It’s no secret morning show hosts make their bread being upbeat and positive. It’s why people are easily drawn in to a routine and a relationship with them. For almost five years, Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan have over-shared and joked and invited viewers into their lives, so an ending as sudden and ugly as the one that’s playing out now can feel like a bad breakup.
Even the most gossip-avoidant TV watchers know that Strahan is leaving his position with “Live! With Kelly and Michael” and joining “Good Morning America” as a full-time host. As a result, his “Live!” co-host Ripa is reportedly pretty upset.
A source told CNN Money the star is “beyond angry.” After Strahan’s announcement last Tuesday, Ripa didn’t show up for work Wednesday. Or Thursday. On Friday, she departed on a scheduled vacation, but is expected to return to the “Live!” desk on Tuesday morning.
More than some petty office drama writ large, the “Live!” controversy has forced fans to take sides and deal with some sad truths: TV personalities may be nice, but you never know everything about them. And breakups can hurt, even if it’s between two people you’ve never met.
After all, viewers were led to believe — wanted to believe — the pair genuinely liked their gig and liked each other, and that their positive vibes came from some eternal wellspring of pep and energy rather than the demands of a life defined by being likable on TV.
The situation has gotten uglier in the hands of a confused public. Neither star is particularly talkative on social media; Ripa has been inactive since the announcement and Strahan has stuck to non-“Live!” related subjects. Neither have made public statements about the apparent tension, although Strahan said on Monday’s show he was “excited” about Ripa’s return on Tuesday. Ripa also sent a late-night email to her staff this week thanking them for their support.
The relative silence has left longtime loyals searching for answers.
Amid the chaos and speculation, the predictable fan-led factions have arisen: #TeamMichael and #TeamRipa, natch. The general argument is over who did the more unforgivable thing: Was Ripa in the wrong for skipping out on work, or should Strahan have handled his departure differently?
Ripa’s impromptu time off has some people calling her a “diva.” The description raised hackles, with critics calling it sexist and others saying Ripa’s reaction was reasonable given the situation.
Janice Min, head of Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, said on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” that the recent treatment of Ripa by ABC heads has been “incredibly disrespectful.”
“It looks like it was men playing chess, and she was left out of the game,” Min said of the transition.
A reminder: Ripa has been at the helm of “Live!” since she came on alongside Regis Philbin in 2001. Her popularity and long tenure on the show have had some fans showing their protective side, especially since it has been heavily suggested that whatever beef Ripa may or may not have extends beyond Strahan and the show itself. CNN’s Brian Stelter reports Ripa feels “disrespected” by Disney-ABC Television Group president Ben Sherwood, because her show often feels like a second priority behind the network’s AM crown jewel, “GMA” (which, remember, is about to be Strahan’s new home).
This dynamic did not escape the attention of #TeamRipa supporters who saw Ripa’s retaliation as the actions of a strong woman asserting her place.
Fan-run Twitter accounts have been jumping at the chance to supply a seemingly endless stream of pro-Ripa affirmations.
Others defended Strahan, who has had a full plate of work since joining “Live!” in 2011. In addition to co-hosting, the former NFL star also appeared on “GMA” and made cross-country trips for his position as an analyst for “Fox NFL Sunday Night,” which films in Los Angeles.
Strahan supporters are saying he had to do what he had to do for the sake of his career, and that in a professional setting, co-workers don’t owe each other detailed explanations of their decisions. Of course, that rationale may not hold water for those who believe Ripa and Strahan were close enough to share more than just the bare necessities with each other.
The resulting quagmire of feelings resembles the fallout of a messy divorce or an office drama, except the stars of the action are exactly that: Stars. These two aren’t buying tabloids like regular folks — they’re on the tabloids. And whether they mean to or not, they are providing fans with plenty to debate.
Regardless of who’s supporting whom, all eyes will be on the duo when they reunite on-air this week. Will there be fireworks or friendly regards? Will viewers finally get closure, or will this era of “Live!” end like a prime time drama — on a cliffhanger?