Author: Scott Stump / Source: TODAY.com
We’ll miss you, Kathie Lee!
It’s the end of an era, as Kathie Lee Gifford said goodbye on Friday after 11 years on TODAY, complete with laughs, tears, hugs, champagne — and an amazing giveaway to everyone in the audience.
A live performance by Flo Rida kicked off her final episode as she entered to cheers from the crowd and hugs from both her TODAY family and her actual family, as her son, Cody, 29, was in the studio with his girlfriend.
She was decked out in a red dress, the same color she wore on her final day in 2000 with former co-host Regis Philbin during her 15-year run on the award-winning “Regis and Kathie Lee” morning show.
“I feel great,” she said. “I have no expectations. You just want to bear it well. … You also want to remind people of why this show worked in the beginning — because we have fun. We have a great love and affection and respect for our audience.”
Kathie Lee showed how much affection she has for the audience when she pulled an Oprah and surprised everyone in the crowd by giving them each a free four-day cruise for two on Carnival Cruise Line from any Carnival U.S. port.
Not only has Kathie Lee been affiliated with Carnival Cruise Line since doing her first commercial for the company in 1984, there also is a family connection. It turns out Cody was conceived on a trip with her late husband, Frank Gifford.
“As a matter of fact, this guy, this big 6-foot-4 guy, was made on a Carnival Cruise,” she said about Cody.
“That’s good advertising,” Cody joked.
Kathie Lee also reflected with co-host Hoda Kotb on why their partnership has worked all these years.
“I think it’s because of you,” Hoda said.
“Yeah, that’s what I think,” Kathie Lee joked.
Philbin also made an appearance with a sweet video tribute to his former co-host.
“Kathie Lee, the best part of my TV life was with the 15 years I spent with you from 1985 to 2000,” he said. “We stayed friends through the entire game, and it was a lot of fun. Where you are right now, I know you’re going to be moving on to…
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