Kathie Lee Gifford Calls Out “The View,” Says Show Has Turned “Vicious”

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Veteran television host Kathie Lee Gifford is openly criticizing the tone of ABC’s daytime talk show The View, saying the program has become far more hostile than when she used to appear as a guest.

Gifford made the remarks during an appearance on the Tomi Lahren is Fearless podcast, where she discussed how the once-popular talk show environment has changed over time. During the conversation, she reflected on her past visits to the program and the relationships she maintained with several of the hosts.

According to Gifford, her earlier appearances on the show were largely positive. She explained that conversations used to be civil and that she maintained friendly relationships with figures like Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg. She also noted her continued friendship with former co-host Debbie Matenopoulos.

But Gifford said the current tone of the program appears dramatically different. She told podcast host Tomi Lahren that what stands out most today is a sense of hostility among the panelists.

“Yes, but you know what I mean then about the viciousness,” Gifford said during the interview. “That part has changed.”

Details & Background

Gifford is one of the most recognizable figures in daytime television history. She first gained national fame as co-host of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, where she spent more than a decade alongside Regis Philbin. Her career later included hosting NBC’s fourth hour of the Today show.

Throughout those years, Gifford often appeared as a guest across various talk shows, including The View, which launched in the late 1990s under legendary journalist Barbara Walters.

The format of The View has remained largely consistent: a panel of women discussing politics, entertainment, and social issues. However, the program has increasingly focused on political commentary in recent years.

The current panel includes Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, and Alyssa Farah Griffin. The hosts frequently discuss national political issues and often criticize the policies and leadership of President Donald Trump during the program’s segments.

Gifford suggested that earlier versions of the show felt less driven by ideological messaging. During the podcast conversation, she explained that disagreements were once handled in a more respectful way.

“I never had a problem with anybody because they weren’t trying to proselytize everything,” she said.

Gifford also discussed her own approach to discussing faith publicly. While she frequently speaks about her Christian beliefs, she said her goal has always been to share positivity rather than condemn others.

“I share my faith, but I don’t say, ‘You’re going to go to hell if you don’t —,’ I don’t do that,” she explained. “I want people to have a little more heaven in their life than hell.”

Reactions

During the interview, podcast host Tomi Lahren agreed that the tone of television news and talk shows appears to have shifted over the years. Lahren noted that she grew up watching ABC programming and once enjoyed the network’s content.

Gifford went further, saying she believes the mood displayed on some modern talk shows reflects unhappiness among the hosts themselves.

“Everybody seems like they’re just miserable people now,” Gifford said.

She added that the tone of public conversations can influence viewers watching at home.

“Nobody thinks, ‘I may make people miserable just talking the way we’re talking,’” she said.

Gifford contrasted that atmosphere with her own outlook. She told Lahren that joy has always been central to how she approaches life and her public work.

“Nobody will ever confuse me with a miserable person,” Gifford said. “I have joy personified.”

At the time of the remarks, representatives for The View had not publicly responded to the comments.

Meanwhile, Gifford continues to focus on new creative projects. She recently released a new book titled Nero & Paul, part of her “Ancient Evil, Living Hope” trilogy written with historian Bryan M. Litfin.

The book explores themes surrounding power, ambition, and whether fame or authority truly lead to happiness.

Why This Matters to You

For many Americans, daytime talk shows once served as light entertainment and casual conversation that families could watch together. Over time, however, those programs have increasingly become platforms for political debate and commentary.

When longtime figures like Kathie Lee Gifford speak out about the shift, it highlights how dramatically the media landscape has changed.

Many viewers today feel that traditional networks have moved away from neutral discussion toward more partisan narratives. Critics argue that constant negativity and political confrontation on television can influence how Americans interact with one another in their daily lives.

At the same time, the debate reflects a broader cultural divide over media, politics, and public discourse.

For audiences across the country — especially older Americans who remember the earlier era of daytime television — the conversation raises a simple but important question: whether programs meant to entertain and inform have instead become platforms that amplify anger and division.