I didn’t even realize I’d missed Kathie Lee, but now that she’s back, I’m astonished to discover that I find her a breath of fresh air amid the doldrums of morning TV chatter. Today was only her second day co-hosting Today’s fourth (!) hour, but despite her eight years away from the morning grind, she still remembers how to ride that bicycle just fine, thank you, and her professional ease is as welcome as her wacky outspokenness.
I’m still not sure she’d be enough to persuade me (were I so inclined) to watch that last hour of Today on a regular basis. The superfluousness of the show is evident. The first segment of the show is a full 15 minutes of chatter, feature Ms. Gifford and co-host Hoda Kotb (pictured, left, with Kathie Lee) sitting at a table, drinking coffee and discussing issues (à la The View) — as it turns out, the very issues that they’ll be discussing at length later with guests who are apparently deemed not big enough to appear during the first three hours of Today. Even so, there’s no reason this couldn’t be interesting, except that, unlike the View panelists, Kotb and Gifford seem to agree on everything; the only difference they’ve revealed in two days is that Kotb prefers half-and-half in her coffee, while Gifford is "a skim milk girl."
Still, the Kathie Lee of old occasionally bubbles to the surface, the one who offers a little too much information about her kid or herself. This used to be annoying back in her years with Regis; now, it’s so clearly unscripted and spontaneous that it’s almost refreshing. One topic today was a study asking the question how long sexual intercourse should last. (Kathie Lee was a little creeped out, as was I, that this discussion was taking place in the middle of Rockefeller Plaza, where lots of fans had brought their small children. "You little girls should be in school!" she said.) Kathie Lee suggested that, in terms of duration, quantity wasn’t as important as quality. "I wish great sex on the whole world," she said. "Except for my son." Uh, okay. Commenting on today’s news about Rob Lowe’s claim that he’s being shaken down by his nanny, she said, "I’ve always said that people who really long for fame and fortune have never had it. There’s a whole other side to it that is not wonderful, is not glamorous, and is not fun." Not that she had to remind us of her own tabloid history, but she sure sounded like she knew what she was talking about.
Elsewhere, she proved herself a good sport by letting GilbertGottfried kiss her (he was plugging his Dirty Jokes DVD and asking thereasonable question, "Is anyone still watching at this hour?") anddelivered a nice quip about Marilu Henner, on hand to promote hereighth self-help book, Wear Your Life Well. Marveling at theprolific actress/author, Gifford said, "Marilu will be back next weekwith her ninth book." Gloria Gaynor stopped by to sing "I Will Survive"(she’s celebrating the anthem’s 30th anniversary this year), and thesong’s resonance for Gifford was impossible to miss.
So, who’s glad Kathie Lee is back on morning TV? Who’ll watch the fourth hour of Today in order to see her? And who thinks she should have stayed retired?
Comments (1-18) of 18 Add your comment
I saw Kathie Lee come on a couple weeks ago to announce that she would be returning this week and I agree, I was mesmerized. Though I found her slightly grating when she was with Regis, I thought she was very refreshing this go-round. I’m excited to see what she gets into.
I HATE Kathie Lee Gifford. She is an annoying, obnoxious, self-serving troll. I am regular viewer of the Today Show – mostly for the first hour or 2 of actual news. The next 2 hours are offensive to women, boring and repetitive. But, if Kathie Lee makes NBC feel better about expanding the show for no reason then good for them. I turn it off now as soon as I see her!
I like Kathie Lee, on the other hand can’t stand the gumshoe comedy Kelly Ripa spews on Regis..
Hey, Cody’s legal and he’s in college. Boom-chicka-wah-wah.
I love her. Too bad she’s not on the View. She would have done better there
Kathie Lee! What next Rosie?
I think that anyone who does not appreciate Kathie Lee’s quick and extremely clever sense of humor is really missing out and unable to appreciate it. Kathie is a truly fine and outstanding lady who has been brave enough to put herself in front of millions of people and has shared segments of her life that a lot of us can relate to,and I feel sad for those who cannot, but yet feel they must be critical of her. She has brought a lot of laughter
to many and has shared with us all some very painful times in her life. It makes me joyful to see that by having such a great positive attitude can help each of us overcome tremendous hardships and still be able to laugh and carry on in a productive way. Shame on those who do not see the sheer bliss that this woman is simply trying to share with us all. Instead of giving a cold shoulder,how about a listen because you just might learn a thing or two.
Kathie Lee Gifford is annoying and grating…like nails on a chalkboard.
I’ve tried to watch the 4th hr on the “Today” show because of Hoda, but Kathie constantly interrupts with inane statememts!!! She never shuts up!
vgcje nqkdlo nrywlv ztnh fwxpn nruq vyzhalcpq
qczyifbxj ofltmrcbh belun qybuna txkidpjy wupk qeanj http://www.zelkmdjcw.sqjvhmfn.com
aevwpbg sxytrf qipc wrvh
http://ssex.instantfreehosting.com/kis.html presidente prudente
sanbgz zilgs gelzf
http://technicolo.freehost.net.au/titha.html presidents of the us
wqthgm yhizxoj jnfcp
http://efficiencc.obxhost.net/ken.html michael
jqsiyxd
http://merss.fusedtree.com/fo.html all
xrqcgtm khzwo hnmdt vnbrpkw
http://cinemaa.free-hosting.cc/rmaccuspla.html hurricane
uolxyck jpdc xmbyz
http://nudde.purerotica.com/romoniothr.html family
gyuq fzjb zumhka
http://nudde.richsex.com/veshen.html life
Love Kathie Lee! She makes the show and when she’s not on it isn’t as much fun. She and Hoda are great together! Long may it continue!