EXCLUSIVE: 'She's acting deeply selfish': Live crew turn on Kelly Ripa and praise Michael Strahan as she emerges SMILING in first appearance while carrying 'David and Goliath' book about 'battling giants'

Kelly Ripa may still be furious about being blindsided by the news that her Live With Kelly and Michael co-host Michael Strahan is quitting the show and heading off to Good Morning America come September, but her decision to skip work in response to being kept in the dark about the move is angering the staff at the show.

Multiple sources close to the show tell DailyMail.com that the staff feel they too have been 'blindsided' by a boss who made the decision to just stop showing up for her job.

'They feel like Michael’s taking the high road but Kelly’s the one who blindsided them by not showing up for work,' says one source.

'The feeling is that how she’s acting is deeply selfish.'

The source went on to say; 'Staff are upset that she’s not there. They are pulling a double shift today while she’s left them in the lurch after her tantrum.'

The program tapes the live show and a second show to air on Friday morning each Thursday.

Filling in for Ripa, 41, for both tapings was another popular ABC personality - Dancing With the Stars host Erin Andrews.

Ripa meanwhile was spotted for the first time since getting the bad news earlier this week on Thursday morning, emerging from her townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side with a large smile plastered on her face.  

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Spotted: Kelly Ripa was spotted Thursday morning for the first time since being blindsided by the news that Michael Strahan was leaving their show

No drama here: The popular talk show host was seen smiling as she left her townhouse in Manhattan's Upper East Side and got into a waiting town car around 8am

Reading material: Ripa was also carrying the Malcolm Gladwell book David and Goliath, which is about 'underdogs, misfits and the art of battling giants'

Stepping in: Erin Andrews, the popular host of ABC's Dancing With the Stars, filled in for Ripa on Thursday (Andrews above with Strahan)

Break: ABC has revealed that Ripa will not host the next three episodes of Live With Kelly and Michael

Grin and bear it: Ripa stayed holed up in her $27million townhouse on Wednesday after calling out of work in the wake of Strahan's big announcement

Ripa also brought along a copy of Malcolm Gladwell's book David and Goliath when she left the house on Thursday, which examines the probability of improbable events.

The book draws its title from the biblical battle in which David manages to slay the giant Goliath despite being much smaller and weaker than his powerful adversary. David then goes on to become the king of Israel.

The subhead on the cover reads; 'Underdogs, misfits and the art of battling giants.'

Ripa stayed holed up in her $27million townhouse on Wednesday after calling out of work in the wake of Strahan's big announcement, and ABC confirmed that she would not be appearing on the program at all this week. 

Andrews, 37, had no trouble filling in for Ripa Thursday, and proved once again to have a natural chemistry with Strahan, 44, during the hour.

The two chatted about Queen Elizabeth's upcoming birthday, the best birthday presents to get for friends, the film Mean Girls and Andrews' gal pal Chrissy Teigen, who recently became a mother.

Not discussed by Andrews and Strahan during the show was Ripa.

Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell will be in for Ripa on Monday.

Subtle: The book draws its title from the biblical battle in which the underdog David slays Goliath 

Strahan also stopped by Good Morning America Thursday in his first appearance since it was revealed he would be joining the team full-time later this year.

He has been appearing on the show two days a week for the past two years.  

The former football star was congratulated on his new gig by GMA hosts Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos during the show, while Lara Spencer stayed silent and smiled and clapped as Roberts gushed about how excited she was to have Strahan joining the team in a much larger capacity.

Strahan thanked the group and then asked the the three if they had any tips to help him prepare for waking up in the pre-dawn hours every day of the week for work.

'Just get over it, you're going to be tired,' said Spencer.

'Just own it, love it. It's part of life.' 

Strahan laughed as he said he would prepare to 'embrace' being tired all the time. 

He then told the group; 'It's like my second family here.'

From there he once again took some time to thank his co-host, much like he did on Live With Kelly and Michael Wednesday morning, saying; 'And I am going to miss my family at Live, and I am going to miss sitting next to Kelly every day and having a lot of fun on the show.'

Strahan added that he was incredibly grateful to Ripa and Live producer Michael Gellman for 'boosting' him up and preparing him for his new role at the network. 

Multiple sources told DailyMail.com that Ripa was blindsided by the decision to move Strahan off Live, adding that the company thinks the success of Good Morning America is more important than Live, and had grown concerned as GMA has become increasingly threatened by NBC's Today in recent months.

ABC's parent company, Disney, is also facing internal turmoil over who will succeed Bob Iger at the helm of the entertainment giant.

A source close to Ripa said: 'Kelly isn't making any demands. She is very hurt that Disney hasn't even spoken to her yet so they are assuming that she isn't coming back.'

