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Kathryn Lee Gifford (née Epstein; born August 16, 1953)[1] is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress, and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and Regis Philbin hosted the talk show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford is also known for her 11-year run with Hoda Kotb, on the fourth hour of NBC's Today show (2008–2019). She has received 11 Daytime Emmy nominations and won her first Daytime Emmy in 2010 as part of the Today team.

Key Information

Gifford's first television role was as Tom Kennedy's singer/sidekick on the syndicated version of Name That Tune in the 1977–1978 season. She also occasionally appeared on the first three hours of Today and was a contributing NBC News correspondent.

Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson, a composer, arranger, producer and publisher of Christian music, in 1976, and they divorced in 1982. She married sportscaster and former NFL player Frank Gifford in 1986. Kathie Lee has released studio music albums and several books, her music and writings feature spiritual and uplifting themes.

Early life and beginnings

[edit]

Gifford was born Kathryn Lee Epstein in Paris, France, to American parents, Joan (born Cuttell; January 20, 1930 – September 12, 2017), a singer, and Aaron Epstein (March 19, 1924 – November 19, 2002), a musician and former US Navy Chief Petty Officer. Aaron Epstein was stationed with his family in France at the time of Gifford's birth.[2] Gifford grew up in Bowie, Maryland, and attended Bowie High School.[3]

Gifford's paternal grandfather was a Russian Jew from Saint Petersburg and her paternal grandmother had Native American ancestry. Her mother, a relative of writer Rudyard Kipling, was of French Canadian, German and English descent.[4][5]

After seeing the Billy Graham-produced film The Restless Ones at age 12, Gifford became a born-again Christian. She told interviewer Larry King, "I was raised with many Jewish traditions and raised to be very grateful for my Jewish heritage."[6]

During high school, Gifford was a singer in a folk group, "Pennsylvania Next Right", which performed frequently at school assemblies. After high school graduation in 1971, Gifford attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, studying drama and music. During a summer in the early 1970s, she was a live-in secretary/babysitter for Anita Bryant at her home in Miami. Her first regular appearances on national TV were as a singer on the game show Name That Tune, hosted by Tom Kennedy in the late 1970s, in which she would sing small portions of songs that contestants would have to identify.

Career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

Gifford's career took off in 1978 when she joined the cast of the short-lived Hee Haw spinoff, Hee Haw Honeys. She was also a correspondent and substitute anchor on ABC's Good Morning America in the early 1980s.

Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee

[edit]

On June 24, 1985, Gifford replaced Ann Abernathy as co-host of The Morning Show on WABC-TV with Regis Philbin. The program went into national broadcast in 1988 as Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, and Gifford became well known across the country. Throughout the 1990s, morning-TV viewers watched her descriptions of life at home with her sportscaster husband Frank, son Cody, and daughter Cassidy.

In 1990, when TV Guide held a poll for readers to select the most beautiful woman on television, Live! presented a week-long mock campaign to garner votes for Gifford.[7] Gifford wound up winning the poll,[8][9] receiving more than four times as many votes as the runners-up, Jaclyn Smith and Nicollette Sheridan.[7]

Philbin and Gifford were jointly nominated eight years in a row (1993 to 2000) for Outstanding Talk Show Host during the Daytime Emmy Awards.[10] Gifford decided to leave the show in 2000. She explained that filling in for Carol Burnett on Broadway and guest-hosting Late Show with David Letterman had inspired her to pursue more challenging work. The day after she hosted Late Show on February 24, 2000, she told Regis she had decided to leave Live!. Her last episode aired on July 28, 2000.[11]

Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda

[edit]

On March 31, 2008, NBC announced that Gifford was to join its morning show, Today, as co-host of the fourth hour titled Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda, alongside Hoda Kotb. This marked her return to morning television; in many markets, she aired directly after her old show, currently called Live with Kelly and Mark. Because the fourth hour of Today airs live at 10:00 am ET, and Live with Kelly and Ryan airs live at 9:00 am ET, Gifford's hour did not compete directly with her former show in most markets.[12] Kotb and Gifford replaced Ann Curry and Natalie Morales. In the weeks prior to Gifford's arrival, ratings indicated 1.9 million viewers of the fourth hour of Today.[13] As of 2014, the fourth hour of Today with Gifford and Kotb averaged 2.15 million total viewers, an increase of 13 percent over the 2008 ratings.[14][15] On December 11, 2018, it was announced that she would be leaving Today in April 2019. Her final Today Show appearance was on April 5, 2019, with a party, including a video by her children Cody and Cassidy Gifford.[16] In 2019, they won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host.

Other media appearances and projects

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Gifford has made guest appearances in films and television series, and has several independently released albums on CD, including 2000's The Heart of a Woman, featuring the single "Love Never Fails".[17][18]

She appeared as a spokesperson for Slim Fast diet shakes after her son Cody was born. She also was the face of Carnival Cruise Lines in the late 1980s and early 1990s, singing "If my friends could see me now!" In 1991 she christened the Carnival Ecstasy, the 2nd of the Fantasy Class of cruise ships. In 1994, she appeared as herself in an episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld.

She did a number of voice overs most notably as Echidna in the 1998 TV series Hercules and in Higglytown Heroes as the Mail Carrier Hero in 2004.

In September 2005 she became a special correspondent on The Insider, a syndicated entertainment magazine television show, ending her relationship with that program upon her co-hosting role with Today.[19]

She played the role of Miss Hannigan in a concert performance of Annie at Madison Square Garden in December 2006.[20]

On an episode that aired March 27, 2010, she guest starred on The Suite Life on Deck, along with her real-life daughter, Cassidy.

She appeared as herself in the 2015 television film Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!.

She has written numerous autobiographical books, Just When I Thought I'd Dropped my Last Egg: Life and Other Calamities in 2010, The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi in March 2018, and It’s Never Too Late: Make the Next Act of Your Life the Best Act of Your Life in 2020. Her book regarding the Christian faith, The Jesus I Know: Honest Conversations and Diverse Opinions about Who He Is was released in 2021. She has also written a number of children's books.

Current career

[edit]

Gifford left Today in order to pursue a movie career as an actress, director, and producer. In 2018, she filmed Then Came You in which she co-stars with Craig Ferguson. That same year, she also filmed a Hallmark Christmas movie for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries called A Godwink Christmas. Gifford intends to make movies about the experiences of losing a loved one and being a widow, which she considers an underrepresented topic in Hollywood.[21] Gifford has several projects in the works including sequels to Then Came You.

On April 28, 2021, Gifford was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to the television industry. Her star is located at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard, only five stars away from that of her former co-host Regis Philbin.[22]

Musical theatre

[edit]

In the late 1990s, Gifford began working in musical theatre. She contributed a number of musical numbers to Hats, and wrote and produced Under The Bridge,[23] based upon the children's book The Family Under The Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson. In 2000 she released the album The Heart of a Woman on Universal.

