'She's Mean': Kathie Lee Gifford Under Fire for 'Shady' Remarks About LGBTQ+ Community During Rare Podcast Interview
Kathie Lee Gifford made the comment on conservative host Tomi Lahren's podcast.
March 11 2026, Published 6:21 p.m. ET
Kathie Lee Gifford's off-the-cuff comment about there being "too many letters" in the LGBTQIA+ alphabet got her in hot water with some fans, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The entertainer made the quick aside while discussing how she has so many gay friends during an appearance on Fox News host Tomi Lahren's podcast, which resulted in a slight bru-haha.
Shia LaBeouf's 'Homophobic' Comments While Being a 'Man of Faith
Shia LaBeouf was accused of making homophobic comments after his recent battery arrest.
Lahren did a quick catch-up on current events and asked Gifford if she had heard of actor Shia LaBeouf, who was recently arrested during Mardi Gras in New Orleans for battery.
The Fury actor later went on to claim in an interview that the scuffle occurred because, "When I’m standing by myself and three gays are next to me touching my leg, I get scared."
He added, "I’m sorry. If that’s homophobic, then I’m that. Yeah. I’ll be honest with you, big gay people are scary to me."
"You know what I know is acting. I hear he's become a man of faith, though," Gifford responded about her limited knowledge of LaBeouf.
Kathie Lee Gifford Shares Her Support of the Gay Community
Kathie Lee Gifford said she's 'not telling anybody how to live their life.'
"He did an interview, and it was kind of, some people would say, maybe an unhinged interview, but he was asked about his turning to Christ and the Bible, and the interviewer asked him about homosexuality in the Bible, and he said, 'Yeah, I've never had a problem with gay people.' But when asked what the Bible says, his answer was 'nah,'" the conservative podcaster explained about LaBeouf saying the Bible was against homosexuality.
"The scriptures do have something to say about it," Gifford noted.
Lahren countered, "When you kind of rectify that with popular culture and maybe how we interpret the Bible. How would you explain that to somebody who says, 'You know what? I want to be such a hardcore Christian, but I'm also big into LGBTQ. How do I reconcile those two things?'"
"That one is a four-letter word, and it's called love. L-o-v-e," the former Regis and Kathie Lee co-host shared.
The TV veteran claimed the daytime panel has grown 'vicious' compared to its earlier years.
'They've Really Got to Stop' With So Many Letters
Kathie Lee Gifford was critical of how many letters have been added to the original 'LGBT' acronym.
Gifford went on to explain that she has many gay friends despite being a born-again Christian since the age of 12.
"I've been in this business since I first got started, getting paid when I was 10 years old to sing. And I've had as many or more gay friends than straight friends or whatever," Gifford shared about how she's always felt inclusive.
She then made the gaffe when joking, "I don't even know how many letters there are now. They really got to stop with that. You know, we know what you mean."
The It's Never Too Late author added, "I'm not telling anybody how to live their life. I never have. I just know what Jesus said: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love God first."
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Kathie Lee Gifford's Comments Earn Split Reactions
Members of the gay community shared their support of Kathie Lee Gifford's comment.
After word got out about Gifford's comments about the letters representing various communities, she faced a mix of backlash and support.
"Oh! She's mean!" one person commented on X.
"I had no idea Kathie Lee Gifford was like that," a second user said about her appearance with "right-wing propagandist" Lahren.
"As a 'G', myself, I think we should end with the 'B,'" a third person wrote in defense of Gifford, and a fourth added, "She’s not wrong. The acronym is ridiculous now."
"I’m gay and agree, we need to stop adding so many letters", a fifth user cheered in support of Gifford's comment.
