‘Today’ Host Kathie Lee Gifford, 70, Leaves Fans Astounded, Showing Her Face: ‘Too Much Filler

Bubbling with excitement to give her fans a glimpse of a special project she has been working on, beloved “Today” host Kathie Lee Gifford, 70, took to Instagram to share a video of herself on July 2. Instead of focusing on the news she had to share, the public diverted their attention to her appearance, which they expressed concern over.

Donning a cream-colored fedora hat and white shirt, Gifford appeared chipper and lively as she spoke about her upcoming book, “Herod and Mary,” and the event she is set to host for it. She started by warmly greeting viewers, and wished them a beautiful summer with their families.

“I’m very excited because I’ve got a brand new project that’s finally coming out. I’ve been pretty quiet about it because it’s just been taking a long, long time but it’s a brand new book called, ‘Herod and Mary.’ […] It comes out July 16th,” Gifford shared.

She then went on to describe the plot of the novel, which she says is a thriller about Herod the Great and Mary, mother of Jesus, and how their lives intertwined in those historic times. Further spotlighting her religious book, Gifford divulged how she found it fascinating to write.

After imploring her followers to order the book now, Gifford then disclosed, “On July 19, there’s a digital book signing that I do not want you to miss, you guys. It’s gonna be with ViciNFT and another company that I’m working with […] just to make sure that it’s a beautiful event for you and I hope you’ll join us ok?”

Gifford also penned a lengthy caption alongside the Instagram reel, giving her followers more details about her upcoming book and event. “I am SO very excited to invite everyone to the official digital signing and book talk for Herod and Mary,” she started.

People who saw Gifford in the video were astounded by how remarkably different she appeared. “What happened to your face? Hope you are not sick,” wrote a concerned Instagrammer. Others asserted their beliefs that Gifford used enhancements on her face and urged her to stop.

“I’ve always admired you so I’m telling you this. Stop with the fillers you look swollen,” remarked a social media user. Echoing the sentiment, another chimed in with, “😮 Too much filler.” However, one fan came to Gifford’s defense, praising, “You are beautiful!! Aging gracefully and loving life!”

When it comes to discussing matters concerning her life, Gifford is an open book. In an interview from 2017, she said, “Long before Google, I told the truth.” While she may think about the concept of aging more seriously as she’s grown older, it’s not because she is worried about how she may look as a result.

“It matters for me now, because […] I’m really aware that time is precious and finite and that I’m going to run out of time for some of the big things I want to do,” Gifford previously disclosed.

When it comes to aging, she has only ever embraced and faced the changes that come with it head-on. Having featured in Prevention’s “Love Your Age Week” in September 2017 with fellow “Today” anchor, Hoda Kotb, Gifford shared insights into how she feels about getting older.

When asked about whether or not she thinks the societal perspective on older women needs to change, Gifford stated, “A lot of young people don’t have respect for the past […] and they think you only have something to say if you’re under the age of 30. I’m sorry, your brain isn’t even fully formed until you’re 25, so you’ve still got a lot to learn.”

Gifford also gave people another way to view aging, citing the benefit of adopting only a positive outlook on growing older. “All day long, life is about choice. Am I going to bemoan the fact that I’m 64 years old or say, ‘Thank you, Lord, I made it to 64’?” she said.

“I’m healthy, I’m employed, my kids are awesome, life is good. I’m grateful. I think the most important reason to love your age is to be grateful for everything. If you grieve what you’ve lost in life at the expense of being grateful for what you have, you might as well take a dirt nap,” Gifford finished.

Speaking about how aging has benefitted her in her personal endeavors, Kathie Lee Gifford mentioned how growing older has helped fuel her drive and ambition. Unfazed by the double standard that exists within society when it comes to men and women aging, Gifford expressed that she is excited to be a woman in society.

The 70-year-old star also remains unbothered by what critics say about her. “I have no time for other people’s opinions. That’s the other joy of getting older—the number of people whose opinions matter has dwindled down at my age to maybe 10,” Gifford revealed. She also spoke about the importance of ensuring that one never stops learning as they grow older.