Behind Strahan’s split from ‘Live’: Temper tantrums, betrayal

That warm, fuzzy feeling transmitted on morning television isn’t real.

For nearly four years, Ripa and Strahan have been lauded for their on-air chemistry — a lighthearted rapport that led to a 9 percent rise in the show’s ratings. But off-air, sources say, the two hosts were frosty: Ripa resented Strahan’s lack of devotion to the series and his rising star; Strahan was sick of being Ripa’s lesser-paid sidekick.A show insider says Strahan — who reportedly raked in $4 million as the show’s co-host in 2012 — merely used the program as a stepping stone and quickly became a diva.

He would show up late to tapings, regularly bring his entourage to set, and made the crew stop everything twice a week during pretapings for him to get a haircut at the studio…

While Strahan was as charismatic as could be on camera, one media honcho says, “when he doesn’t need to be on, he shuts down and can be selfish.”

Leading up to last year’s Halloween episode, Strahan was so difficult that “the producers brought in an audience for one of the pretaped segments so he would behave,” says the show insider.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.