The source added: 'She wants to wait and see what happens. She'd also like someone to do the right thing and speak to her face to face rather than plot and plan behind her back.' 

The New York Times on Thursday revealed what happened when Strahan broke the news to Ripa, producer Michael Gellman and  WABC general manager Dave Davis earlier this week.

The group was informed of the meeting at the last second on Tuesday and waited 20 minutes for Strahan to arrive.

Ripa said to Davis after Strahan told them he would be leaving; 'Didn’t I tell you this was going to happen? I told you two years ago this was going to happen.'

She then informed executives that she would not be at work on Wednesday.

Making matters worse, the star, executive producer and manager of the show were told just minutes before the first reports emerged online about Strahan's GMA move.

Saturday Night Live alum Ana Gasteyer filled in for Ripa on Wednesday sitting beside Strahan while he talked about his decision to leave and confirmed he would be making the move in September.

'It is the same channel. I am not going anywhere,' said Strahan.

'I was reading some stuff and it was like I had died. It's not a eulogy people.'

He then thanked the viewers and members of the live studio audience who have watched him on the show for the past four years as well as the staff of the show. 

Strahan made no mention of Ripa in his remarks, but later spoke about his co-host at the end of the program.

'I really want to thank, of course, Kelly Ripa,' said Strahan.

'Kelly welcomed me here and I've learned so much from her and she's just been an amazing influence on me and this has truly changed my life to be here with her.

'And I know that the show will continue to be strong and great because of Kelly and Michael Gellman and the staff here because everybody here is so talented. This show has not been around for over 30 years by mistake.'

He closed by saying: 'Kelly, I thank you. I love you ... and I'm not going to cry on TV mama, I promise you.'

An executive at ABC told DailyMail.com that after  the show Strahan spent time with the entire crew so he could thank them for all they have done for him and his career during the four years he has been on the show.

Support system: Mark Consuelos was also seen leaving the home on Wednesday with Ripa

Locking up: The earliest Ripa might return to Live With Kelly and Michael is next week

Still furious: Multiple sources told DailyMail.com that Ripa was blindsided by the decision to move Strahan off Live

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Heading off: Ripa's children Lola Consuelos and Michael Consuelos were also seen leaving the house

Leaving the city: Ripa and her family were not seen carrying any large bags as they left the home Thursday

Getaway: Ripa did not speak to anyone outside her home and got right into her car

Another person who is apparently not so thrilled about Strahan's new role is Spencer.

ABC sources told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that Spencer, 46, had been effectively promised the main anchor role on the ABC flagship, but that position may now be in jeopardy. 

'Alongside becoming a co-anchor Michael has basically been promised the 8am hour yet this was Lara's hour where she could do the softer celebrity segments that George and Robin don't want to do,' one source said. 

'These will now go to Michael. We're all asking, what's left for Lara - baking and yard sale reporting - puh-lease, as if she wants that?'

And another source said: 'What is most concerning is what this means for Lara.

'She is a team player here at GMA, she always brings her A-Game every day and she genuinely enjoys working on the show.

'When she signed her last contract, she was promised that she would one day be the main anchor. Michael's promotion effectively throws this out the window and she is beyond furious.

Another source echoed this, saying; 'Lara is furious and the fact that she hasn't congratulated Michael publicly says it all.

'On this morning's show she just clapped and smiled when Robin and George discussed the news and she hasn't even mentioned it on her social media accounts unlike her other colleagues.'

They added: 'This was done with no plan and people here at ABC are taking notice.'

Sources close to network bosses however pushed back, saying that Spencer was not upset. 

Spencer also posted a photo of herself and Strahan to her Instagram account on Thursday morning, writing; 'Not a bad way to start the day' 

Smiling: Michael Strahan appeared on Good Morning America today for the first time since it was revealed he would be joining the team

Happier times: Ripa and Strahan in Hollywood last october when she received her star on the Walk of Fame

Best of friends: Spencer posted a photo of herself and Strahan to her Instagram account on Thursday morning, writing; 'Not a bad way to start the day'

Strahan also seems to be feeling the stress of the situation as well at a time when most would be celebrating, deciding to pull out of his role as host of the Can-Do Awards Dinner benefiting the New York City Food Bank alongside chef Mario Bata on Wednesday night.

He did sent in a taped message that played during the event. 

And even Oprah Winfrey weighed in on the news this week, showing some support for Ripa after learning of the situation.

The former Queen of Daytime spoke to Entertainment Tonight at an event for her new OWN series Greenleaf, and responded to the news that Ripa was kept in the dark about Strahan's move by saying; 'Nobody should ever be blindsided. I don't know who's in charge, but somebody should've said, "This is gonna happen."

'You shouldn't have to read it in the paper. Ever.'