I’m eagerly awaiting Kelly Ripa’s return to Live with Kelly and Michael today. I’ll be tuning in when it airs this morning. This is the most exciting thing to happen on Live since Regis left, and I’m sure the ratings will reflect that.
We’ve heard near constant press leaks about how Kelly is feeling, what she’s doing and how she’s handling this whole debacle. Instead of Kelly’s team talking to the press we’re now hearing directly from her friend, Andy Cohen. Kelly and Andy have known each other for years and have vacationed together. When Andy gives his opinion, you can bet that it’s based heavily on Kelly’s. Andy addressed this story on his XM show yesterday and while he was gracious about Michael Strahan as a person, he did not have good things to say about Michael’s career move.
Andy Cohen, Ripa’s close friend, confessed that even he was stunned by the morning show drama. “I’ve been getting so many questions about what’s going on with my friend Kelly Ripa, and ‘How’s she doing?’ and ‘What do you think?'” he said Monday on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy. “You know, I want to say that she…I know she spent the weekend celebrating her 20th anniversary with Mark, which has been a long-planned vacation. So don’t get her trending on Twitter today because she’s not at work. She is on a long-planned vacation. You know, when I look at this whole situation, it’s worth nothing, the two of them, Kelly and Michael, they had such great chemistry. And I’m just looking at this and it just seems like a premature end to a great relationship that ended way too prematurely. So much has been written about this situation and how it was handled. I’ve been a TV executive or producer for 25 years, so I’m always fascinated to see how TV things go down. I can’t say this went down the greatest way.”
Cohen added that he agrees with many of points made in “The Morning Show Wars, Kelly Ripa and TV’s Disposable Spring,” Maureen Ryan’s op-ed for Variety. “The thing that no one is talking about is, to me, is that the job of co-hosting Live! is the greatest job in TV. She’s so good at it and he’s really good at it, and it’s a job you take and you take it for life. She’s been at that job for 15 years. I was celebrating on her 15th anniversary show about two months ago. You keep that job. You don’t go anywhere,” he said. “So I can’t get over that he left Live! where he was co-hosting Live! With Kelly and Michael. Your name is in the freakin’ title! You can spend your life here! You can spend 15 years here and make serious bank, by the way. And still do GMA twice a week or do Pyramid or whatever else he’s doing.”
“He left and went to GMA. He is now one of five people sitting at that crowded anchor desk. It’s like 18 co-anchors and here’s my thing: What happens if the ratings don’t go up? What happens if there’s not a pickup? Then what’s going to happen to that sweet man? Honestly!” Cohen said. “Because by then she’ll have a new co-host. I don’t know. I just don’t see how you leave the greatest team in TV to be one of five people.”
One of the main reasons why Strahan left is likely because he got a 50% raise to $15 million. That’s a huge incentive. He wanted to move up in his career so he left an entertainment-focused talkshow to a more news-oriented talkshow. It happens all the time. I think this is a window on Kelly’s thoughts more than anything else and she doesn’t understand why Strahan left the show so abruptly and is still hurt. We’ll have to see if she’s a good enough actress to put that aside. She worked on All My Children for years, I think she has enough experience at least.
Also, Andy suggest Anderson Cooper for Strahan’s soon-to-be-vacant position at Live, which has come up several times as an option. Anderson and Kelly are also close friends and Anderson has guest hosted Live many times. I get the sense they’re comfortable with each other and would make a great team. I’m surprised that Anderson is even available for the job though, he seems too busy with Anderson Cooper 360°.
Katie Couric weighed in on this controversy to People. She phrased it diplomatically, but it sounds like she’s saying Kelly should have been included in discussions earlier. “Frankly, I think she maybe didn’t feel as included as she should have. I think that’s a major decision and you would like to think that it’s something she is a part of. It’s perplexing as to why she wasn’t. But I think she is a consummate professional. I know she’ll show up and give it 100 percent.” Katie knows what it’s like for women in her industry.
Photo above is from 2011. Credit: WENN.com Other photos credit: Getty
I’m glad people are speaking up for her. Feels like she has been roasted in the media and she has done nothing wrong.
Yeah that’s really unfair. She was just reacting to a poorly executed exit of her costar.
The hostility toward her is shocking. People equating THEIR 24k/yr. little jobs to hers. They seem to resent her for being successful.
So often on the internet people act like, “How can you expect RESPECT at your job when I don’t get any?”
Why aren’t they angry and resentful at their bosses who so often treat employees like Kleenex these days? Instead they take it out on her.
