Kathie Lee Gifford revealed how her years-long feud with Howard Stern ended with a ‘surprise’ voicemail.
The television personality, 70, opened up about the rift between her and the disc jockey, 70, in her new memoir, I Want to Matter: Your Life Is Too Short and Too Precious to Waste.
She recalled how their beef previously started in 1995 when she sang the National Anthem at Super Bowl XXIX and heard boos from the audience.
The Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee alum — who revealed why she forgave her late husband Frank Gifford for his extramarital affair with a flight attendant — later learned was encouraged by Stern to his fans.
Nearly two decades later, the former Today host felt compelled to make a kind gesture towards Stern, which recalled led to their reconciliation as described in her book, which was released on April 30, according to Fox News Digital.
Kathie Lee Gifford revealed how her years-long feud with Howard Stern ended with a ‘surprise’ voicemail; seen on April 15
The television personality, 70, opened up about the rift between her and the disc jockey, 70, in her new memoir, I Want to Matter: Your Life Is Too Short and Too Precious to Waste; seen in November 2015
Gifford recalled in 2011, she wanted to wish him well ahead of his appearance on the Today show in 2011 when he learned he was casted as a judge for the seventh season of America’s Got Talent.
Despite others discouraging her from talking to the radio host, she decided to ‘say hello to Howard.’
‘I said, “Hey, it’s Kathie Lee,”‘ she recalled. ‘I thought it was about time. I said, “I want to wish you all the best with the new show.”
‘I got up, went back, sat down in the makeup room,’ she said before recounting how her hairstylists and makeup artists asked her why she talked to him.
‘They’d said, “Why’d you do that?” I said, “God told me to.”‘
Later, she recalled how she was boarding a flight when she received a call from an unknown number with no caller ID, which she didn’t pick up.
When she listened to the voicemail, she said it was a ‘surprise’ to learn that it was from Stern.
‘He was saying, “I can’t believe how nice you were to me. I’ve been so rude to you and you were so nice. I just need to apologize to you. Please call me,’ she recalled.
Nearly two decades after their rift began, the former Today host felt compelled to make a kind gesture towards Stern, which recalled led to their reconciliation; seen on March 28
‘Once I listened to it, I said to my kids at the table, “Well, pigs have now officially flown.” [But] I just always believe God can touch anybody’s heart,’ she told the outlet.
‘I’m not allowed to hate anybody that hates me. Once you start praying for people, you can’t hate them. Love cannot live where hate does, and it’s a very simple thing.’
However, Gifford said her late husband Frank and son Cody Gifford tried to tell her to not call him back because Stern had been ‘horrible’ to her and her family.
However, she decided to ring Stern back up, and she said they had a productive conversation.
During their phone call, she recalled the radio host asking her to forgive him.
Gifford said she told him: ‘”I just want you to know that I forgave you 30 years ago.”
‘I said, “I’m really happy for you that you’re asking for forgiveness, because anytime we hurt somebody in life, it’s important to ask for forgiveness,’ she recalled.
She recounted Stern seeming confused at her kindness.
However, she decided to ring Stern back up, and she said they had a productive conversation. During their phone call, she recalled the radio host asking her to forgive him
She said that afterwards, she invited Stern, who she described as an ‘odd duck,’ to her home for dinner. In her memoir, she said that she ‘pissed him off’ because she was ‘everything he wasn’t’; seen in November 2023
‘He goes, “What?” I said, “I forgave you 30 years ago, and I’ve been praying for you every day since. And that’s the truth.”‘
She said that afterwards, she invited Stern, who she described as an ‘odd duck,’ to her home for dinner.
In her memoir, she said that she ‘pissed him off’ because she was ‘everything he wasn’t.’
‘I saw him a couple of times over at Sirius, and we were fine,’ she said. ‘I can get along with a rock. I can find something good in anybody. That’s what my faith teaches me.’
