He’s got the first day of work down! Michael Strahan started his full-time gig at Good Morning America on Tuesday, September 6, after his controversial exit from Live With Kelly back in May.
The Wake Up Happy author, 44, said the main adjustment has been setting his alarm a little earlier. “GMA has been great. It’s earlier obviously,” he told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show on Wednesday, September 7. “I’m waking up a lot earlier. I start at 7, I’ve got to be there a little earlier than that, but it’s been great because it’s so interesting, and I’m learning. Every job I’ve had I’ve just learned along the way, and this one is interesting because of all the stories, and you get involved in so many different things that are new to me, and I’m loving it.”
The former New York Giants player explained that now that football season is also beginning this week, he’ll be spending his weekdays in New York City for GMA then jetting to L.A. on weekends to host Fox NFL Sundays.
Strahan is at ease in front of the cameras now, but back when he was young, it was a different story. “I’m comfortable, cool, like now, but the second the cameras go off or somebody walks up to me, I’m like this,” he said, putting his head down. “And when I was a kid and I played football and I was 7 or 8, I cried the entire game. I didn’t like the applause. I didn’t like the cheering. It scared me. I didn’t like the attention, and I still don’t in some ways. I grew up a little bit so I could handle it and play pro football.”
As Us Weekly previously reported, Strahan’s departure from Live caused tension with his cohost Kelly Ripa, who was blindsided by the news. The athlete was originally scheduled to leave the show in September, but due to the drama, he exited four months early. Meanwhile, Ripa is still looking for a replacement and has been working alongside various guest cohosts.
