Kathie Lee Gifford Reveals God's Guidance Led Her to End Feud With Howard Stern
"Today" co-host Kathie Lee Gifford revealed that God guided her to make amends with radio host Howard Stern to end a one-sided 30-year feud.
While talking about the patching up of musical stars Katy Perry and Taylor Swift on her morning talk show, Gifford recalled how her own publicized dispute with Stern ended amicably.
According to the 64-year-old TV host, Stern hated her for three decades even if they've never met each other personally. She claimed that she hated everything about her, including her husband, her children, and her beliefs.
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This went on until one day, she found a chance to patch things up with him when he was invited in the morning show's studio to talk about "America's Got Talent."
"I just feel the Lord saying very clearly to me, 'Go down and say hello to Howard.' I'm standing right here ... and I go, 'Howard, Howard, I'm Kathie Lee. I thought it was time I say hello. I want to wish you the very best with your show.' And I left. He was really flabbergasted," she told her co-host, Jenna Bush Hager.
Stern was reportedly shocked with her move, which made him reach out to her personally after the incident.
According to the 64-year-old TV host, she received a message from him through voicemail to say that he was blown away by her. He also asked her to call him. Then he phoned her again while she was having dinner, and they talked for half an hour.
Gifford also shared that "The Howard Stern Show" radio host asked for her forgiveness and explained that he is going through some stuff in his life. He also acknowledged that he hurt her in the past, which is why he apologized for his mistakes.
Instead of retaliating for his past tirades against her, including the incident when he called her the dumbest person in the world, Gifford opted to congratulate him for deciding to change. "You're doing the work you need to do. That's important for you to do. And you need to know I forgave you 30 years ago, and I've been praying for you every single day since, and I still do."
This is not the first time that Gifford opened up about settling the dispute between her and Stern. In February 2014, she told Bravo host Andy Cohen during an interview with "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" what Stern told her during their talk.
According to the mother of two, the radio host apologized for using a lot of hurtful words against her. He also said, "'You've always been so nice. You just pissed me off because you were everything I wasn't.'"
Gifford is also known for being vocal about her faith in public. During the middle of the Matt Lauer scandal, she said that it is important for everyone to show mercy and forgiveness during that trying times. "We don't need taunts and we don't need ugliness. We have enough of that in the world," she said during that time as reported by CBN News.