Kelly Rippa often grates on my nerves the way Rachel Ray does. I can get along with most anyone, but I prefer the company of the freaks and geeks to the bubbly cheerleaders. That said, I do feel bad for Kelly in this whole situation. Is she the Anne Curry in all of this? I am not sure, but if I were her, I would do whatever it is I am contractually bound to do and then get the heck out. Maybe she could get her own radio show on Radio Andy, which is actually quite a good station. I love Sandyland.
I love what Katie Couric said. I wonder how this would be treated differently if Kelly was a man? The idea that women are not expected to be in the big decision making process anyway or don’t have as much a right to it. What if Kelly left without warning and left Michael with the bag?
That was why I didn’t like her ‘David & Goliath’ moment in the press with the book. I don’t want her to walk around like the victim. I’m hoping she stands tall and starts kicking some a$$ around there.
It’s obvious that she should have been told ahead of time so she could be ready. But why do people assume that it is because she is a woman that she wasn’t. There has to be some other things going on that the outside public doesn’t know. Regarding Michael “making a mistake”..that is just someone’s opinion. He gets to make choices about his career. Maybe doing the same thing day after day in the same format was boring for him.
Her friends need to stop talking. His friends and people are not saying much to my knowledge. The more people talk the more feelings get hurt and people get angry. The more outsiders talk the worse this is going to be. Well lots of people will be tuning in today to see how it goes.
I have a feeling he’s going to get swallowed up over there and will regret leaving Live.
I imagine a return on Live would have been his exit plan in case the new job didn’t succeed. And the execs would have been on his side for sure. That is why it was so important to exit Live in a quiet way.
Too bad his exit plan was blown to pieces by Kelly’s ‘childish’ and ‘spoiled’ behavior. With all the commotion, it’s gonna be very difficult to bring him back.
But the most important question: why give him such a huge salary if he is just one of five anchors? Either the network really loves Strahan or GMA is making huge, huge money.
I have read ABC makes between $300-$400M a year from GMA.The money from GMA helps fund the news division.Whereas Live with Kelly and Michael only makes about $30-$40M/year.The profits are so low partly because of the large salaries of Kelly and Michael.
As for Michael since he still doing his NFL work I would think he would be happy being one of five anchors.He doubles his salary and will be able to do more on location assignments since he doesn’t have to be in the studio every day.Because he is one of five anchors like he is on the NFL show.Maybe he prefers that.
Win Win
As for Andy Cohen if Kelly was asked to do GMA his ass would spin it to boast how she is moving on up.
Every time someone said kelly was jealous i just would shake my head slowly and think, “what person would think a great job move is going from the #1 chair of their show to an ensemble? She doesnt want a piece of a half eaten pie people. Not jealously.
Was the network trying to copy a kathy/hoda hour and put michael & _____ (not really sure who they have i never watch gma bc the people always looked forced when flipping through) into an additional time slot to compete with nbc?
@kimberly, I don’t think Kelly is jealous per se, but I do think she’s a bit bitter over the fact that Michael used ‘Live’ as a stepping stone to get someplace else.
I can understand why it would be frustrating to have her co-star leave after just a few seasons. But at the end of the day, it’s his decision to make. He didn’t need to tell her until the deal was closed.
I wrote this on an earlier thread, but I believe it has to do with the fact that she’s a woman because of the Matt Lauer comparison.
Matt and Kelly have the same job–senior co-anchor of a morning show. Neither is a producer or anything else. However, Matt seems to have incredible influence, to the point where he could fire a colleague (Anne Curry). Meanwhile, Kelly was lied to (she specifically asked if Michael was leaving to go to GMA and was told no) and left out of any and every discussion. The difference it outrageous, especially one could argue that Kelly should have more influence than Matt, considering her name is in the title and she’s not part of a larger ensemble.
Ugh why do people think “ensemble” is bad? He got a raise and he doesn’t have to work every minute like at Live! Plus he will get a boost because more people watch GMA than Live.
A lot of athletes transition to local news (ensemble) after their careers. They have no problem with working a segment and getting paid well for it.
Cohen’s butt hurt comments are so disingenuous – especially coming from a producer who gave us $hit like the housewives.
I understand Kelly’s frustration and really Michael should have talked to her about it, at least given her adequate time to adjust to the idea. But, he made his choice and she likely couldn’t have affected it anyway. I sort of agree with Andy; this was a risk free job for strahan, but there again, maybe he wasn’t interested in the safety of Live over the possibility of advancement at GMA.
