Kathie Lee Gifford Said No To Her ‘Today’ Job Initially

Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb have been together for 10 years, and to celebrate the network threw bashing party. But secrets were revealed that we never knew before, including the fact that Kathie originally turned down the job.

“There was Ann Curry — lovely woman — with five white shirts on those form things [mannequins], and she and an expert were discussing which white shirt holds up best in the wash,” Kathy said of the segments before she came in. “I wanted to kill myself by the third shirt.”

She remembers saying to a producer who was trying to woo her: “I love you, but I would rather rip my toenails out than have to do that.”

But after nearly three-hour lunch with Hoda at the Rainbow Room, she agreed to cohost the hour.