Kathie Lee Gifford Says ‘Today’ and ‘Live’ Weren’t Her Dream Jobs

Kathie Lee Gifford may be best known for her time on the TODAY show and on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, but she’s only now living out her dream job. Ahead of the release of her new film The Way and its companion book, The God of the Way, Lee said her work with God has been her real purpose in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight.

“So many people, when I left the show with Regis [Philbin], after 15 unbelievable years with him, 11 years with Hoda [Kotb], they all said, ‘How could you leave your dream job? Twice at the height of its success?’ and I go, ‘You’re just assuming that it was my dream job. They never were,” Gifford explained. “My dream job is what I’m doing now. Right now, at the age of 69, as of yesterday.” She continued, “I dreamed it my whole life, and now I get to do it.”

Gifford’s new film brings stories from the Bible to life using contemporary orchestral arrangements, narration and visuals that merge the ancient stories with modern storytelling. Jimmie Allen, BeBe Winans and more lend their voices to the film, out Sept. 1, as does Gifford.

“There’s nothing Jimmie cannot do,” Gifford gushed of the country star. “I met him at the TODAY show and there have been maybe four or five people through all the years with Regis and everything else, where I meet somebody, and instantly know, ‘That – that person’s gonna change the world. That person’s gonna rock the world, that person’s got everything they’re ever gonna need to be memorable for decades.’ And Jimmie was one of ’em.”

Her book, The God of the Way, also tells some of the same stories in the film with a modern take. Gifford told ET that she wants people who see her film and read her book that God wants the same blessings he’s given her for everyone. “Here’s the thing, it’s not because I’m special,” Gifford said of achieving her dreams. “God wants to do that for everybody who believes in him.”

“Every one of his children,” she continued. “This cancel culture that’s in the world today is the most evil thing I’ve ever heard of in my life. It’s the antithesis of the way God sees his children and sees this world that he created for his glory, not ours.” The former TV personality added, “He loves everyone with an all-consuming love, and he would never cancel anybody, anybody – that’s not the nature of God. So, I want on my dying breath, on my dying day, people claiming the fact that, Don’t give up people. God loves you. He loves you.”