I don’t think you can really point a finger and say either party is totally right or totally wrong. Kelly will find another co host and the show will go on because she is really good in that role. I’d love to see Anderson, but I seem to remember he “auditioned” for the job after Regis left. Would he take it if it were offered?
Well I agree mostly, but I think you CAN point the finger at Strahan and say he is totally right; it was a career move, a personal decision and if execs told him not to tell her, why on EARTH would he put his job on the line for a person who apparently he didn’t get along with that well to begin with? I know it feels personal for HER, but for him it’s business. And whether it was a good decision or not, he’s a competent adult and its his life.
Susan you said exactly what I was going to say, almost word for word. I don’t get why this is such a big drama? They aren’t married, he didn’t cheat on her, they are co-workers. He changed jobs, whenever i’ve changed jobs my co-workers input and/or opinions were not a factor, how does she get a say? If he felt this was a better fit for him and he would be getting more money and he was told by his bosses all he had to do was keep quiet, what would you do? If she has issues, which I don’t think she should, it should be with her bosses not with him.
Strahan is giving her adequate time to adjust. SHe got 4 months. What more does she need? And no, he does not have to tell her about it if he got a gag order from management. Would you risk your livelihood and tell your work friend if you were ordered not to?
There is no such thing as a “sure thing” or “risk free” employment. Cohen as a producer should know that. ABC would cancel Live over GMA if push came to shove. Let’s be realistic. In the entertainment business, everyone is replaceable.
A lot of people seem to forget but Robin Roberts started out doing NFL sideline reporting. She was not annointed a top news person until she got the GMA gig. She also had a few years of growing pains at GMA. So I wouldn’t discount trying to succeed at GMA because it’s an “ensemble.”
Michael Strahan is a Super Bowl winning football player and a future hall of famer who also currently has a position at Fox during football season. The man is as accomplished and respected as they come with or without Live and GMA. What exactly does Andy Cohen do? Or what has he done? People keep saying that Kelly got ripped by the media so she has a right to stand up for herself…sorry her antics throughout the whole ordeal and now getting her friends to throw shade at Michael just shows that the media was right in ripping her a new one. Like I’m still confused at what exactly Kelly wanted. Who is she to sit on another person’s negotiations? Is she Michael’s agent? No. Is she his mom? No. Is she his wife/gf? No. The only thing she is, is his co-host. She got told when everyone felt comfortable letting the news out. She knows exactly how this business works and if the tables were turned don’t for a second tell me she would have told Michael. It seems like someone is jealous that the other is moving onto bigger and better things and it isn’t Michael.
^I completely with you on every point.
Sam!! I agree with you completely!
It’s the respect he might receive as a news personality I don’t get. I don’t think he needs any of these jobs considering his success in football, but the idea anybody would take him seriously as a news announcer/journalist, even if if it is for a fluffy morning show, is a bit weird to me.
In that sense, I think going to GMA is a bit of a risk, and I’m not sure if Cohen is shading Strahan as much as just pointing out a general reality. But maybe Strahan doesn’t need to care since he does have other fall-backs and people generally seem to like him.
Well isn’t that his decision to make? It might not make sense to you or other people, or seem like a bad move, but it’s his job to succeed or fail at. Obviously he and everyone else involved in this deal thought it was a good idea, so why shouldn’t he take the chance. It’s not like he has anything to lose.
“Well isn’t that his decision to make?
Huh? Who said he couldn’t make his own decision? He clearly did.
“It might not make sense to you or other people, or seem like a bad move, but it’s his job to succeed or fail at.”
I don’t think I even said whether I think the move made sense to me, AND I DID point out that he has other fall-back and that these jobs might not necessarily hold the same level of importance of him as it would for Ann Curry so he probably doesn’t need to have the same level of care about this as another news personality might need to have (the part where I said he doesn’t need any of these jobs was actually a compliment to him for forging different identities in different fields). What I did say is that I don’t get the respect he might receive as a news personality. It is baffling to me that a former football player can move to GMA as a news personality and I think it’s okay to have that opinion as a person who watches all different kind of news. As a viewer of news (even the news of the fluffy morning news kind), I most likely wouldn’t watch him over someone else.
I also simply pointed out that what Cohen said sounded more like a straight-up truth about the brutality of the entertainment industry rather than shade. If someone asked me an objective appraisal of what the entertainment industry is like, that’s probably the thing that would come out of my mouth, not because I am shading anyone, but because that’s simply the cold hard way the industry operates as we’ve seen with David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and others. (I don’t know if I would have issued my statement to the press though, but I’d probably be thinking it. That industry is stone cold harsh when they don’t need you anymore).
