Gifford, Kathie Lee
Identification American television host, actress,
and singer
Born August 16, 1953; Paris, France
Gifford was one of the most popular daytime television per-
sonalities of the 1990’s.
On June 24, 1985, Kathie Lee Gifford, then known
as Kathie Lee Johnson, joined Regis Philbin as the
cohost of the WABC-TV New York morning talk
show,The Morning Show. On October 18, 1986, the as-
piring talk-show host married former New York Gi-
ants football player and sports broadcaster Frank
Gifford. In September, 1988, the popular hour-long
morning show had its name changed toLive with
Regis and Kathie Lee. That same year, Buena Vista
Television began the national syndication of the
show. By the early 1990’s, the show had become one
of the most popular morning talk shows on televi-
sion, and Gifford had become a television celebrity.
The show’s success was due in part to the fact that
Live with Regis and Kathie Leewas aired live and unre-
hearsed. On a daily basis, both Philbin and Gifford
shared their personal lives with the viewing audi-
ence. Gifford’s sense of humor, charisma, and open-
ness about her life, both good and bad, made her
popular with fans. Throughout the decade, she
shared untold numbers of stories about her mar-
riage and two children and also shared her personal
struggles, including her husband’s infidelity.
Utilizing her celebrity, Gifford also pursued nu-
merous business ventures during the 1990’s. She
published eight books, including several cookbooks
and children’s books as well as an autobiography.
She appeared in television advertisements for Carni-
val Cruise Lines and Ultra Slim Fast and supported
children’s charities and the Special Olympics. From
1991 through 1995, she and Philbin cohosted the
Miss America Pageant. In 1995, she introduced a
profitable clothing line at Wal-Mart stores. Contro-
versy followed in 1996, when it was disclosed that
some of the clothing merchandise had been manu-
factured in Honduran sweatshops that employed
children. Gifford denied any knowledge of the ex-
ploitation and later vowed to fight such practice,
supporting antisweatshop legislation.
Throughout the decade, Gifford guest-starred on
dozens of sitcoms and prime-time television shows.
She also continued to pursue her singing career by
performing at several New York City nightclubs. In
1993, she released two albums,Sentimental Journey
andIt’s Christmas Time. On July 28, 2000, Gifford
cohosted her last morning show with Philbin.Impact One of the most popular talk-show hosts of
the 1990’s, Kathie Lee Gifford endeared herself to
television audiences with her natural sense of hu-
mor, positive energy, and openness about her per-
sonal life.Further Reading
Gifford, Kathie Lee, with Jim Jerome.I Can’t Believe I
Said That! An Autobiography. New York: Pocket
Books, 1992.
Hill, E. D.Going Places: How America’s Best and Bright-
est Got Started Down the Road of Life. New York:
ReganBooks, 2005.
King, Norman.Regis and Kathie Lee: Their Lives To-
gether and Apart. Secaucus, N.J.: Carol, 1995.
Bernadette Zbicki HeineySee also Fashions and clothing; Music; Television;
Wal-Mart.368 Gifford, Kathie Lee The Nineties in America
Kathie Lee Gifford with cohost Regis Philbin in 1992.(AP/Wide
World Photos)