For Kelly Ripa, who leaped to fame as the replacement for Katie Lee Gifford on ABC's "Live!" show, in 2001, to admit that to the Hollywood Reporter that she no longer speaks to her former co-host, Regis Philbin, came as a shock.
"I haven't see him, no," said Ripa who worked alongside the 81-year-old entertainer for over a decade," reported ibtimes.com.
Even though the two don't speak, the 42-yyear-old Ripa did compliment the former host calling him an incredible storyteller and jokingly comparing him to her current co-host, retired NFL defensive end, the 41-year-old, Michael Strahan, according to ibtimes.com.
"They're both fiercely competitive and both incredible football players, she said, reported UPI.com.
However, Ripa has proved that she can hold the show without Philbin who left the show in 2011 due to an alleged dispute over salary with the show's producers as she, alongside Strahan were named one of the 35 most powerful people in media by the Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday.
It was a long road for the former New York Giant to get the job, but Ripa was quoted as saying, "I was very emotional [when Strahan was announced as co-host]. Michael is one of these men that could have chemistry with a doorknob, a chicken sandwich or a flashlight," reported ibtimes.com.
The 2007 Super Bowl champion got the job after months of ABC trying out an endless number of possibly co-hosts and Strahan beat out 54 other prospects for the seat vacated by Philbin and seven months into the job he still feels like it is all a dream.
"Even though I knew I had the job, it was surreal to see my name up there [on billboards and television] with Kelly's," said Strahan, according to ibtimes.com.
Among other talk-show hosts awarded with the media honor: Anderson Cooper and the "Good Morning America" team of James Goldston, Robin Roberts and the veteran newsman, George Stephanopoulos.
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