To be honest a lot of coaches and players successfully segue into the news. You don’t need to look at the national platform. Just look at your local news. Many are former athletes or coaches. I don’t know why people are perplexed that he would succeed in the media.
What counts is the media personality’s Q rating – yes whether the audience responds positively to that person. If he has charisma he will do well. He’s not doing hard news. He’s on GMA for pete’s sake!
“I don’t know why people are perplexed that he would succeed in the media.”
I’m not perplexed that he would succeed in the media (despite my username). He appears to be well-liked, and he seems to have performed well on Kelly and Michael. I just wouldn’t necessarily watch him over another person on the same time of morning news show. That’s all I’m saying. The morning news format is different from Kelly and Michael, and I would most likely flip between all the morning talk shows until I settle on one that’s covering a story I’m interested in (most likely one that has nothing to do with the Kardashians or one that’s not telling me what just went viral on Youtube). I guess I don’t see how ratings would suddenly increase because he’s on their show when there’s so many choices in that particular time slot. I don’t think they’d decrease either because of him, but I don’t see why anyone would tune in to see him specifically either.
I do understand that morning news shows are fluffy, but there was a time — pre-Kardashian era — where some of the morning news personalities seemed like they had some level of credibility in the news industry (i.e Jane Pauley, Tom Brokaw, Katie Couric, Barbara Walters before she became an icon or whatever else, etc). And everyone has been talking about this GMA gig as if it’s a step up from Kelly and Michael into some “better” kind of “news” that he can cover. However, this shift to other types of personalities doesn’t necessarily induce me to watch more morning talk shows. I quit watching NBC when it went full on Kardashian with their news and stopped covering any kind of real news altogether. Though to be fair, maybe people under 21 could be watching these shows and don’t mind the switch to other personalities like football players doing these shows — although even in their cases, I can’t imagine younger people actually wasting their time on tv.
Yeah I don’t like the tone of Kelly’s sources and Andy Cohen. The whole “he should stay in his lane and be grateful!” and all this anger essentially saying Michael should defer his career options to whatever Kelly is okay with..
Quite frankly, it’s patronizing as hell. Michael is a grown man. He is capable of accepting a promotion without running it by his CO-STAR!! She’s not his boss, she’s his colleague. So why the heck should Kelly be included in the negotiations??? Her entitlement is off the map and its shows sour grapes.
I cannot forgive the dog whistle phrases her team sent out invoking unwarranted claims of sexism, casting Michael as the angry black man stereotype who “screams” at poor little defenseless Kelly.. She denigrated his character and is trying to torpedo his promotion. She is trying to make it so nasty they remind their offer and placate her whims!
later cohen added, we only wear pink on wednesdays
It was going to happen anyway, so now she should be happy that the show will get massive ratings today. Once that initial awkwardness is gone, it will be fine. Rumor has it they don’t care for each other. so in the long run this may be the best thing to happen to the show. She is great with Anderson, but I prefer serious Anderson to giggling Anderson.
Anderson would be wasting his skills on Live.Anderson has mentioned why he like to travel to war torn countries and to areas affected by terrorism and disasters to tell those people stories.
Also Anderson and Kelly get annoying with her flirting and fawning over him and him giggling and blushing.It’s cute if it’s one or twice a month co hosting but everyday…..?
That’s actually a step down for Anderson. He’s taken as a serious newsman. Doing Live fulltime pretty much diminishes that.
What I can’t get over is how much money these people get paid. Kelly makes 15 million a year and now Michael is going to Good Morning America and his pay is being bumped up by 50%. Live with Kelly and Michael is a good light fun show to watch. Can’t imagine what ABC/Disney pays the women on “The View” to basically talk over each other.
I wonder what people mean Kelly should have been in the decision process. If ABC/GMA wants to offer Michael a job, I don’t think Kelly should say “yay or nay”. She shouldn’t have control over a co-worker’s career.
I thought the reason she was agitated was because she wanted to know about the future of Live — as in, would it still exist after Strachan let?. I thought she was worried the show might be cancelled, not necessarily that he chose to leave. In sum, if the execs didn’t tell her about his exit, her real worry would be that they wouldn’t tell her about the cancellation of the show until it was too late to do anything about it.
I can’t possibly think that she cares how the guy negotiates his career — her concern must be about the actual future of the show. If it’s not, then …I don’t see why she would care.
But her and her minions didn’t spin it like that. It’s more of “she’s offended she didn’t get weeks of notice” = she did. It’s called 4 months.
