Things Might Get Even Worse for Kelly Ripa

Kelly Ripa is apparently already unhappy about Michael Strahan's exit from Live!, but it sounds like things could get even worse for her. As the Hollywood Reporter puts it, "ABC News executives have long coveted a third hour for Good Morning America," and there are some whispers that Strahan's move to GMA signals an eventual expansion of GMA into the 9am hour currently anchored by Ripa. If that were to happen, Live! would likely move to 10am or 2pm. All a Disney-ABC Television rep would say to THR: "We are committed to Live!, its fantastic production team, and to Kelly Ripa. We believe the show has a great future." But one GMA source says adding a third hour to the show could bring in as much as $50 million per year in additional revenue—and the show "subsidizes the entire news division," says an unnamed "ABC News veteran."

As the New York Post sees it, Ripa was happy to fuel talk about her fight against the network: She was photographed carrying Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants Thursday. Ripa, who appears to be on a Strahan-related strike, won't be back on Live! until at least Tuesday, and People notes that producers aren't sure how to resume things once she returns, since she's "gone radio silent," sources say. TMZ reports that the Live! crew is unhappy about her boycott, believing it makes the show look bad and increases its chances of getting booted in favor of GMA. Headlines also abound as to her reportedly strained relationship with Strahan: Says one source, "Whenever they communicated off-camera, it was always through their reps." (More Kelly Ripa stories.)