Gifford wrote the book and lyrics for Saving Aimee, a stage musical about evangelist Aimee McPherson, which premiered in 2007 at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia.[24][25] The premiere starred actress Carolee Carmello in the lead role.[26] The show, retitled as Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson, ran on Broadway from November 15, 2012, through December 9, 2012,[27] with Carmello reprising her role as McPherson. On April 30, 2013, Carmello received her third Tony Award nomination for the performance.[28]

On April 16, 2007, Gifford was a guest presenter at the Washington, D.C. Helen Hayes Award Ceremony, honoring contributions and professional accomplishments in theatre.[29]

In 2008, Gifford and David Friedman wrote a junior high school musical entitled Key Pin It Real.[30] The play depicts a coming-of-age story about a young girl named Key Pin. The first production took place in December 2008 in Kendallville, Indiana, at East Noble High School.[31]

In 2011, Gifford was working on a musical adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life with John McDaniel; McDaniel is composing music while Gifford is writing lyrics.[32]

Other endeavors

[edit]

Charity

[edit]

Gifford is a celebrity ambassador for the non-profit organization Childhelp. She regularly makes appearances at fund raisers and events for the child abuse prevention and treatment organization and is an ardent supporter.[33]

Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford raised the money to build and continued to financially support two shelters in New York City for babies born with HIV, or a congenital crack cocaine addiction. These shelters were named in honor of her children, Cody and Cassidy.[34]

Labor rights activity

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In 1996 Gifford was earning $9 million annually licensing her name to a brand of clothing sold at Walmart. Part of the proceeds went to charity. Charles Kernaghan's human rights group called the National Labor Committee reported that sweatshop labor was being used in manufacturing the Kathie Lee Gifford branded clothing.[35][36]

Gifford called Kernaghan's report "a vicious attack" on an episode of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford explained during this broadcast that she was not responsible for the contract manufacturers that made her products.[35][37]

Kernaghan in his congressional testimony of April 1996, said that to make Gifford's clothing, girls as young as 15 worked for 31 cents an hour, 75 hours a week.[35] Kernaghan reported that a worker in Honduras smuggled a piece of clothing out of the factory, which had a Kathie Lee label on it.[38] One of the workers, Wendy Diaz, came to the United States to testify about the conditions under which she worked. She commented, "I wish I could talk to [Kathie Lee]. If she's good, she will help us."[39]

Gifford later contacted federal authorities to investigate the issue and worked with US federal legislative and executive branch agencies to support and enact laws to protect children against sweatshop conditions. She appeared with President Bill Clinton at the White House in support of the government's initiatives to counter international sweatshop abuses.[40]

Personal life

[edit]
Kathie Lee and Frank Gifford in 1996

Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson, a composer/arranger/producer/publisher, in 1976. They gained fame in Christian music, appearing on covers of Christian magazines. The marriage was strained from the start and in 1981, Johnson moved out of their residence in Woodland Hills, California. The couple divorced in 1982.[41]

On October 18, 1986, Kathie Lee married a second time, this time to Frank Gifford, an American football player and television sports commentator. It was his third marriage after marriages with Maxine Avis Ewart and Astrid Lindley. With Ewart he had three children.

Kathie Lee was 23 years younger than Frank Gifford. They had two children together, Cody Newton Gifford (born March 22, 1990) and Cassidy Erin Gifford (born August 2, 1993). They also shared the same birthday of August 16.

Frank Gifford's Affair In 1997, Frank Gifford, a former NFL player and sports broadcaster, was involved in a highly publicized affair with Suzen Johnson, a former flight attendant. This affair was orchestrated by a tabloid, The Globe, which hired Johnson to seduce Gifford and record their encounter.

Details of the Affair Setup: Johnson was paid between $75,000 and $125,000 to lure Gifford to a hotel room where hidden recording equipment was installed. Execution: After two failed attempts, Johnson successfully tricked Gifford into the room on April 30 and May 1, 1997. Publication: The story of the affair was published by The Globe shortly after the encounter. Impact on Gifford's Marriage Kathie Lee Gifford's Reaction: At the time, Kathie Lee Gifford, Frank's wife, was co-hosting a popular television show. The affair caused significant emotional turmoil for her, as they had two young children. Forgiveness: Despite the pain, Kathie Lee chose to forgive Frank, emphasizing the importance of not allowing resentment to fester. She believed that their children would be affected if they separated. Aftermath Public Response: The affair and its exposure raised discussions about ethics in journalism, particularly regarding entrapment. Johnson's Career: Following the scandal, Johnson appeared on the cover of Playboy and later ran a website discussing her experiences. Frank Gifford and Kathie Lee remained married until his death in 2015, navigating the challenges posed by the affair throughout their relationship.

Frank Gifford died on August 9, 2015, from natural causes at their Greenwich, Connecticut, home at the age of 84.[42][43]

In 2017, Kathie Lee Gifford released the song "He Saw Jesus", co-written with songwriter Brett James, which she dedicated to her late husband. All proceeds from the song went to the international evangelical Christian humanitarian aid charity Samaritan's Purse.

Discography

[edit]

(as Kathie Lee Gifford on all albums except where indicated)

  • 1978: Finders Keepers (as Kathie Lee Johnson)
  • 1993: It's Christmas Time
  • 1993: Christmas Carols
  • 1993: Sentimental
  • 1993: Christmas With Kathie Lee Gifford (double album)
  • 1995: Dreamship: Lullabies for Little Ones
  • 1995: Kathie Lee's Rock 'N' Tots Cafe: A Christmas "Giff"
  • 2000: Heart of a Woman (as Kathie Lee)
  • 2000: Born For You (as Kathie Lee)
  • 2001: Goodnight, Angel (as Kathie Lee)
  • 2004: Gentle Grace
  • 2009: Everyone Has a Story (as Kathie Lee Gifford & Friends)
  • 2009: My Way Home
  • 2010: Super Hits
  • 2013: Scandalous, The Musical (lyrics by)
  • 2017: The Little Giant
  • 2020: Then Came You (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with Brett James & Sal Oliveri)

Filmography

[edit]

Films

[edit]
Year Title Role(s) Notes
1996 The First Wives Club Herself Cameo appearance
1999 Hercules: Zero to Hero Echidna (voice) Voice role
Dudley Do-Right Herself Cameo appearance
2011 Adventures of Serial Buddies Herself
2020 Then Came You Annabelle Wilson Also screenwriter
2022 Jennifer Lopez: Halftime Herself Documentary

