‘Today’ Alum Kathie Lee Gifford Reveals Florida Quarantine Situation With Daughter Cassidy

Katie Lee Gifford is “looking forward to normalcy” and spending her self-quarantine time with daughter Cassidy down in Florida, the former talk show host told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager in a TODAY show video call Friday. Getting used to her newfound downtime with her 26-year-old daughter, her fiancé and his family down in the Sunshine State, Gifford joked about showing off her naturally curly hair on national television.

“I’m down here in Florida with no hairdryer,” Gifford joked, showing off her curls. “My children insisted on sending me here because I’m old. Old people go to Florida.” Despite the push from her kids, Gifford has been happy to self-isolate in the sunshine, calling Florida “a beautiful place to be.”

“If you’ve gotta be quarantined, it ain’t bad here,” she said. “It’s quite beautiful, but I feel for everybody in cramped quarters or maybe for those in cold weather.” That being said, Gifford added she was “looking forward to normalcy” again once the coronavirus pandemic subsides. “I’ve never been normal or had a normal life but my own normal,” she added, laughing.

Gifford revealed that the one thing frustrating her is no longer appearing on-air regularly with Kotb and former co-star Regis Philbin, where she said she would be able to “give comfort to people.” She explained, “I haven’t been able to be a part of the healing. I remember when I left [Live With Regis and Kathie Lee] and then 9/11 happened, that was the only time I was really longing to still be on the air because I wanted to be a part of the healing and give comfort to people. …So I’m happy to be with you guys today.”

Gifford tried to offer some of her talents up to the public on Easter Sunday, broadcasting three oratorios on the Christian radio station KLOVE for The Way special. “I feel like the Lord landed on my heart and this is a time where people need hope and healing,” she said of the music. “My prayer is that they will bless people. They will give them hope and healing and comfort, and that’s all we can hope for.”