New Kelly Ripa interview elaborates on the shock of Michael Strahan's departure

After May 13, Michael Strahan's time on Live! With Kelly and Michael will just be a memory. But the abrupt, shocking nature of Strahan's departure has left a mark on Kelly Ripa.

Ripa described the reverberating effects of Strahan's announcement in an interview with People, chalking it up to a matter of respect.

"I think that all people are deserving of fair treatment in the work place." she said. "People deserve respect. People should be treated equally and with dignity."

Ripa took several days off work after news broke of Strahan leaving Live! for Good Morning America! In the interview, she describes the Live! With Kelly and Michael crew as a family, noting that families aren't always best at communication.

"Sometimes when you are so comfortable with somebody, you may not give them the same consideration as somebody you're not as comfortable with -- a certain formality falls away," she said.

Ripa reassured People of her strength, while reiterating that even strong, stable people can benefit from empathy.

"I don't think of anybody as a monster or out to get me," she said. "But sometimes stability and dependability can be misinterpreted as passive. Like, 'Oh, we don't have to worry about her, she's fine. She's fine.'" 

Ripa and Strahan will continue working together until his last day on May 13.

"We're excited for Michael," she added. "He wanted that job, and it's great for him...However, what nobody considered is there's a whole other group of people that it really impacts, because we have to now find another great person." 

Ripa's full interview can be found in Friday's issue of People.

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