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role(s) Notes
1975 Days of Our Lives Nurse Callihan Episode dated October 17, 1975
1985-2000 Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee Herself / Co-host
1991 All My Children Herself Episode dated November 11, 1991
1993–2002 Late Show with David Letterman Herself / Announcer
1994 Evening Shade Stephanie Rodgers Episode: "Mama Knows Best"
Seinfeld Herself Episode: "The Opposite"
1995 Coach Herself Episode: "The Day I Met Frank Gifford"
The Cosby Mysteries Herself Episode: "Big Brother is Watching"
Women of the House Herself Episode: "Dear Diary"
1996, 2000 Touched by an Angel Wendy / Jolene 2 episodes
1996–2002 The Rosie O'Donnell Show Herself / Guest host 12 episodes
1997 Second Noah Herself Episode: "Diving In"
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Jill (voice) Episode: "Mother Goose"
Spin City Herself Episode: "Radio Daze"
The Tom Show Herself Episode: "It's Jan!"
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show Herself Episode: "Honey, I Know What You're Thinking"
1998 Diagnosis: Murder Mary Montgomery Episode: "Talked to Death"
The Simpsons Herself Episode: "Treehouse of Horror IX"
Soul Man Herself Episode: "Grabbed by an Angel"
Style & Substance Herself Episode: "A Recipe of Disaster"
Hercules Echidna (voice) 4 episodes
Lateline Herself Episode: "Pearce on Conan"
1999 Hey Arnold! Jackie Lee (voice) Episode: "Deconstructing Arnold"
The Famous Jett Jackson Herself Episode: "New York"
2000 Model Behavior Deirdre Adams Television film
2000–2004 Hollywood Squares Herself / Panelist 15 episodes
2001 The Amanda Show Princess Whiff Episode: "Episode 29"
Spinning Out of Control Amanda Berkeley Television film
Just Shoot Me! Allison Spencer Episode: "Sugar Momma"
The Drew Carey Show Vanessa Bobeck Episode: "Christening"
2003 Star Search Herself / Guest judge Episode dated March 5, 2003
2004 Hope & Faith Marge Episode: "The Diner Show"
2004–2005 Higglytown Heroes Mail Carrier (voice) 2 episodes
2004–2019 Today Herself / Co-host
2005 That's So Raven Claire Episode: "Dog Day After-Groom"
2005–2014 The View Herself / Guest host 7 episodes
2006 Handy Manny Mrs. Hillary (voice) Episode: "Not So Fast Food/Merry-Go-Around"
2009 The City Herself Episode: "Everything On the Line"
Lipstick Jungle Herself Episode: "La Vie en Pose"
2010 30 Rock Herself Episode: "Floyd"
The Suite Life on Deck Cindy Episode: "Model Behavior"
2011 Keeping Up with the Kardashians Herself Episode: "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: Part 2"
Hot in Cleveland Christal Episode: "Elka's Choice"
2013 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Herself / Contestant Episode dated May 10, 2013
Smash Herself Episode: "The Producers"
2014 The Michael J. Fox Show Herself Episode: "Changes"
2014–2017 Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce Herself 3 episodes
2015 The Mysteries of Laura Dr. Carlin Episode: "The Mystery of the Sunken Sailor"
Donny! Herself 2 episodes
Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! Herself Television film
Difficult People Herself Episode: "Premium Membership"
2016 Younger Herself Episode: "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss"
2017 Nashville Herself Episode: "Hurricane"
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming Herself Television film
2018 A Godwink Christmas Aunt Jane Television film
2019 The Other Two Herself Episode: "Pilot"
A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love Olga Television film
The Baxters Lillian Ashford 3 episodes

Written works

[edit]

Biographical

  • 1976: (as Kathie Epstein) The Quiet Riot
  • 1992: I Can't Believe I Said That!: An Autobiography by Kathie Lee Gifford
  • 1995: Listen to My Heart: Lessons in Love, Laughter, and Lunacy
  • 2010: Just When I Thought I'd Dropped My Last Egg: Life and Other Calamities
  • 2014: Good Gifts: One Year in the Heart of a Home
  • 2018: The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi
  • 2020: It’s Never Too Late: Make the Next Act of Your Life the Best Act of Your Life

Cooking

  • 1993: (with Regis Philbin) Cooking With Regis & Kathie Lee: Quick & Easy Recipes From America's Favorite TV Personalities
  • 1994: (with Regis Philbin) Entertaining With Regis & Kathie Lee: Year-Round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips, and Party Ideas

Christian faith

  • 2004: Gentle Grace: Reflections & Scriptures on God’s Gentle Grace
  • 2021: The Jesus I Know: Honest Conversations and Diverse Opinions about Who He Is
  • 2022: (with Rabbi Jason Sobel) The God of the Way: A Journey into the Stories, People, and Faith That Changed the World Forever

Children's books

  • 1997: Christmas with Kathie Lee: A Treasury of Holiday Stories, Songs, Poems, and Activities for Little Ones
  • 2010: Party Animals
  • 2011: The Three Gifts: A Story About Three Angels and the baby Jesus (co-written with Michael Storrings)
  • 2011: The Legend of Messy M'Cheany
  • 2018: The Gift That I Can Give
  • 2020: Hello, Little Dreamer[44]
[edit]

A fictionalized version of Kathie Lee Gifford appears in the South Park episode "Weight Gain 4000", voiced by Karri Turner.[45] Gifford later re-appears in the episodes "City on the Edge of Forever", "The Return of Chef", "200" and "201".[46]

See also

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Kathie Lee Gifford

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from Grokipedia
Kathryn Lee Gifford (née Epstein; born August 16, 1953) is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress, and author whose career spans over five decades in entertainment and media. Gifford first gained national prominence as co-host of the morning talk show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee from 1985 to 2000, a program that achieved high ratings through its mix of celebrity interviews, audience interaction, and her effervescent on-air style alongside Regis Philbin. She later joined NBC's Today show in various roles starting in the 1980s, culminating in co-hosting the fourth hour with Hoda Kotb from 2008 to 2019, during which the segment earned four Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding entertainment talk show host. Parallel to her broadcasting success, Gifford has written and produced Broadway musicals, including Scandalous (2012), for which she received a Tony Award nomination for best book of a musical, and has released albums and authored books often centered on her evangelical Christian beliefs and personal experiences. A defining controversy arose in the mid-1990s when investigations revealed that factories producing her Wal-Mart clothing line employed underage and sweatshop labor, prompting Gifford to conduct on-site audits, sever ties with offending suppliers, and advocate for industry-wide monitoring protocols that influenced broader corporate social responsibility practices. In recent years, following her departure from Today and relocation to Nashville, Gifford has focused on faith-based projects, songwriting, and family, including appearances on Christian networks and celebrations of her grandchildren's milestones.

Early Life

Family Background and Childhood

Kathryn Lee , later known as Kathie Lee Gifford, was born on August 16, 1953, in , France, to American parents stationed abroad due to her father's military service. Her father, Aaron Leon Epstein, served as a U.S. officer and played in a ensemble, while her mother, Joan Epstein (née Cuttell, 1930–2017), worked as a secretary and pursued singing. The family included two other children, brother and sister Michelle. Gifford's early years involved frequent relocations across and other European countries tied to her father's naval assignments, exposing her to diverse environments from infancy. Upon returning to the , the family settled in , where she spent much of her childhood and attended Bowie High School. Her paternal grandfather had immigrated from , , contributing Jewish heritage to the family, though her mother's Methodist background shaped a mixed cultural environment; Gifford later converted to born-again as a teenager. During her childhood, Gifford developed an early interest in performance, participating in school activities that foreshadowed her entertainment career, amid a household influenced by her parents' musical inclinations. Her father passed away in 2002, reflecting on his service and later insurance work.

