Kelly Ripa Played Hooky From 'Live!' This Morning, Is Reportedly "Livid" at Michael Strahan's Departure
Here's how one badass lady is handling not being kept in the loop.
Kelly Ripa did not show up to Live! With Kelly and Michael this morning, the day after news first broke that co-host Michael Strahan would be leaving the show to join Good Morning America. TMZ reports that Ripa wasn't informed of Strahan's departure until 10:30 AM Tuesday, the same time that Disney made the official announcement. The site is also saying that Ripa wasn't contacted by Disney CEO Bob Iger "or anyone else at the Mouse House."
From TMZ:
"Our ABC sources say Kelly -- and virtually everyone on her show -- feels Disney has screamed to the world they don't care about 'Live' ... their singular focus is breathing life into 'GMA,' which has lost a big chunk of its audience over the last year.
We're told there's serious talk about giving 'Live' the boot at 9 AM and adding a third hour to 'GMA.' It's unclear if Disney is eyeing a time slot later in the morning for Kelly's show. It's pretty incredible, since 'Live' has been super successful on Kelly's watch."
A similar situation took place in 2011, when former Live! co-host Regis Philbin informed Ripa of his retirement plans on the same day that he announced them to the public.
TMZ says that Ripa is "ballistic" and "livid," and she has a right to be. Ripa has been with Live! officially since 2002—as the resident O.G. she deserves to be informed of news like this well in advance. Frankly, she's handling all of it like a boss. Ripa, girl, collect those coins and eat ice cream in bed all day long. You deserve it.
Strahan, for his part, thanked Ripa at the end of this morning's show. "Kelly welcomed me here and I've learned so much from her and she's been an amazing influence on me and this has truly changed my life to be here with her," he said. Sources told TMZ that Strahan reached out to Ripa and that she has yet to respond.
Watch Strahan's thank you message to Ripa here, via TMZ.
UPDATE: 4/21/2016 10:15 A.M.
Kelly Ripa was spotted out in NYC with her husband after being a no-show at yesterday's Live!. Ripa did not show up to Live! this morning and will be absent from the show until "at least Tuesday," according to E!. She was all smiles in NYC with Mark Consuelos. Peep a pic of the two here.