Just a couple of weeks after NBC had to dismantle the Megyn Kelly part of the Today show, comes another shock. Kathie Lee Gifford is leaving the third hour at 10am, with Hoda Kotb, in April 2019.
Kathie Lee says she’s leaving to pursue other projects. But that’s bull. The main obstacle is money. She wanted more, they didn’t want to pay up.
The Hoda-Kathie Lee hour has been a bright spot in the NBC mid morning programming. But Megyn Kelly’s show dragged down its ratings.
Then Hoda moved to the main Today show, which meant NBC had to find a new partner for Kathie Lee. That hasn’t worked out so well. Jenna Bush Hager is one of the worst personalities on TV. And it’s not clear that Kathie Lee would partner well with anyone else at this point.
My guess is that Hoda is off the 10am hour too beginning in April. Today will have to recast that whole hour.
As for Kathie Lee, she currently has a book out with a fake rabbi, a Jew for Jesus. I’m sure NBC isn’t so happy about Gifford’s bible thumping. Long memories will recall that when that issue came up at ABC when Kathie Lee was with Regis the end came pretty fast there, too.
I like Kathie Lee personally. But she may have overplayed her hand. Let’s hope she doesn’t plot another Broadway show. Her last one was a spectacular failure.
