He’s got her back. Andy Cohen is still shocked — and downright confused — as to why Michael Strahan would leave Live with Kelly and Michael to take a full-time job at Good Morning America. The Bravo TV personality, who is not-coincidentally Kelly Ripa’s BFF, opened up about the ongoing Live drama during his SiriusXM radio show on Monday, April 25.
“When I look at this whole situation, it’s worth noting that the two of them, Kelly and Michael, they had such great chemistry — such great chemistry. And I’m just looking at this — it just seems like a premature end to a great relationship. It ended way too prematurely, and I think so much has been written about this situation and how it was handled,” Cohen, 47, said.
“I’ve been a TV executive, or a producer, for 25 years, so I’m always fascinated to see how TV things go down. I can’t say this went down in the greatest way,” he continued. “He had this great relationship on TV and it was a big, bad breakup.”
As previously reported, ABC announced last Tuesday that Strahan, 44, would be leaving Live after four years. Ripa, 45, was blindsided by the news — just like Cohen.
“The thing that no one is talking about is to me, the job of cohosting Live is the greatest job in TV. And she’s so good at it and he was so good at it, but it’s a job that you take and you take it for life. She’s been at that job for 15 years,” Cohen said on Monday. “I can’t get over that he left Live where it was the best show … 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.”
He added: “He left and went to GMA. He’s now with 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 is going to happen to [this] sweet man? By then she will have a new cohost. I don’t know. I just don’t see how you leave the greatest job in TV to be one of five people. That’s what I couldn’t get over … You know who I think would be great at that job? My buddy AC, [Anderson] Cooper. He would be so good cohosting that show.”
Cohen has been in contact with Ripa since the news of Strahan’s departure. However, in public, Ripa has kept tight-lipped. She called in sick on Wednesday and has since been celebrating her 20th wedding anniversary with her husband, Mark Consuelos. (Stars such as Erin Andrews, Ana Gasteyer and Shay Mitchell have been filling in for her on Live.) On Tuesday, Ripa will finally return to the hot seat.
“I am really looking forward to tomorrow on Live,” Cohen said. “I can’t wait to see what she says. Who isn’t going to be watching that?”
