Kelly Ripa Addresses Michael Strahan Drama During Teary Return to 'Live!' Show
TV

Kelly is overwhelmed with emotions as she gets standing ovation from 'Live! with Kelly and Michael' audience during her monologue.

AceShowbiz - Kelly Ripa finally returned to "Live! with Kelly and Michael" with Michael Strahan after being absent for nearly a week following the bombshell that Michael was leaving the show for "Good Morning America". The petite TV host seemed overwhelmed with emotions as she was greeted with thunderous applause.

The 45-year-old presenter kicked off the show with a monologue to explain her absence and, in the process, delivered a powerful speech about respect in the workplace while still cracking some jokes here and there. A couple of times, her voice shook as she thanked fans for their support and talked about her love for the "Live!" show.

"Guys, guys, guys...our long national nightmare is over! Please, sit down," she told the audience who gave her a standing ovation. "Look, I'm going to be completely honest. I'm fairly certain that there are trained professional snipers with tranquilizer darts in case I drift too far off message," she joked about the online chatters suggesting that she might "go rogue" on air.

Kelly went on to address her absence, "I needed a couple of days to gather my thoughts. After 26 years with this company, I earned the right. And let's be honest, I know half of you called in sick to be here, so we get each other! In that time, I gained some perspective. I always speak from the heart. I didn't want to come out here and just, like, say something I might regret."

"So what transpired though over the course of a few days has been extraordinary in the sense that it started a much greater conversation about communication and consideration and most importantly, respect in workplace," she added, prompting a round of applause from the room.

"And since we're being honest, I don't consider this just a workplace. This is my second home. This is a place that I've devoted myself to not just because of you, our loyal viewers, but because of all of the producers and the crew who work on this show. We have an incredible team. We are incredibly devoted to one another. We are family."

"Apologies have been made and the best thing to come out of all of this, you guys, is that our parent company has assured me that 'Live!' is a priority," Kelly continued. "I am thrilled for Michael. I'm thrilled for you. This is a tremendous opportunity and I couldn't be and we couldn't be prouder of you. And everything we accomplished together."

"So back to the show. This is entertainment. It's supposed to be entertaining. So let's get back to what we do best and start the show," she said before concluding with another joke, "Incidentally, I just want to say one thing. My dad, who was a bus driver for 30 years, thinks we're all crazy. And I think he's right. I think he's right. So let's get this show started."

"I'm so happy you're back," Michael told Kelly after her speech. "One thing I know about you is that you love the show, you love the fans, you love the staff and I love you," he added. "You are the queen of morning television. You need me, I'm coming back to help out." She jokingly replied, "How dare you! Oprah is the real queen."

Kelly made fun of her absence once again later on the show when a caller was unsure about the correct answer to a question about the show's previous episode. "Don't ask me, I wasn't here," she deadpanned.

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