Initial Steps in Entertainment

Gifford's entry into entertainment began in her late teens following her victory in the Maryland Junior Miss pageant in 1970, which provided exposure and led to initial opportunities as a Christian entertainer in Key Biscayne, Florida, where she met singer Anita Bryant. In 1972, at age 19, she joined Oral Roberts' World Action Singers, performing on his television program and traveling for revival meetings, while leaving Oral Roberts University during her junior year to pursue these gigs. This early work in religious media marked her first sustained television exposure, including appearances on shows like The 700 Club, and she released three gospel albums between 1976 and 1978 amid her marriage to Paul Johnson that year. Transitioning to secular entertainment in the mid-1970s, Gifford recorded commercial jingles and pursued acting roles, securing a part as Nurse Callahan on the Days of Our Lives for nine months around 1976–1977 after visiting the set through a friend. Her first prominent role came in 1977–1978 as the featured singer on the syndicated , hosted by Tom Kennedy, where she substituted "la-la's" for lyrics to aid contestants. This stint, which generated further bookings, overlapped with her involvement in TV pilots and opening acts for comedians at casinos in Reno and . In 1978, Gifford joined the cast of Hee Haw Honeys, a short-lived spinoff of the variety show , playing Kathie Honey in the Nashville-produced sitcom that aired for one season and featured musical performances at a fictional . These roles, combining singing, acting, and variety elements, built her resume in , paving the way for substitute hosting on local programs like A.M. Los Angeles in 1981 and correspondent work on . Despite the modest scale of these early endeavors, they demonstrated her versatility as a performer and led to national syndication opportunities.

Television Career

Breakthrough on Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee

Kathie Lee Gifford assumed the role of co-host on WABC-TV's The Morning Show alongside on June 24, 1985, succeeding Ann Abernathy as the female lead. Her addition injected fresh energy into the local New York program, which had previously languished in low ratings, through her spontaneous style, frequent singing interludes, and candid personal anecdotes that complemented Philbin's established rapport with viewers. The show's format emphasized unscripted banter, interviews, and segments, fostering a familial on-air dynamic that resonated with audiences. This partnership marked Gifford's professional ascent from prior roles in and game shows, positioning her as a household name in syndicated television. By , following three years of local buildup, the program launched in national syndication as Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee on , rapidly gaining traction as a top-rated . Viewership surged post-syndication, with the duo credited for driving consistent high ratings through their authentic chemistry and accessible content. For instance, in early 1998, the New York affiliate recorded an 8.0 household rating and 30 share during a key , reflecting a 31% increase from prior months amid competitive media cycles. The program's success spanned 15 years, culminating in Gifford's departure on July 28, 2000, after which it continued under varying co-host configurations. During this era, Gifford earned multiple Emmy nominations for her hosting contributions, underscoring the show's elevated status in daytime programming.

Hosting Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda

In April 2008, Kathie Lee Gifford joined as co-host of the fourth hour of NBC's Today show, a and entertainment-focused segment that aired weekdays at 10 a.m. ET. The pairing emphasized candid conversations, humor, and personal anecdotes, often delving into topics like relationships, pop culture, and daily news with a lighthearted, unscripted tone that contrasted with the show's earlier hours. The format featured recurring elements such as wine tastings—frequently referencing Gifford's interest in the beverage—guest interviews, and spontaneous discussions that sometimes pushed boundaries for morning television, including chats on grooming habits and styles. These segments built a between the hosts, described by Gifford and Kotb as rooted in mutual and shared , contributing to the hour's popularity among viewers seeking relatable, entertaining content. Over 11 years, the duo received critical recognition, including the 2019 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Host, awarded just before Gifford's departure; Gifford accepted the honor on their behalf. The show's informal style was credited with fostering a strong on-air chemistry, though it occasionally drew attention for its frankness. Gifford announced her exit in December 2018, with her final episode airing on April 5, 2019; she cited a desire to relocate to , to be closer to family and pursue creative projects, influenced by the 2015 death of her husband, . She emphasized that the decision was not driven by dissatisfaction with the program but by a need to prioritize personal fulfillment and spend more time with her children and grandchildren. Kotb continued hosting the fourth hour, later joined by .

Post-Today Television and Guest Appearances

Following her departure from the fourth hour of NBC's Today on April 5, 2019, Kathie Lee Gifford did not pursue a regular hosting role on major broadcast networks, instead making sporadic guest appearances focused on personal updates, reunions, and faith-based discussions. Her returns to Today included a November 12, 2019, segment where she discussed her relocation to Nashville and ongoing projects with and . She revisited the set on March 26, 2024, for a reunion with Kotb, reflecting on her post-Today life. Gifford made a surprise in-person appearance on January 10, 2025, during Kotb's final Today with Hoda & Jenna episode, sharing anecdotes from their partnership and quoting scripture. Gifford frequently guested on Christian television outlets, aligning with her emphasis on spiritual topics. On Trinity Broadcasting Network's Praise, she appeared in October 2022 alongside Jason Sobel to discuss biblical themes, and continued with multiple episodes in 2023, 2024, and 2025, including testimonies on personal healing, overcoming depression, and divine visitations. These segments often featured her sharing experiences of amid health challenges, such as a fractured in 2024. She also served as a guest on LIFE Today, a program produced by LIFE Outreach International, where she discussed her career and inspirational outlook. These appearances reflect Gifford's shift toward selective engagements rather than daily television, prioritizing content centered on her Christian beliefs and life reflections over mainstream talk formats. No new syndicated or network series emerged from her post-Today efforts.

Other Professional Endeavors

Music and Songwriting Career

Kathie Lee Gifford began her music career in the 1970s as a singer and sidekick on the syndicated game show , where she performed during the 1977–1978 season alongside host Tom Kennedy. She also appeared as a vocalist on the variety series Honeys in 1978 and performed in nightclub acts throughout the decade, often under her then-married name Kathie Lee Johnson. These early endeavors established her as a pop and folk-influenced performer, drawing from her high school experience in the folk group Next Right and studies in drama and music at . Gifford released her debut solo album, , in 2000, featuring inspirational pop tracks including the lead single "Love Never Fails," which she co-wrote and which later received covers peaking at No. 2 in and No. 15 in in translated versions by . Subsequent releases included a children's album, My Way Home in 2009, Kathie Lee Gifford Presents: The Little Giant in 2017, the soundtrack for the 2020 film Then Came You (which she co-starred in), and The Way in 2022, often emphasizing spiritual and uplifting themes through her own . Her discography also encompasses , reflecting a blend of pop, , and family-oriented content. In songwriting, Gifford collaborated with Grammy-winning composer Brett James on tracks like "He Saw Jesus" (2017), inspired by her husband Frank Gifford's death, and "Whiskey and Wine" for the Then Came You soundtrack. She co-wrote "The God Who Sees" with Nicole C. Mullen, adapting it into a short film with biblical themes. Her Broadway debut as a lyricist came with Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson in 2012, for which she provided the book, lyrics, and additional music (composed primarily by David Pomeranz and David Friedman); the production ran for 29 performances after 31 previews. In 2019, the Nashville Pops Orchestra awarded her a lifetime achievement honor for her contributions to songwriting and performance.

