This morning on the third hour of The Today Show, Kathy Lee Gifford held up a photo showing her and co-host, Hoda Kotb, hugging Beyonce. Pointing to the photo, Kathy Lee quipped: “This is why women over fifty should retire.“
Kathy may think she was making a cute, self-effacing comment, but I think it was dumb. Kathy, why did you limit your remark to FOF women? Maybe every woman who doesn’t look like Beyonce should retire. Overweight women, women who have blemishes on their faces, women with thin hair, women who can’t sing. Get the point?
“Perhaps Kathy wishes she looked like Beyonce. But when you insult yourself like she did, you’re actually insulting everyone in your age group,” said my sister, Shelley, who was offended by her remark.
I like watching Kathy Lee. I don’t like what she said.
They think she belongs in a rocking chair "at her age."
Coincidentally, a FOF friend emailed me yesterday about a similar situation on another show, where they held up a photo of Lauren Hutton, who is in a wheelchair after she ripped her ACL surfing. “It’s too bad that she injured her ACL, BUT to have done it while surfing at 66. At her age she’s still surfing. Isn’t that wonderful everybody!” said the host of the show.
Imagine, my FOF friends. “AT HER AGE!” I don’t know many 20-year-olds who could get up on a surfboard, no less surf. Perhaps they think Lauren should put on a shawl, move from a wheelchair to a chair that rocks and get ready to die.
I am cringing.
P.S. I heard through the grapevine that my nephew, Adam, reads my blog, but I haven’t had it confirmed. That pleases me, even if he’s not FOF.
0 Responses to “TV folks say the darndest things”
Nicole Ricci says:
I’m confirming that your nephew Adam reads your blogs, and you can trust me because I’m his girlfriend 😉
Kathy Lee is one of the few morning hosts left that can make a difference through the media of how FOF should be celebrated not insulted. Beyonce is a beautiful talented woman and one of her role models is Barbara Streisand.Everytime a women of influence puts down the”modern women” it only feeds the media that we aren’t important. Being in the fashion industry for over 25 years I have seen this industry disregard so many of our needs. Women watch Kathy Lee and Hoda on The Today Show and value their opinions .Kathy and Hoda look great. They need to embrace our age group so they can make a difference and let all women know how fabulous they are. We are reminded every day we are getting older. Retire because of many air brush photos of perfect women..I don’t think so. Kathy keep looking cute and please watch your words.
I don’t like what she said, either, but I understand it. Becoming older has been shocking to me…you get out of bed one morning, look in the mirror and think “Whoa! When the hell did THAT happen?”. And the physical changes are not all that charming, especially if, like me, you don’t have any women in your life who have done the “over 50″ bit gracefully. That is why I have embraced this blog…I see that I don’t have to trade in my 3” heels for orthopedic shoes until I am darned good and ready! (Read that: Never!!!!)
0 Responses to “TV folks say the darndest things”
Nicole Ricci says:
I’m confirming that your nephew Adam reads your blogs, and you can trust me because I’m his girlfriend 😉
Geri says:
We thought so. Thanks for confirming Nicole. I look forward to meeting you.
Geri
Nicole Ricci says:
Anytime!!! I look forward to meeting you too! 🙂
Linda Cohen says:
Kathy Lee is one of the few morning hosts left that can make a difference through the media of how FOF should be celebrated not insulted. Beyonce is a beautiful talented woman and one of her role models is Barbara Streisand.Everytime a women of influence puts down the”modern women” it only feeds the media that we aren’t important. Being in the fashion industry for over 25 years I have seen this industry disregard so many of our needs. Women watch Kathy Lee and Hoda on The Today Show and value their opinions .Kathy and Hoda look great. They need to embrace our age group so they can make a difference and let all women know how fabulous they are. We are reminded every day we are getting older. Retire because of many air brush photos of perfect women..I don’t think so. Kathy keep looking cute and please watch your words.
Duchesse says:
I have never been impressed by Kathy Lee Gifford’s intelligence but that’s not the point of TV, is it?
And at 57 she should have learned by now.
Maravonda says:
I don’t like what she said, either, but I understand it. Becoming older has been shocking to me…you get out of bed one morning, look in the mirror and think “Whoa! When the hell did THAT happen?”. And the physical changes are not all that charming, especially if, like me, you don’t have any women in your life who have done the “over 50″ bit gracefully. That is why I have embraced this blog…I see that I don’t have to trade in my 3” heels for orthopedic shoes until I am darned good and ready! (Read that: Never!!!!)
Toby Wollin says:
To Little Kathy, I have just two words for you: Aline Saarinen. In comparison, Sweetie, you are an empty suit.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Saarinen.html