THE PRIZE IS RIGHT
YOUR HOSTS, KATHIE LEE AND HODA, KICK OFF OUR BACK-TO-FALL ISSUE, PACKED WITH A SAVING TIPS AND BEST OF ALL, A SHOWCASE FULL OF FREEBIES!
The value of a bargain isn’t lost on Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. On the fourth hour of the Today show, they regularly feature steals and deals.
“People are struggling right now, and we’re really aware of it,” says Gifford, 60.
Although the cohosts broadcast from a studio in the heart of Manhattan, they never feel far from their humble beginnings: “My dad had multiple jobs and my mom sold eggs door to door,” says Gifford. “I came from nothing, but I grew up in the most loving home in the world.” Kotb, 50, feels similarly about her childhood: “When I was young in West Virginia, I don’t remember trying to keep up with the Joneses, because we were happy.” Here, Gifford and Kotb talk with
Erin Hill about their friendship, women and money, and the importance of laughing at yourself. Do you remember what back-toschool season felt like as a kid? KLG: We didn’t have any money, but I remember going to Sears to pick out a few outfits for school.
HK: Wearing new clothes was such a good feeling. I used to get my s ister’s hand - me- d owns . But
whenever I’d get something new, I’d just go crazy. What’s your favorite splurge now?
HK: I buy a $7 smoothie at the gym. And then I eat doughnuts in the break room—but they’re free!
KLG: I usually can’t wait for lunch. I love great lunch spots. Do you think women know enough about money?
HK: We don’t always ask for what we want because we’re taught to wait and be polite. And I think we are afraid sometimes. We are just happy to be at the party, but there has to come a point when we feel we deserve to be at the party.
KLG: The problem starts early on. We’re raised with fairy tales about waiting for a prince to come along. They don’t tell you that your prince is going to find another little princess he likes better. Why do you two get along so well? KLG: I only intended to stay on the show one year because I felt like I did the best television that I could do with Regis [Philbin]. But I fell in love with Hoda.
HK: There are times when I can’t believe I’m sitting next to Kathie Lee. Who would’ve thought?
KLG: Because on paper it made so much sense: a postmenopausal has-been and an award-winning Egyptian journalist! I love that you enjoy wine on the set. Was it Chelsea Handler who first brought alcohol on the show? KLG: Chelsea’s the one with the problem, not us! [ laughs]
HK: She started it, then Brooke Shields came a couple days later and said, “Where’s my cocktail?”
KLG: And then Joel McHale showed up with his own bottle of Hennessy, and then they started doing skits about us on Saturday
Night Live. [ Watch the spoofs at
parade.com/snl.] How do you feel about the jokes? KLG: Look, you don’t get parodied
on SNL unless you’ve made an impact. But ever ybody who has ever played Hoda has gotten fired [or left].
HK: It ’s terrible. As long as it ’s not Kenan [Thompson], I don’t care who plays me!