Musical Theater Involvement

Kathie Lee Gifford made her Broadway debut as a performer in the revue Putting It Together at the , where she appeared from February 21 to August 6, 2000, portraying a character in the concert-style production featuring , , and . Gifford's primary contributions to musical theater came as a , beginning with Saving Aimee, a musical she authored about evangelist , which premiered at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, , in 2005 before regional productions, including at the in on October 21, 2011. This work evolved into Scandalous: The Life and Trials of , for which Gifford wrote the and , with music by and David Friedman; the production opened on Broadway at the on November 15, 2012, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical before closing on December 9, 2012, after 29 performances and 43 previews. The musical dramatized McPherson's rise as a Pentecostal , her media innovations, and scandals including a 1926 kidnapping allegation, drawing mixed critical reception for its earnest portrayal but conventional staging.

Acting and Film Roles

Gifford's acting career includes supporting roles in television films and series, as well as lead performances in independent features. Her screen debut came in the 1997 Disney animated series Hercules, where she voiced the mythological creature Echidna in episodes of Hercules: The Animated Series and the film Hercules: Zero to Hero. In the 2000 Disney Channel original movie , Gifford played Deirdre Adams, the overbearing mother of a character, alongside her son Cody Gifford and future stars like . The family comedy, directed by , centered on a high school girl swapping lives with a model and aired on June 12, 2000. She made guest appearances in live-action series, including the role of Vanessa Bobeck on in a 2001 episode. Gifford portrayed Marge in an episode of in 2004. From 2004 to 2005, she voiced the Mail Carrier Hero in multiple episodes of the Playhouse Disney animated series . On film, Gifford had cameo appearances as herself in (1996) and (1999). Her most prominent screen lead was in the 2020 comedy-drama Then Came You, where she starred as Annabelle Wilson, a widowed embarking on a European bucket-list trip with her late husband's ashes, scattering them at romantic locales. Gifford also wrote the screenplay, co-composed the score with , and produced the film, which premiered on September 25, 2020, and featured co-stars and . In television guest spots later in her career, Gifford appeared as Cindy in the 2010 The Suite Life on Deck episode "Model Behavior." She played a fictionalized version of herself, Kathy Lee Gifford, in the 2015 Syfy film Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!. In 2022, she served as narrator for the faith-based film The Way. Gifford's stage acting includes Broadway credits such as performing in Stephen Sondheim's (1998–1999) and originating the role of in the 2012 musical , for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical on May 1, 2012.

Authorship

Non-Fiction and Inspirational Works

Gifford's works often blend personal memoirs with Christian inspirational themes, drawing from her life experiences and faith journey to encourage readers in spiritual growth and resilience. These books emphasize biblical principles, personal anecdotes, and reflections on overcoming adversity through reliance on , reflecting her evangelical perspective without dogmatic assertion. In The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began, published on , 2018, and co-authored with Jason Sobel, Gifford chronicles her travels across to biblical sites, integrating historical context, Hebrew linguistic insights, and messianic prophecies to illuminate events. The book argues that understanding the Jewish roots of enhances appreciation of ' life and teachings, using site-specific examples like the to connect geography with scripture. Sobel's contributions provide on original Hebrew terms, aiming to bridge Jewish and Christian interpretations for a fuller scriptural comprehension. It's Never Too Late: Make the Next Act of Your Life the Best, released on , , serves as a motivational for midlife and older women, recounting Gifford's progression from her childhood, where she sensed a divine calling, through television fame, marital infidelity by her late husband , and the 1996 sweatshop controversy, to her relocation and renewed creative pursuits. It posits that age does not preclude purpose fulfillment, urging readers to heed God's timing amid personal trials, supported by scriptural references and Gifford's testimony of redemption. The narrative highlights her departure from Today in 2019 as a pivot toward deeper expression. The Jesus I Know: Honest Conversations and Diverse Opinions about Who He Is, published on November 30, 2021, compiles Gifford's interviews with figures ranging from celebrities to ordinary individuals on their encounters with , presenting a of views from affirmation to to underscore subjective experiences of his identity. The book avoids prescriptive , instead using dialogues to explore how personal interactions shape perceptions of Christ, drawing from Gifford's own lifelong devotion. It includes discussions on , , and cultural influences on . Earlier works include Gentle Grace: Reflections & Scriptures on God's Gentle Grace (2004), a devotional compiling meditative passages and verses focused on and everyday application. Gifford's autobiographical I Can't Believe I Said That! (1992) offers lighthearted reflections on her early career gaffes and family life, infused with optimistic life lessons. These publications, primarily from Christian publishers like Thomas Nelson, consistently prioritize experiential faith over academic theology.

Historical Fiction and Biblical Narratives

In 2018, Gifford co-authored The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began with Rabbi Jason Sobel, a account blending personal travel experiences in with of biblical events, such as Jesus' ministry and Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in the New Testament landscape. The book emphasizes historical and geographical context from Scripture to illuminate theological themes, drawing on Sobel's Jewish heritage and Gifford's evangelical perspective to connect ancient texts to contemporary faith. This was followed in 2022 by The God of the Way: A Journey into the Stories, People, and Faith That Changed the World Forever, another collaboration with Sobel, which traces patriarchal narratives from Abraham to the apostles through a 40-day devotional structure, incorporating archaeological and historical details to underscore in biblical history. The work relies on primary biblical sources alongside extrabiblical historical records, such as ancient Near Eastern texts, to reconstruct journeys and covenants without speculative invention. Gifford launched a solo narrative nonfiction series on biblical figures in 2024 with Herod and Mary: The True Story of the Tyrant King and the Mother of the Risen Savior, the first in the "Ancient Evil, Living Hope" trilogy, which interweaves the historical rise of —supported by sources like —with Mary's role in the Gospel accounts, examining themes of tyranny, prophecy, and redemption grounded in first-century Judean politics and Scripture. Published on July 16, 2024, the book uses documented events, such as Herod's paranoia-driven massacres and Roman alliances, to contextualize the Nativity without fictional embellishment. The second installment, and Paul, scheduled for release on June 27, 2025, employs a "creative historical style" to parallel the Roman emperor's persecutions with the Apostle Paul's imprisonment and writings, relying on Acts, , and ' annals to depict clashing worldviews of imperial power versus Christian resilience. These works stem from Gifford's post-2019 retirement travels to , which deepened her engagement with biblical , prioritizing scriptural fidelity over dramatized conjecture.

