From the Archives: Relive Kathie Lee's Very First 'Today' Broadcast
Kathie Lee Gifford has become a staple household name over the years. Many of us fell in love with her during her days bantering with Regis Philbin.
More recently, her 11 years on the “Today” show opposite Hoda Kotb made us fall in love with her personality even more.
The pair has been so much fun to watch. They share a beautiful chemistry that is so rare. When Gifford announced her upcoming departure from “Today” in 2018, we knew spring would come all too soon.
Now the two are saying goodbye. Though we have a feeling they’ll be forever friends, it is sad to think of the “Today” show without this perfect pair.
Gifford had a successful career long before “Today” came into the picture, of course. She spent over a decade co-hosting “Live With Regis and Kathie Lee.”
We may or may not have shed some tears back then. It was the end of an era! Hoda Kotb undoubtedly feels the same to see her close friend move on.
Gifford even shared some words from Philbin himself after she announced her departure from yet another morning show.
“He said, ‘Kath, I’m so happy for you,'” Gifford told “Today.” “He said, ‘There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about the 15 years we spent together and how much I loved you.’ … He said, ‘It was never the same after you left,’ because it isn’t.”
As much as change can be difficult, Gifford has embraced the ups and downs over the years. Her faith has kept her strong through the loss of her husband, Frank Gifford, who passed away in 2015.
“My faith is not what I do for an hour on Sunday mornings; my faith is who I am,” she told AARP recently.
That belief has shined through her work, too. Gifford is the author of the faith-based book “The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began,” currently a no. 1 Amazon Bestseller.
The career-mom of two is also a children’s book author. Her picture book, “The Gift That I Can Give,” centers around teaching kids what an impact acts of kindness can make.
She’s been a singer, an actress, a television show host and has also been involved with several charities including Childhelp and Meals on Wheels.
We know so much about this woman who has brought her smile to the spotlight and warmed our hearts. But there may be a few things you still don’t know about Gifford’s past.
During her very first “Today” broadcast back in 2008, Gifford and Kotb shared some random facts about one another with their viewers.
Right away we could tell Gifford and Kotb would be a hit as co-hosts. From Gifford’s not-so-successful “Charlie’s Angels” audition to Kotb’s middle name (or lack thereof), there has never been a dull moment when these ladies graced the screen side-by-side.
Personally, we think Gifford would have made a stunning angel!
Kotb and Gifford even recreated a moment from their first show together, wearing the same coats as they did all those years ago.
The truth is, we believe Kathie Lee will be good at anything she pursues. We’ll miss her presence on “Today” but know she’ll do well with whatever her future holds.
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