Q: "Can you explain the Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan brouhaha?" — Art of Culver City, Calif.

A: Four years ago, Michael Strahan replaced Regis Philbin as Kelly Ripa's co-host. It took months of searching to find the right fit. Ripa was very instrumental in getting Strahan the job.

But things didn't turn out so rosy once they started working together. While the duo acted as if they were bickering buddies, off-camera they were usually just bickering. Heck, forget "bickering"; they didn't even talk to each other. That's right: Making millions of bucks a year was not enough to get these two to say hello in the morning.

Over the years, I was a semi-regular and just plain regular on several local talk shows. My longest run was in Cleveland. I had two very different experiences. While the co-hosts of one show did not socialize very much (they see each other seven hours a day, five days a week; they did not need more face time), they liked each other. As in all work relationships there were occasional dust-ups, but who always likes everyone they work with? They cared for and supported each other.

The other show had co-hosts who loathed each other. It was always fun at 7 a.m. when they started slamming things. I shared a dressing room with the female co-host. Her male counterpart would come in on the pretense of borrowing hair spray, take a spritz and slam it down. This went on for years. Yet when the TV lights went on, you would think the two were best buddies.

On a national level, Kelly and Michael are not alone. Ann Curry and Matt Lauer, from the "Today" show, were barely civil to one another. While Curry, who was axed from the show, was treated like the injured party, her Manhattan neighbors have seen a different side of the newscaster. The renovation of her apartment has gone on for five noisy years. She refused to take measures to keep the noise down between certain hours.

In contrast, everyone — myself included — who has worked with Al Roker loves him. For good reason: He is funny and fair and remains a team player even if the team is falling apart. I worked with him in Cleveland for many years. What you see is what you get.

As for the recent issues between Ripa and Strahan, she did not learn until 20 minutes before the on-air announcement that he was leaving for a regular gig on "Good Morning America." Ripa, who reportedly makes 20 million a year, felt blindsided. She was so angry that she took a few days off work. No, she was not docked.

Michael was set to stay on the show until September. I have to admit, the idea of seeing the frenemies on air for a few months was delicious. Hey, I am a TV critic, not a saint. Alas, that is not going to happen. After protracted and probably painful meetings, the new word is that Strahan's last episode will be mid-May. May is ratings sweeps season. The show, which pulls in around $100 million a year, will see a ratings rise. We are all rubberneckers on the road of life.

By the way, this is not the first time Ripa learned with little warning that she was going to lose a co-host. When Philbin decided not to renew his contract with the show she found out 15 minutes before he went on air and announced his "retirement." Several years ago Ripa told People magazine she rarely spoke to Philbin after he left the show. Commenting on the latest co-hosting issue on his former talk show, Philbin said that he hadn't talked to anyone about it but knew they would work things out.

I had my own similar "showbiz surprise." I hosted a Sunday morning radio show. One day, as I was driving to the studio, I heard an announcement telling listeners to tune in for their new cooking show. It was slated to start that day — in my time slot. To add to the fun, the hostess was married to my TV co-host. What did I do? Drove home, cursed and never said a word to my co-host. It was not his fault. It was the radio station managers who "forgot" to call me. That, folks, is the world of entertainment.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Heath Brandon