Michael Strahan Archives - The Dishmaster

Michael Strahan’s Last Show on ‘Live’ – Thanks Kelly

Live With Kelly and Michael

Is Michael Strahan making a mistake by leaving ‘Live With Kelly and Michael‘ for ‘Good Morning America’? Only time will tell, but at least he can cry into a big pile of money if the career move doesn’t work out. After watching his exit package below, I couldn’t help but feel sad, because Kelly and Michael really did have sweet on-stage chemistry, and life isn’t just about money. He’s moving to another show as part of an ensemble, which apart from the money, feels like a step down. Good luck, Michael. You will be missed, especially since I don’t watch GMA.

Kelly Ripa Returns With Classy, Funny Monologue

Kelly Ripa returned to ‘Live With Kelly and Michael’ after a press firestorm surrounding Strahan’s abrupt departure to ‘Good Morning America.’ Though it might seem impossible to make light of a difficult situation, Ripa stayed true to her classy form with some funny jokes and genuine honesty. She said she deserved to take two days off after over two decades with ABC, and she’s been assured that her show is in fact a priority. She also said there were snipers with tranquilizer darts ready in case she went off script. Strahan seemed to take it in stride, once again assuring Ripa that she is the Queen and he’s honored to have worked beside her. Their love-fest was short-lived; however, because it’s recently been revealed that Strahan will leave earlier than expected.

In everyday life, when one is upset with the executives in charge, he or she might call in sick in silent defiance and fly under the radar. Ripa is not given that same luxury, because the world is watching. I’ve previously noted that she has been given sexist treatment from the media and I still must tip my hat to her maturity. As for Strahan, I don’t blame him for taking a higher-paying job, but I think it’s the wrong move. To quote Andy Cohen, when your name is in the title of a show, how could you forgo that in favor of an ensemble? It must also be noted that Ripa can find solace in the fact that ABC will be punished for their poor, disrespectful move, because it has impacted Strahan’s squeaky clean image, which will make it more difficult to win viewers at his new post. So good job, guys.

Michael Strahan’s Exit Reveals a Sexist Media

When Michael Strahan announced his exit from Live with Kelly and Michael, the public was apparently just as shocked as his costar. Sources reveal that the original plan was to tell Kelly Ripa well before the rest of the world, but when the story leaked, the timeline became truncated. Kelly ditched her desk the following day for an early exit on an already planned vacation, which prompted Strahan to publicly thank her with some canned comments.

Ripa’s primary objection surrounds not only the timeline, but the idea that both shows are under the Disney umbrella, and Bob Iger obviously values ‘Good Morning America’ more than ‘Live With Kelly and Michael,’ because taking her costar clearly puts one show at risk at the advantage of another. Furthermore, why would execs demand Strahan keep this a secret? If they’re all on the same team, then isn’t it fair to tell his longtime partner about the deal? Surely they’d know she would not leak the news. And finally, it’s disloyal. Ripa is an extremely valuable, high-performing partner on a major, revenue-generating show, and Strahan owes her everything. She obviously played a role in his hiring, influenced his success, and at times — carried him.

One would think that the press surrounding this situation would focus on Strahan’s disloyalty, along with taking the executives to task. But it’s shockingly (or not so shockingly) gone the other direction. Ripa has been portrayed as a drama queen who had an emotional “meltdown” or “tantrum” and immaturely didn’t show up for work. As for Strahan, he’s a “stand up guy” who didn’t have to be in the meeting with Ripa to break the news but chose to do so anyways out of the kindness of his heart. ABC is banking on Strahan’s likability on their bubble-gum daytime show, and if his departure gets tainted, their plan tanks. It’s therefore clear who’s behind these leaks, but the media is taking the bait, and falling into the same gender traps women have been arguing against for some time. Ripa is a powerhouse performer and Strahan betrayed her. Why isn’t anyone talking about that?

Michael Strahan is Leaving Kelly Ripa for GMA

live-with-kelly-and-michael-large-643x441 If there’s anyone in the entertainment industry worthy of accolades, it’s Kelly Ripa. The former actress pivoted her soap opera career to an impressive co-starring role beside the beloved Regis Philbin during a time when many suggested that Kathy Lee Gifford was an indispensable partner in crime. And Ripa didn’t let her new role stop her personal life, because she quickly popped out three children with longtime love Mark Consuelos and proudly celebrated her bump on television. While many implied the show could not survive Philbin’s exit, Ripa soared, carrying her rotating co-stars through each episode, which gave the network enough time to find a sufficient replacement for Regis. In fact, the ratings increased. Many articles suggest that the format of ‘Live With Kelly and Michael’ might be responsible for its stellar ratings amidst co-host swaps, but that undermines the true source of the strength, which is Kelly. And though she might play coy, she’s a shrewd talent that knows exactly how to steer her ship. And it is HER ship.

When Michael Strahan announced his departure from Live With Kelly and Michael, it came as a shock to both the public and Kelly herself. GMA is apparently struggling, and Strahan fulfills a target demographic. Because their revenue totals over $300 million per year, they can afford what I can only perceive is a hefty pay raise for the former football star. Strahan is certainly talented and worthy of poaching, but I can’t help but wonder how well he’ll do without Ripa by his side. She should not be concerned, though. This is familiar territory, and she’s a titan.

Michael Strahan Interview with Cigar Afionado

MICHAEL_STRAHAN_CIGARAFICIONADO

NFL great and television talk show host Michael Strahan sat down with Cigar Afionado for an exclusive interview, and the gentle Giant talked football, the limelight, and what’s next for his career. Read some choice quotes below.

On knowing no limits: “I don’t limit myself and I tell my kids not to let anyone limit you. That’s one of the great things I learned from my dad. He never said, ‘If…’ It wasn’t ‘If you’re drafted by the pros.’ It was always ‘When.’ When you’re drafted by the pros. He made things seem like they were supposed to happen.”

On his football field strategy: “I always looked at football as psychological. It was like chess, where you’re figuring out what your opponent’s next move will be, or how to make them move where you want them to…That’s one of the things I miss—that chess match.”

On the difference in his life since leaving football: “I’m not sore every morning.”

Co-host Kelly Ripa on Strahan’s surprising shyness: “All he has are strengths. He can talk about anything…If charm was a drug, you could extract it from his body and give it to everyone…People run up and hug him. They see a big personality. But in his private time, he’s really very shy.”

On his “Live with Kelly and Michael” audience: “Those are the only ones we really think about talking to. If I started thinking about how many people are actually watching us on TV, it would freak me out.”

On being in the limelight: “One of the most embarrassing things to me is people yelling out my name in the street, I want to be the guy who can walk in and out of a room and you don’t know I’ve been there…I miss being able to sit in a restaurant and not have people try to sneak a photo with their cameras.”

On finding anonymity within the community of cigar smokers: “Cigars solicit conversation. You see someone smoking a cigar and you feel instantly closer to them.”

On his choice cigars: “For the most part, I like my cigars light and sweet. Sometimes, though, give me something robust that will knock my socks off. I think the little ones look funny in my hand because I’m such a big guy. But I don’t want a cigar that’s the size of my thumb either.”

On his many ventures off of the field and what’s next: “Someone asked me what I’d like my legacy to be. When I thought about it, I decided I’d like to have been more successful outside of football than I was in it…I’m not done yet. I’ve got a long way to go.”