Totally agree she shouldn’t have control over his career choices, but I feel she and the producer should have been told earlier given their roles on the show, rather than being blindsided by the news. It’s not that she should have a say in what he does, but that she should have been made aware of a major change on a show that bears her name.
I think they mean if this is on the table she should have been involved in the build up the roll out of the news and how Live moves forward.
Because his leaving causes a mess for her show so let’s not do this without a plan for her show. Do it fine but let’s have a plan in place so it’s smooth and include her in the planning.
Joining GMA or stay with Live is MICHAEL’s choice. if he want to be one of the five anchor then let him be..its his career choice..
And if Live is very promising and If it is so easy to find another co-host, then just find it and continue the show..
maybe Kelly’s feeling hurt, but how she reacted didnt bring any good.. she gave the impression that she/the show really need michael.
OMG. now another white person piles on to tell Stratham and ABC that they have no right to negotiate an employment contract in private. (Confidentiality is HR and Contract 101, BTW.) Just because Cohen routinely renegotiates his all his “Housewives” contracts on the pages of Radar Online, doesn’t make that the imprimatur of the process. He sounds so condescending. Stratham apparently, also, has no right to want something besides side-kicking Kelly’s conversations about the new celebrity cook-book.
Why can’t they just wish him well?
Doesn’t it smack of “stay in your corner, boy?” Yes if people can spin the gender thing, Cohen just released the race card.
Totally.
I think she’s been in the business and knows how it works. This wasn’t a big deal people move on, he doesn’t work for her. If he was told not to say anything by the people who employ him he should respect that. She to me really seems like a pill. She needed to show she was a professional instead if throwing a hissy fit. She made Micheal’s exit into a thing.
If the tables were turned would’ve she done the same thing? Of course she would’ve.
Uncessary drama. Should have kept it classy.
I’m sorry but …. that seems like…. hey dont advance and be a wolf with your career…. stay and play second fiddle to blondie and when you dont she leaves you hanging at THE JOB YOU SHOULD BE SOOOO GLAD TO STA AT…. LMAO cut the crap andy
what if the world explodes what if it rains what if the camera man faints while live recording….. Michael had to be a wolf with his career…he a brilliant man (as in he has navigated immense scandal and rumor and came out an american sweetheart if you will) I am most sure he has analyzed the pros and cons and assessed the potential gains, wins, and loses…… but because he didnt plan it out with kelly and tuck her in at night with his moves she flakes…. completely over her, I am …..
Maybe i feel this way as I work a 9-5 and get blinded allll the time with shenanigans or unexpected departures of beloved coworkers….. never did I not come to work and walk around with a David and Goliath book trying to send a message…. I pushed through, leveraged my skill, never took anything personal, and navigated the work force…. Kelly I suggest you do the same and quit being CHILDISH.
this kinda also strikes a nerve because I think kelly is lashing out at Mike based on valid people frustration with ppl like producers and execs…however her lashing out a mike is wrong…. categorical just WRONG…. and the fact that everyone is jumping on the bandwagon saying yea he should have gave her like more time.
I mean to an extent he’s right and I’ll add since he’s not a journalist and never will be one he will never get the top spot at GMA and will always be on the fluff. On the other it’s none of his business what Strahan does. I am sympathetic when I hear about Kelly not being notified about this in a respectful way but AC has no right to criticize his career choices.
Maybe Michael isn’t looking for that. He knows the position he was offered and what it entailed and he’s obviously ok with that. He’s going to be paid millions of dollars to do not a lot of heavy lifting. Sounds like a good deal for him.
If Strahan wants to leave and is happy being one of five anchors, that’s up to him – no one cares what Andy Cohen thinks about someone else’s career choices.
I think it’s interesting how many women in media are jumping to Kelly’s defense. Oprah, Katie, etc makes me wonder if while seemingly not a big deal this is indicative of a larger issue at play that has very little to do with GMA’s host chat.
The show airs here on the west coast at 11:00 am. WAITING
I don’t think Live, with its very female (and older) audience, ever really went with Michael’s image and intended career trajectory. But I also think Andy made a very salient point: Live is an awesome gig. GREAT hours, great money, cushy as hell. GMA is going to be a slog, especially when the football season starts. Early, early mornings (hosts usually have to be up in the 3am hour), sharing the host duties with several higher profile people who Strahan will NOT BE promoted over. It certainly has more cache than Live, but I wonder if long term Strahan is going to be happy. The man’s spinning a lot of plates.
no one care about what the real housewife of everywhere think -_-