Philanthropy and Advocacy

Charitable Foundations and Causes

Kathie Lee Gifford has supported numerous charitable organizations focused on child welfare, homelessness, and faith-based aid. Through her official charity affiliations, she endorses the New York City Rescue Mission, which provides assistance to the homeless and hungry; , for which she has actively raised funds; the Dream Center, aiding community outreach; and the Association to Benefit Children (ABC), where she contributed to establishing programs for disadvantaged youth. A key initiative involves ABC's Cassidy's Place, a facility offering comprehensive family support services, , and advocacy for abused and neglected children in ; Gifford helped fund and promote its development starting in the early 2000s, naming it after her daughter Cassidy. In a interview, she highlighted her role in founding schools within ABC to deliver joy, warmth, and education to vulnerable children otherwise lacking access. Gifford serves as a celebrity ambassador for , a nonprofit combating through prevention programs like Speak Up Be Safe, which she has publicly introduced and promoted since at least 2011. She has also backed for anti-trafficking efforts and participated in events for and , organizations addressing developmental disabilities and global child aid, respectively. The Gifford Family Foundation, established as a private entity in , primarily allocates grants for general charitable purposes, reflecting ongoing family though specific distributions remain undisclosed in . Gifford's efforts emphasize over broad endorsements, often tying into her Christian faith by prioritizing causes that provide hope and practical support to the marginalized.

Response to Labor Rights Allegations

In May , following allegations by the National Labor Committee that her clothing line was produced in Honduran factories employing children as young as 13 and 14 for up to 20-hour shifts, Gifford publicly denied prior knowledge of the conditions during a televised confrontation with activist Kernaghan, tearfully vowing to conduct independent audits of her suppliers. She subsequently traveled to factories in and to inspect operations firsthand, terminating contracts with non-compliant vendors and implementing stricter oversight protocols. Gifford advocated for federal anti-sweatshop legislation, including support for measures requiring apparel makers to disclose factory locations and adhere to labor standards, while partnering with industry groups like Nike and government entities to develop voluntary codes of conduct for suppliers. These efforts positioned her as an early proponent of in garment , though critics from labor advocacy circles, such as the National Labor Committee, contended the codes lacked enforceable independent monitoring. By September 1999, amid renewed claims of abuses in Salvadoran maquiladoras producing her line—alleging forced overtime and unsafe conditions—Gifford again defended her practices on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, asserting swift investigations into the reports and reiterating her commitment to ethical sourcing, while disputing the extent of violations cited by activists. Independent verifiers, including those hired post-1996, confirmed improvements in some facilities but noted persistent challenges in transparency, prompting Gifford to expand factory inspection programs across her vendors.

Personal Life

Marriages and Family Dynamics

Kathie Lee Gifford's first marriage was to and producer Paul Johnson, whom she met at bible study group in the mid-1970s; they wed on April 23, 1976, when she was 22 and he was 29. The union, which produced no children, deteriorated into what Gifford later described as a "sexless" and "humiliating" relationship marked by emotional distance and , leading to in 1982. Gifford married former NFL player and sportscaster on October 18, 1986, in ; it was her second marriage and his third, with him aged 56 and her 33 at the time. The couple remained together until Frank's death on August 9, 2015, from natural causes related to (CTE) complications, spanning nearly 29 years. They had two children: son Cody Epstein Gifford, born March 22, 1990, and daughter Cassidy Erin Gifford, born August 2, 1993. Family life emphasized faith-driven stability and deliberate parenting to avoid entitlement; Gifford has stated she and Frank were "very careful" in raising Cody and Cassidy, aiming to prevent them from becoming "spoiled brats" amid public scrutiny. A significant strain occurred in 1997 when tabloids exposed Frank's extramarital affair with flight attendant Suzen Johnson, which Gifford characterized as "very painful" and met with initial fury, yet she chose immediate forgiveness rooted in her Christian beliefs to preserve the marriage and family unit. She credited this decision, informed by prior experiences of betrayal in her first marriage, with enabling reconciliation, though the couple "struggled" through the aftermath via counseling and renewed commitment. Frank's prior children from earlier marriages—three sons and a daughter—maintained limited integration with the younger family, as evidenced by his 2015 will allocating the bulk of his estate, exceeding $10 million, primarily to Gifford and their children over earlier heirs.

Religious Conversion and Faith Journey

Kathie Lee Gifford, born Kathryn Lee Epstein on August 16, 1953, was raised in a household with a culturally Jewish father and a culturally Christian mother, where religious observance was nominal and lacked personal commitment. At age 12 in 1965, her family's spiritual trajectory shifted after watching a crusade on television, during which her mother and older sister accepted Christ that same night. Gifford's own conversion occurred shortly thereafter while attending a screening of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's film The Restless Ones in a theater in . During the viewing, she experienced a direct encounter with , hearing an inner voice state, “Kathie, I love you. If you’ll trust me, I’ll make something beautiful out of your life,” prompting her to respond to the altar call and invite into her heart as her personal savior. This born-again experience marked the beginning of her evangelical Christian faith, which she credits with guiding subsequent life decisions, including her entry into entertainment. Her faith journey emphasized a personal relationship with over institutional religion, sustaining her through professional pressures in Hollywood—where she had been a believer for a decade by the time she arrived—and personal trials such as her first husband's abandonment and later her second husband Frank Gifford's amid tabloid scrutiny. Gifford has repeatedly attributed her resilience to Scripture study and divine guidance, stating that without , she "would be in an insane asylum," while prioritizing in-depth engagement over organized religious structures. This commitment extended to her family's broader conversion, with her Jewish father eventually coming to faith through Graham's influence, and has informed her public testimony, including gospel-sharing on national television and authorship of faith-based works.

Relocation to Nashville and Later Years

In 2019, following her departure from NBC's Today show on April 5 after 11 years as co-host of the fourth hour alongside , Kathie Lee Gifford relocated from her longtime home in , to , approximately 20 miles south of Nashville. The move, which she had anticipated by purchasing property in the area prior to her final broadcast, was motivated by personal grief and a desire for renewal; widowed since her husband Frank Gifford's death in 2015 and having lost her mother in 2017, Gifford described her Connecticut residence as feeling "like a mortuary" and admitted to "dying of loneliness" as an empty-nester. Settling into a more rural lifestyle on a property in Franklin, Gifford shifted focus from daily television commitments to creative pursuits aligned with her long-standing interests in writing, , and faith-based expression. She expressed intentions to write and direct films, though her output in subsequent years emphasized authorship and musical projects, including the release of inspirational books such as It's Never Too Late: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life in December and the 60-day devotional I Want to Matter: Your Life Is Too Short and Too Precious to Waste in 2024, both drawing on personal anecdotes of resilience and spiritual purpose. In , she produced Christian-themed works, notably the 2018 album The God Who Sees featuring collaborations with artists like and , and the multimedia project Kathie Lee Gifford Presents: The Way DVD and in subsequent years, emphasizing biblical narratives through song. Gifford has maintained a lower public profile since the relocation, with sporadic television appearances, including a surprise visit to Today in January 2025 to support Kotb during her final broadcast and occasional reflections on her "best life" in Nashville as shared by former colleagues. As of 2024, she continued residing in the Nashville area, prioritizing family proximity—her children Cassidy and Cody having settled nearby—and endeavors that integrate her evangelical faith with artistic output, while abstaining from regular media hosting.

