Vista Television and a related agreement with ABC (which you'll find here).

The documents--which will probably make Ripa's predecessor Kathie Lee Gifford head for the nearest ledge--call for Reege's co-host to bank at least $27.5 million, though her haul could top $40 million thanks to a revenue sharing clause in the syndication contract. She also gets a maximum $75,000 clothing allowance and can look forward to eight weeks vacation in the deal's final four years (she'll have to make do with six weeks off during the deal's first year).

And if she feels like procreating, Ripa is entitled to six weeks maternity leave during each year of the deal. (10 pages)