Oprah Winfrey Talks Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan Issue
Nobody knows Kelly Ripa's recent travails more than Oprah Winfrey as she has been a host for quite some time before deciding to retire and recently, she shared her thoughts about the incident that led Ripa to take a week's leave.
Last week, Ripa decided to take a week off the set after she was told minutes before "Live! With Kelly and Michael" co-host Michael Strahan announced publicly that he will leave the show in a few months. Apparently, the long-time host was shocked and was replaced by Erin Andrews until Tuesday.
For Winfrey, there should have been a better way of informing Ripa about the situation. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the 62-year-old millionaire said, "Nobody should ever be blindsided. I don't know who's in charge, but somebody should've said, 'This is gonna happen.' You shouldn't have to read it in the paper. Ever."
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On the other hand, Winfrey noted that despite the sudden news, Ripa can still opt for the other choice, which is to host the morning show alone.
As for Strahan, Winfrey thinks he will do just fine once he moves to "Good Morning America." The veteran TV personality believes Strahan has the natural talent to make it through. "He will be great," Winfrey said.
Meanwhile, there is a lot of excitement within OWN, Winfrey's network that she established five years ago. Speaking during the Tribeca Film Festival panel, she revealed that starting the network was a huge struggle as there were some issues on scheduling.
However, the Wall Street Journal reported last month that OWN is now the highest-rated cable network among women in the African-American community. While there are other shows that will debut this year, many are looking forward to "Greenleaf," the first scripted series that will tackle the life of a church-going family.
There is indeed a lot of anticipation but also some doubt as to whether the series will deliver a story that wouldn't be questioned by conservatives who prefer that the church be separated from television.
According to People, Winfrey clarified that the goal of "Greenleaf" is to raise awareness and encourage others in many ways. "I am not gonna do anything that is derogatory toward the church," she said.