Controversies

Sweatshop Scandal and Industry Reforms

In April 1996, labor activist Charles Kernaghan of the National Labor Committee publicly accused producers of Kathie Lee Gifford's clothing line of employing children as young as 13 and 14 in sweatshops, where workers reportedly sewed garments for 14 to 20 hours per day at wages of 31 cents per hour or less. Kernaghan's report detailed conditions in Korean-owned factories in , including verbal and of underage and pregnant female workers, based on interviews with over 100 employees. Concurrently, investigations revealed that a subcontracted in Manhattan's Garment operated under sweatshop conditions to produce Gifford-labeled items, including locked exits, unpaid overtime, and wages below minimum requirements, prompting raids by New York labor officials. Gifford, who licensed her name to Wal-Mart for the juniors' apparel line launched in 1993, initially denied knowledge of the abuses during a May 1996 episode of Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, tearfully asserting she had been deceived by suppliers and vowing to sever ties with violators. In response, she commissioned independent audits by the Council on Economic Priorities and collaborated with Kernaghan, ultimately supporting a voluntary for her licensees that prohibited child labor, enforced minimum wages, and required factory inspections. By July 1996, Gifford testified before a U.S. House subcommittee, advocating for the Child Labor Deterrence Act to ban imports made with child labor, and Wal-Mart pledged enhanced monitoring of its global suppliers. The scandal amplified public and legislative scrutiny of the U.S. apparel industry's reliance on offshore subcontracting, contributing to the formation of monitoring initiatives like the Fair Labor Association and corporate codes of conduct adopted by retailers in the late 1990s. Gifford signed a 1996 agreement with Wal-Mart committing to sweatshop-free production, which included third-party verification, though subsequent 1999 allegations of abuses in El Salvador factories producing her line highlighted ongoing enforcement challenges in the licensing model. Despite these, the episode marked a shift where Gifford positioned herself as an advocate, using her media platform to raise awareness of labor exploitation, though critics argued such celebrity-driven responses often prioritized public relations over systemic factory-level reforms.

Tabloid Exposures of Personal Betrayals

In May 1997, the supermarket tabloid The Globe published photographs depicting , husband of Kathie Lee Gifford, in a compromising embrace with , a former and model, during an encounter at a hotel room. The images, showing Gifford groping Johnson, shattered the public image of the Giffords' marriage, which Kathie Lee had frequently portrayed as idyllic on her television appearances. Johnson was later revealed to have been paid $25,000 by The Globe to seduce Gifford as part of a staged operation to generate the exposé. Frank Gifford initially denied the allegations but soon admitted to a one-time , attributing it to momentary weakness amid professional travel. The , detailed in The Globe's May 20, 1997, edition, intensified media scrutiny on the couple, with Kathie Lee expressing public devastation while opting to remain married, citing her Christian faith as central to her forgiveness. This exposure marked a significant personal betrayal for Kathie Lee, contrasting sharply with prior unsubstantiated rumors of Gifford's past indiscretions that the couple had successfully rebutted. The affair's revelation strained but ultimately endured their 1986 marriage, which lasted until Frank Gifford's death in 2015, though Kathie Lee later reflected on the "very painful" episode as a test of her commitment. No further tabloid-verified personal betrayals involving close or associates emerged prominently, though the Giffords pursued legal action against tabloids in related cases, such as their son Cody's 2000 over a story alleging family discord.

Public Statements on Social Issues

Gifford has articulated opposition to abortion, framing extreme cases as emblematic of broader harms to women. On January 20, 2016, during a Today show discussion of the Kermit Gosnell trial, she described his Philadelphia abortion clinic—where illegal late-term procedures and infanticides occurred—as conducting a "war on women," highlighting the facility's unsanitary conditions, patient deaths, and exploitation of vulnerable demographics. This stance aligns with her broader conservative positions on life issues, including opposition to euthanasia, which she has publicly contrasted with her faith-based emphasis on human dignity. In addressing mental health crises, Gifford has advocated faith as a primary causal remedy over secular interventions alone. On August 8, 2024, she linked rising societal "evil presences"—drawing from biblical interpretations—to contemporary conflicts and urged reliance on spiritual solutions to combat increasing rates and emotional distress, citing empirical trends in American youth data. She reiterated this on September 4, 2023, emphasizing God's role in healing amid documented spikes in anxiety and depression post-2020. Gifford has critiqued cultural and ecclesiastical trends eroding traditional values, particularly cancel culture's intolerance and the commercialization of . On November 24, 2021, she condemned divisions within the church that prioritize financial gain over doctrinal unity, arguing such dynamics undermine communal resilience against societal pressures like . Her statements reflect a prioritization of first-principles —forgiveness, personal responsibility, and relational —over institutionalized , as she has distinguished her beliefs from "" she views as performative. These views, expressed across interviews and , underscore her causal realism in attributing social fragmentation to moral drift rather than structural inequities alone.

Legacy

Awards and Professional Recognition

Kathie Lee Gifford has received multiple for her television hosting work, including the 2019 award for Outstanding Informative Host shared with for their segment on NBC's Today. She holds a total of four Daytime Emmy wins alongside twelve nominations, with joint nominations alongside for Outstanding Host spanning eight consecutive years from 1993 to 2000. In recognition of her broader contributions to broadcasting, Gifford was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2015. She received a star on the on April 28, 2021, located at 6834 , honoring her television career. Gifford earned a Tony Award nomination in 2012 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her role in the Broadway production , which she also wrote. In film-related honors, she won Best Musical Score and Most Inspirational awards at the 2023 for The Way.

Cultural and Media Influence

Kathie Lee Gifford's tenure as co-host of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee from 1985 to 2000 helped define the modern format of syndicated morning talk shows, emphasizing rapid banter, celebrity interviews, and personal anecdotes delivered with high energy and humor. The program, which expanded nationally in 1988 after strong local ratings in New York, consistently ranked among the top daytime shows, achieving a rating of 4.6 in the 1995–1996 season amid a competitive field. This success influenced subsequent iterations of the franchise and similar programs by prioritizing accessible, light-hearted content that appealed to broad audiences, including homemakers and working viewers seeking escapist entertainment during morning routines. Her return to morning television on the fourth hour of NBC's Today show alongside Hoda Kotb from 2008 to 2019 further amplified this style, injecting candor and self-deprecating wit into discussions of relationships, aging, and pop culture, which resonated with viewers and sustained high engagement for the segment. Gifford's approach, often polarizing and subject to parody for its effusiveness, nonetheless contributed to her recognition as one of the most influential women in media by outlets like Forbes in 2009, reflecting her role in sustaining viewer loyalty through authenticity amid industry shifts toward more scripted formats. Beyond television, Gifford extended her media footprint through songwriting, authorship, and production of faith-infused content, including Broadway musicals like Saving Aimee (2005) and Hallmark films, advocating for entertainment that incorporates spiritual themes without alienating mainstream audiences. This output has encouraged a niche but growing demand for unapologetically positive, value-driven narratives in an industry often critiqued for cynicism, as evidenced by her promotion of faith-based projects amid cultural discussions on media's moral tone. Her multifaceted career, spanning over four decades, underscores a legacy of blending personal vulnerability with professional resilience, shaping perceptions of female broadcasters as multifaceted entertainers rather than mere presenters.

