I have been waiting to blog because my topics have changed several times over the last few weeks.
After settling into what is now my new place of business (Jacobs’ Trading Company), it dawned on me that before I blog about the self-serving topic of working at the same place as my spouse, I should cover Kathie Lee pulling a fast one and returning to morning TV.
And of course, I had to watch the first couple of days as an objective TV viewer before giving my two cents.
Now, let me preface my blog with this: Over the years, I have spent time with Kathie Lee, her husband Frank (who always smells good), and her well-mannered, now grown-up children Cody and Cassidy.
There, I divulged that I may be biased and non-objective in this blog post. Clearly, you know at this point that I am NOT TRYING to pretend that my training in journalism with a personal coach worked, nor did the boring writing classes, so let’s all just move on with it, shall we?
Like the rest of the world,
I watched Kathie Lee come out on her first day with her head held high, looking healthy, beautiful, and more content than I have ever seen in all my years of knowing her.
In Kathie’s own words, she has gained 10 pounds since her last go-around on TV. And since I, too, have enjoyed my way through 10 extra pounds in the last few years, I think it’s safe for me to say that stress=thin=looking old, and stress free=curves=looking younger.
If I didn’t know Kathie’s real age I would say she looks younger than her co-host, Hoda, and it’s not due to plastic surgery and fake hair. In fact, I would venture to say that it’s probably a case of good meals and conversation on the home front. Yes there is a cryptic message in there, so I better get back on point.
It came as no surprise to me that Kathie Lee was not only on her game for her national re-emerging but she — as the young ones say — Rocked It!
What really set me off were the reviews that Kathie got from TV critics. Many of her harshest critics (women) were pleased with her "performance." It was the others (men) that were just plain mean.
Why? In my opinion it’s because god forbid a woman be 56 years old and be looked at in the same way as, say, a 25-year-old — in a business where your outer shell comes first and what is on in the inside is only secondary.
Yeah, yeah, I know what some of you are thinking — is this the same woman who used her name to do endorsement deals for laser hair removal and plastic surgery? Guilty as charged, but that girl has left the country and does not plan to return. 🙂
Which brings me to the disgust I felt when I was about to fall asleep and heard on the TV, in the background, Kathie Lee being associated with "old farts."
When is the last time that tabloid TV shows (TMZ) have referred to a 56-year-old experienced MALE TV veteran as "an old fart"? I think it’s time the old cocky lawyer/want-to-be TV star got his eyes checked, because he is NO prize to look at it and could use a good teeth whitening!
So I am going to give you my personal opinion on Kathie Lee Gifford, from someone who has spent time with her over the years and admired her tenacity to hold her head up high when most people would crawl under the sheets and go away, never to return.
Kathie Lee is a woman that has been through what now up to 70 percent of all married people experience, and that is infidelity. The media acted like preying vultures over fresh raw meat when the Tabloids thought it would be "FUN" to set up the husband of a successful woman and see if he would take the bimbo bait.
How do these people sleep at night?
You have a woman, and a mom, whose only fault was to share with the world that marriage and raising children can be done at the same time as having a career and once in a while giving TMI.
You have a woman that was joyful and happy about the same milestones we all, as parents, feel — but with a much bigger audience and in a much more public way. So what?!
Are there that many people out there that are so unhappy in their own lives that is makes them feel better to smack down someone who means well, just because she wakes up in the morning and is happy?
I, for one, would much rather be entertained by someone who has a naughty sense of humor (which Kathie does) than by some miserable old bats that are pissed off at the world because they don’t have something that other people do.
I will share with you this one story that sticks in my head: I was in Florida with family, having brunch with Kathie and her family. Unlike most moms taking their daughters to the restroom to do their business, Kathie had half the women in the place (without their daughters) following her to the restroom. Instead of drawing the line at giving her a little space with Cassidy, all of these STRANGERS lined up with cameras in tow to take snapshots and inquire about mundane things (which you just don’t do); and instead of doing what most of us would have done, which is to swat people and yell at them to back off, Kathie was gracious and funny, letting these STRANGERS know
that she was in Mom mode but really did appreciate that they took "THEIR" time to come and share some space with her even if it was in the BATHROOM.
I called a friend of mine, who is a successful MAN in TV and whose opinion I value, to ask what he thought of Kathie Lee’s return to TV. HIS words sum up not only Kathie Lee’s return but, hopefully, the trend in good and entertaining TV: "Bravo. I think it’s great, and it shows that TV is going back to its roots and using what was successful before, again."
I can only hope this time around all of the vultures will stay at bay and let this still beautiful and kind-hearted woman be well-liked again, without trying to destroy the myth that women who have a happy home life can have a happy and prosperous work life too.
Go get ’em, Kathie!!!!!!!!
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