'Live With Kelly and Michael' News: Ripa Talks What 'Nobody Considered' In Strahan Announcement [VIDEO]
Kelly Ripa is finally opening up to the media about the shocking announcement that Michael Strahan was leaving Live!
A few days before Strahan's final episode of Live! with Kelly and Michael, Ripa is speaking out about the announcement in late April that he was leaving for Good Morning America. The revelation was handled in a somewhat problematic fashion, with Ripa finding out mere moments before the news went public.
Ripa spoke with People in a new interview about how ABC handled the news in a way that wasn't exactly ideal.
"There's a part of me that can say, 'Okay, I understand. This may have been an oversight,'" Ripa said, of finding out about Strahan's news shortly before everyone else. "And again, after 26 years, at this point we are like a family. And sometimes when you are so comfortable with somebody, you may not give them the same consideration as somebody you're not as comfortable with - a certain formality falls away."
The daytime host is using this as an opportunity to discuss communication and respect in the work place.
"I think that all people are deserving of fair treatment in the work place. People deserve respect. People should be treated equally and with dignity," she said. "I think that requires a certain amount of empathy on a level. When you're dealing with big business, it's easy to forget that you're dealing with people and that people have feelings. It's easy to just look at it like a business unit, a unit..."
Regardless, Ripa admitted that she's not exactly "dealing with monsters" who are out to get her. "But sometimes stability and dependability can be misinterpreted as passive. Like, 'Oh, we don't have to worry about her, she's fine. She's fine.'"
Ripa remains happy for Strahan that he was able to land a permanent job at Good Morning America, saying that this is "a perfect match," for both parties. "However," she added, "what nobody considered is there's a whole other group of people that it really impacts, because we have to now find another great person."
Now, the hunt is on to find that great person to co-host with Ripa in the years to come. Guest co-hosts will start cycling in on Monday, May 16.
