A bit 'lazy' way to do this is to use startswith
- it is easier to understand this rather regexps. However regexps might work faster, I haven't measured.
>>> papa = "papa is a good man"
>>> app = "app is important"
>>> strip_word = 'papa'
>>> papa[len(strip_word):] if papa.startswith(strip_word) else papa
' is a good man'
>>> app[len(strip_word):] if app.startswith(strip_word) else app
'app is important'