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  82. https://www.today.com/allday/today-gives-back-kathie-lee-founding-schools-vulnerable-kids-1c9382905
  83. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMOKa4MF-b8
  84. https://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/kathie-lee-gifford
  85. https://nicenews.com/culture/kathie-lee-gifford-success-resilience-exclusive/
  86. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/05/30/Kathie-Lee-wants-anti-sweatshop-law/2851833428800/
  87. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/27/business/a-sweetheart-becomes-suspect-looking-behind-those-kathie-lee-labels.html
  88. https://againstthecurrent.org/atc083/p921/
  89. https://www.democracynow.org/1999/9/27/kathie_lee_gifford_accused_of_running
  90. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kathie-lee-defends-herself/
  91. http://albionmonitor.com/sweatshop/ss-solomon.html
  92. https://medium.com/belover/kathie-lee-gifford-keeps-trying-to-tell-the-story-of-her-first-marriage-768ab0a60031
  93. https://news.amomama.com/185037-kathie-lee-gifford-her-cold-empty-marria.html
  94. https://www.today.com/popculture/kathie-lee-gifford-shares-details-about-her-1st-marriage-t202399
  95. https://people.com/tv/kathie-lee-gifford-opens-up-about-her-painful-first-marriage-and-recovering-from-franks-infidelity-in-new-memoir/
  96. https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/1902450/kathie-lee-gifford-lost-virginity-first-husband-sexless-marriage/
  97. https://people.com/celebrity/inside-kathie-lee-and-frank-giffords-29-year-love-story/
  98. https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/kathie-lee-giffords-dating-history-list-of-relationships/
  99. https://www.nickiswift.com/225040/the-untold-truth-of-kathie-lee-giffords-marriage-with-frank-gifford/
  100. https://people.com/all-about-kathie-lee-gifford-children-grandchildren-8399633
  101. https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/kathie-lee-gifford-kids-meet-daughter-cassidy-and-son-cody/
  102. https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kathie-lee-gifford-very-careful-raising-kids-didnt-want-one-more-spoiled-brat-hollywood
  103. https://nypost.com/2024/04/25/entertainment/kathie-lee-gifford-recalls-late-husband-franks-very-painful-affair-we-struggled/
  104. https://people.com/kathie-lee-gifford-recalls-late-husband-frank-affair-8638730
  105. https://www.etonline.com/kathie-lee-gifford-reflects-on-late-husband-franks-devastating-affair-exclusive-224070
  106. https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/why-kathie-lee-gifford-forgave-late-husband-frank-for-his-affair/
  107. https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kathie-lee-gifford-chose-immediately-forgive-frank-giffords-affair-scandal
  108. https://pagesix.com/2015/09/23/frank-giffords-will-favors-kathie-lee-new-family-over-first-marriage/
  109. https://www.christianitytoday.com/2016/02/kathie-lee-gifford-how-billy-graham-led-me-to-christ/
  110. https://billygrahamlibrary.org/blog-archive-collection-kathieleegifford/
  111. https://charismanews.com/spiritled-living/kathie-lee-gifford-i-came-to-christ-at-12-because-of-a-movie-billy-graham-put-out/
  112. https://cbn.com/news/i-heard-jesus-kathie-lee-gifford-unveils-moment-she-met-jesus-when-she-was-12
  113. https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/kathie-lee-gifford-on-new-faith-filled-projects-the-way-and-the-god-of-the-way.html
  114. https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kathie-lee-gifford-would-in-insane-asylum-without-jesus-cant-stand-religion
  115. https://www.facebook.com/pluggedin/posts/kathie-lee-gifford-my-entire-family-came-to-faith-through-billy-graham-my-father/1804721372892145/?locale=ms_MY
  116. https://www.pureflix.com/insider/listen-kathie-lee-giffords-powerful-explanation-of-the-gospel
  117. https://www.today.com/popculture/kathie-lee-gifford-says-goodbye-today-show-her-last-day-t151632
  118. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/05/31/kathie-lee-gifford-today-nashville-dream-job-takl/1302605001/
  119. https://people.com/tv/kathie-lee-gifford-moved-to-nashville-because-home-where-frank-died-felt-like-a-mortuary/
  120. https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/22/entertainment/kathie-lee-gifford-loneliness-trnd
  121. https://pagesix.com/2019/11/22/kathie-lee-gifford-reveals-heartbreaking-reason-for-move-to-nashville/
  122. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN9lQKReXN0
  123. https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/books/2020/12/08/its-never-too-late-kathie-lee-gifford-inspires-new-book/3796672001/
  124. https://www.amazon.com/Want-Matter-Short-Precious-Waste/dp/1400339693
  125. https://music.apple.com/us/artist/kathie-lee-gifford/203797
  126. https://store.gaither.com/products/kathie-lee-gifford-presents-the-way-dvd-and-2-cds
  127. https://pagesix.com/2024/01/10/entertainment/hoda-kotb-gives-rare-update-on-kathie-lee-gifford-nearly-5-years-after-today-show-exit/
  128. https://eonline.com/news/1412065/kathie-lee-gifford-surprises-hoda-kotb-with-heartwarming-reunion-on-her-final-today-show
  129. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/does-kathie-lee-gifford-still-173113006.html
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  131. https://fair.org/extra/the-celebrity-and-the-sweatshops/
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  133. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/07/15/Tearful-Kathie-Lee-supports-labor-bill/3957837403200/
  134. https://gabisvintage.substack.com/p/the-history-of-a-1990s-fast-fashion
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  136. https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/518404/kathie-lee-gifford-addresses-husband-scandalous-affair-flight-attendant/
  137. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13493779/kathie-lee-gifford-frank-husband-affair-fury-marriage.html
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  143. https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/bibles-evil-presences-highlighted-kathie-lee-gifford-shed-dramatic-light-present-day-conflicts
  144. https://www.foxnews.com/video/6336570260112
  145. https://www.christianpost.com/books/kathie-lee-gifford-laments-lack-of-unity-in-the-church.html
  146. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/exclusive-kathie-lee-gifford-doesnt-011147277.html
  147. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/05/06/kathie-lee-gifford-wins-daytime-emmys-award/1116519001/
  148. https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/20/arts/falling-ratings-threaten-all-except-top-talk-shows.html
  149. https://deadline.com/2020/07/longtime-co-host-kathie-lee-gifford-remembers-regis-philbin-there-has-never-been-anyone-like-him-1202995288/
  150. https://www.tvtaping.com/articles/the-impact-of-host-changes-on-popular-tv-shows
  151. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/arts/television/17giff.html
  152. https://www.forbes.com/2009/07/14/most-influential-women-in-media-forbes-woman-power-women-oprah-winfrey_slide.html
  153. https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/2019/04/05/kathie-lee-gifford-has-been-mocked-for-years-but-her-morning-tv-legacy-will-outlast-her-critics/5523415007/
  154. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/kathie-lee-gifford-says-hallmark-is-genius-for-realizing-people-are-not-offended-by-faith-194340440.html
  155. https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Kathie-Lee-Gifford/
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