Is there already trouble in paradise at Live With Kelly and Ryan?
After searching for a replacement for Michael Strahan for what seemed like forever, Ryan
Seacrest joining Kelly Ripa for the ABC daytime staple seemed like a solid choice.
But while both Ripa and Seacrest have denied any sketchiness behind the scenes and claim
to be BFFs, recent reports claim otherwise.
Here's what really going on.
He wasn't the first choice
Ripa's exhaustive search for a replacement for Michael Strahan led to clashes with producers.
Initially, front-runners included Mario Lopez, Jeff Gordon, and Rob Lowe, but they were reportedly
nixed because of their egos.
A source told Page Six,
"It's a highly coveted job.
There's no other show where the co-host gets to have their name in the title of the show.
[...] After the whole thing with Michael, [the producers] want someone loyal."
Others in the running included actors Fred Savage, Jerry O'Connell, and John Leguizamo.
Ripa, meanwhile, wanted Anderson Cooper.
She told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live in 2016,
"[Anderson is] my life.
He really is.
He's the one that got away and keeps getting away and gets away all the time."
Their egos clash
A source told Closer Weekly that Seacrest thought Live With Kelly and Ryan would be
more of a team effort, saying,
"Ryan thought the gig would very much be a joint co-hosting effort with Kelly, but he's
come to learn that Live! is really Kelly's show."
And a source told Radar Online that choosing Seacrest wasn't ultimately Ripa's call, claiming,
"Kelly is certainly a big star now, but she's learning that she's not big enough to call
the shots when it comes to who'll be sitting beside her when the cameras roll.
That's got to hurt."
Mediocre ratings
Live With Kelly and Ryan isn't killing it in the ratings department, and TV insiders
think Seacrest is to blame.
The show's ratings have reportedly seen a 23 percent drop since Seacrest signed on to
co-host in May 2017.
An insider told Life & Style,
"The show is a wreck at the moment.
[...] Ryan is just not connecting with daytime viewers.
[...] For the show to not be a huge hit is a blow to Ryan's ego."
A source told In Touch,
"It seems Ryan has lost his Midas touch.
The decision to add Ryan was supposed to be a slam dunk."
Mad about 'American Idol'
"Ryan Seacrest is returning of the host of American Idol!"
Depending on who you ask, Ripa may or may not feel like Seacrest betrayed her by signing
on to host ABC's American Idol reboot.
A source close to Kelly told Life & Style,
"Kelly is truly p---ed that, after all the time ABC spent negotiating with Ryan for Live!,
they would then buy the show that made him a household name and take him away.
[She] really thought Live! would be Ryan's focus."
A source corroborated to Fox News,
"She doesn't want a repeat of the Michael Strahan situation.
[...] She wants to make sure her show is Ryan's first priority, not Idol."
Ripa's rep denied the rumors.
Moving to L.A.?
Live producers, at Seacrest's behest, reportedly suggested Ripa and her family move to Los
Angeles to better accommodate filming the show, as well as American Idol and Seacrest's
radio show.
That didn't sit well with the daytime queen, despite Seacrest reportedly being miserable
in the Big Apple.
A source told Radar Online,
"After Ryan made his demand, network brass wanted Kelly to uproot her family and move
to California.
That's when Kelly put her foot down and said, 'No way!'"
She told Andy Cohen,
"We'd have to do the show at 6 am, and getting guests to come on at 9am, can be challenging."
Kelly may walk
Radar Online claimed that Ripa will give producers an ultimatum: Her way or no way.
The source said,
"When she was angry with ABC for favoring Michael, she refused to come to work for a
week.
Now that ABC is treating Ryan like royalty, Kelly could be gone for good."
A stepping stone for Seacrest?
Deadline reported in August 2017 that Ryan Seacrest Productions signed a "multi-year
overall deal" with ABC in which RSP "will develop scripted projects exclusively for
ABC Studios."
But after all the drama that went down between Ripa and Strahan, you'd think she'd want a
co-host who could devote all their energy to Live!
At this rate, Seacrest is making it crystal clear that he's putting himself first and
Live! on the back burner.
Seacrest's short leash
Insiders say Ripa was behind Seacrest's abrupt cancellation of an American Idol promo spot
on Good Morning America in October 2017.
A source told Page Six that Seacrest bailed on GMA at the last minute, claiming,
"Kelly threw a s--t fit and told him he couldn't do Good Morning America, so he pulled his
appearance.
[…] It's very clear that Ryan wants to stay on her good side."
Both Ripa's and Seacrest's reps denied those claims.
A Seacrest spokesperson said,
"Ryan had wanted to appear on GMA with the new Idol judges, [but] his schedule was too
tight given his morning commitments with Live and his radio show, along with Idol production
commitments."
However, another source insisted Ripa was calling the shots, saying,
"How much prep does he really need for Live!?
[...] It's pretty obvious that she's difficult to work with."
Shocking accusations
Shortly before the 2018 Academy Awards, former E! stylist Suzie Hardy accused Seacrest of
years of harassment.
Seacrest strongly denied Hardy's allegations, accusing her of trying to extort him for "millions
of dollars" with what he called false claims.
Seacrest was also cleared of any wrongdoing following an E! investigation that turned
up "no evidence" of misconduct.
A source told In Touch Weekly that Ripa was completely taken aback by the allegations
against her co-host, saying,
"Kelly feels blindsided.
[...] That's not the Ryan she knows at all.
Of course, she wants to side with him, but she's torn."
All for the cameras
Ripa voiced her support for her co-host ahead of his red carpet gig at the Oscars.
"I know what an easy, professional, great person you are, and I feel very, very lucky
to work with you each and every day."
However, insiders claim the pair may only be pretending to get along when the cameras
are rolling.
One source told Page Six,
"Her reputation is rolled up in this — this is her show.
For Kelly, there's not a Plan B. She has to make a decision and rally around [Ryan]."
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