Pint Size Social

July 21st, 2010

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD

Talk show host and mom to Cody,20 and Cass almost 17

To celebrate National Hammock Day, Kathie Lee Gifford has teamed with Hayneedle.com with a goal of putting a hammock in every American backyard. The proceeds will benefit Childhelp, a top non profit organization devoted to helping victims of child abuse. The idea is so incredibly simple that it is genius: giving Americans time to unwind with their families and enjoy the simple pleasure of a hammock will decrease the stress that often prompts altercations and stress. In this particular time of economic hardships, it is a welcome idea. And with Kathie Lee Gifford as their spokesperson, we are sure their humanitarian effort will be a success. America knows and loves Kathie Lee Gifford, best known for her 15 year run on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee. At the last count, she had 11 Emmy nominations and is a paramount example of someone who does it all: celebrity career, charitable involvements and the mother of two. When we congratulated her on her involvement with this inventive charity event, she modestly deferred and said it is the people who work at Childhelp who should be congratulated. “I’m blessed to know them,” she said, “these women are inspirational.”

We sized up Kathie Lee in our PINT SIZED interview:

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an actress and a singer all my life. I started professionally when I was about 12. It’s all I ever wanted to do. My Daddy used to say, “honey, figure out something you love to do than figure out a way to get paid for it.” He paid me five dollars one year to sing at my Grandmother’s birthday party one year and I said, “I’m a professional! I’ve been paid.”

What are your favorite kids’ shops/brands?
My children are older now, they don’t want things, they want cars. (Laughing.) My daughter is turning 17 but when she was younger she probably would have adored the princess bed they were showing here. I also love the art table with the paper. Anything that heightens children’s creativity. I think we have got to get our children away from computer screens and television screens and ipods. I am so grateful I had the childhood I did. Outside! Playing. But the world has changed so much and you can’t even let your children go outside in many places. I think it is awful. I think it is hurting us as a culture. We’re meant to relate to one another, not to a piece of machinery.

Your kids are nearly grown up now, what do you hope that they remember?
I hope they remember they had more fun in their childhood than they could possibly express. That they learned that God is their best friend and long after their mother and father are gone, he’ll be with them and that they are responsible for a great deal—not entitled to anything.

What is your key to balancing a successful career and being a successful parent?
Well, it’s always something new. It’s never boring. I have always put them first and they knew it. As busy as I might have appeared to be, they knew in their hearts that nothing was more important than they were in my life. And I think kids need to know that. They don’t mind you being busy, they like it as a matter of fact. They don’t want you sitting at home eating bonbons, getting loaded every day ‘cuz you have nothing to do. That is not a good example for your kids. So, they both want careers in this industry because they’ve seen me have it. That’s fine with me as long as they’re doing what they love to do and they’re being positive, constructive people, not destructive. The gifts god has given them they have to use for the sake of good.

What is your favorite thing to do in your downtime?
I do my pilates, I take a lot of walks with my daughter. I watch a lot of movies with my son. We’re all into working out. I have been swimming with my son. My daughter likes to cook so I like to be in the kitchen with her. This weekend I’m going with my daughter to Louisiana for a small part in a big movie called The Big Valley with Jessica Lange and Sam Neil. She has scenes with everybody. I am very excited for her. She has been studying at the Strasberg academy since she was 13. I said, “Yes Cass, you can be an actress, but be the best actress you can possibly be. Don’t take it lightly. It is a craft and you must study it as you would to become a doctor.”

What are 3 things you couldn’t live without?
My tweezers, my Bible and my family. So funny I said tweezers first…

Anna Schonberg

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