Kathy Lee Gifford calls Pagans bad nasty Pagans on Today Show

[tallwoman.9169]

Yep, that's right. Kathy Lee was asking guests at a wedding reception multiple choice questions about wedding traditions. One of the answers was Pagan. She ad libbed the bad nasty bit. On one hand I can't believe the ignorance. On the other, what else would you expect? My inbox has been filled all day with emails wanting me to sign a petition, demand an apology from the network, demand an apology from Kathy Lee, email Kathy Lee and tell her what I think. Goodness. Actually, I did email her. A bad, nasty email. Suggesting she educate herself before showing her ignorance. What a day!

[Convallaria]

For some reason, this didn't offend me in the least, however the more I think about it the more it makes me step back and say "hmmm." There really is no excuse for her to be so ignorant of the pagan population of America... not being American, and knowing that not many Canadians watching American morning shows, I'm really not worried about myself here. haha

[Caitlin.ann]

Anyone got a youtube link to share? I missed it.

[tallwoman.9169]

Actually, I've got a link to the network clip

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25368216#25368216

And here's a way to email Kathy Lee

http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/mailbag.php?mailbagrequest=submit

[Hærfest Leah]

Here you go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anFqvwQoaR8

[Lunacie]

Anyone got a youtube link to share? I missed it.

There's an article at Witchvox... go here:
http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_no.html?a=usnj&id=15827



The video of Gifford's comment can be found at the link following, about 5 minutes in:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25368216#25368216

E-mails can be sent to : today@nbc.com

Edit (5/27/08) : I recently found out that you can call 212-644-4249, press 1 and ask to speak with Jim Bell, who is the Producer of the Today Show, and complain directly to him. Thank you to the person who sent me this information!

Also, a petition has been started, please forward the link to everyone you know.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/quotnasty-bad-pagansquot-protesting-hate-speech-on-nbc



I watched and listened and the tone she used was completely uncalled for!

[Convallaria]

Woah... after actually seeing how she said it... I'm furious! She needs to apologize for this.

[Blacktail]

Screw Cathy Lee. She's a wealthy elitist. I think she dosn't give a damn about pagans, thinks we're all going to "hell", and wouldn't be able to sincerly appologize anyway. it's not, in my opinion at least, worth demanding an appology.

She would just send us one of her horrible CD's anyway.

[thought_on_a_wind]

I always thought of her as a hybrid between Courtney Love and Maddona... except having no redeeming factors...

She needs canned...

[Cake-eating_Moth]

Screw Cathy Lee. She's a wealthy elitist. I think she dosn't give a damn about pagans, thinks we're all going to "hell", and wouldn't be able to sincerly appologize anyway. it's not, in my opinion at least, worth demanding an appology.

She would just send us one of her horrible CD's anyway.

QFT..... unfortunately.

It upset me too. Before watching it (watched it about 2 days ago, actually, when it was first put on witchvox) I was like "Yeah, it probably wasn't that bad..."... Eh, I was wrong. I was kind of upset after watching it.

If she doesn't offer up an apology, she can atleast admit to the public that she's now 'educated' herself on Paganism. Dang, that's all I ask for...

[tallwoman.9169]

She would just send us one of her horrible CD's anyway.

Actually, that was the consolation prize for getting the question wrong! Or should I say torture?

[WynterWynd]

Screw Cathy Lee. She's a wealthy elitist. I think she dosn't give a damn about pagans, thinks we're all going to "hell", and wouldn't be able to sincerly appologize anyway. it's not, in my opinion at least, worth demanding an appology.

She would just send us one of her horrible CD's anyway.

Awe come on :wah: that was just mean......
Hasn't she already been nasty enough

:hehehehe:

[thought_on_a_wind]

QFT..... unfortunately.

It upset me too. Before watching it (watched it about 2 days ago, actually, when it was first put on witchvox) I was like "Yeah, it probably wasn't that bad..."... Eh, I was wrong. I was kind of upset after watching it.

If she doesn't offer up an apology, she can atleast admit to the public that she's now 'educated' herself on Paganism. Dang, that's all I ask for...
Lessee here... Knowing that she wouldn't really be remorseful would make a public apology all the sweeter (at least to me). Heh, let her rot in her own self-pity for having to redress her own comment in front of millions...

[Louisvillian]

Here you go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anFqvwQoaR8
Seems...pretty...innocuous, actually. :giggle:
She's using it to describe pagans of the bronze and iron ages, who were pretty nasty and bad compared to pagans of today. Then again, just about anyone in the bronze and iron ages were nasty, crude, stupid, and superstitious compared to today's people. I severely doubt that it was a deliberate crack against the modern neopagan community. Ignorant, sure; insensitive, yes; malicious, absolutely not.

[thought_on_a_wind]

Seems...pretty...innocuous, actually. :giggle:
She's using it to describe pagans of the bronze and iron ages, who were pretty nasty and bad compared to pagans of today. Then again, just about anyone in the bronze and iron ages were nasty, crude, stupid, and superstitious compared to today's people. I severely doubt that it was a deliberate crack against the modern neopagan community. Ignorant, sure; insensitive, yes; malicious, absolutely not.
At least in my area, they are considered one and the same by Fundy's.

[Louisvillian]

At least in my area, they are considered one and the same by Fundy's.
Well, then you ignore those kind of stupid people. In my opinion, forcing people to make BS P-C "public apologies" for an insensitive remark is just as stupid as religiously intolerant statements.

The only thing I despise more than religious intolerance is political correctness. It is just as dangerous to our civil liberties, and hides under a hypocritical mask of benignity.

[Agaliha]

It might just be me, but I really didn't give a crap. _inabox_

I can see why many would be annoyed, though.
Adding, "nasty" and "bad" was overboard.

Maybe she added those because bad luck was mentioned in the sentence?
"Pagans believed it was bad luck to carry metal on the right side."

I have no idea. She's probably just completely ignorant that there are modern day Pagans and those words will offend them. Not that ignorance excuses things, though.

[Agaliha]

Well, then you ignore those kind of stupid people. In my opinion, forcing people to make BS P-C "public apologies" for an insensitive remark is just as stupid as religiously intolerant statements.

While it didn't personally offend me I can see why it would others and why they'd want an apology.

Anyone that said something like that about Jews, Muslims, etc would have had a major backlash.

Imagine if it was Judaism in the sentence instead..."those bad, nasty Jews"
Or that Muslims, were "bad, nasty terrorist Muslims"
etc.

That would have been like breaking news on the nat'l news channels, people commenting, bitching, etc (think Imus and his comments).

So, to not treat Paganism the same way, seems off to me.

[Louisvillian]

I'm not saying those wanting an apology aren't justifiably angry. I'm just saying they shouldn't go overboard and insist that Gifford was being malicious. One has to look at the context of the question she was asking, which implied that it referred to ancient pagans, who are a significantly different group of people than modern pagans. However, her ignorance should be brought to her attention so she can rectify the mistake in future situations, and a public apology wouldn't be terrible, as long as she actually means it. If she makes an apology doesn't mean it, it means she didn't learn anything.

[Agaliha]

I'm not saying those wanting an apology aren't justifiably angry. I'm just saying they shouldn't go overboard and insist that Gifford was being malicious. One has to look at the context of the question she was asking, which implied that it referred to ancient pagans, who are a significantly different group of people than modern pagans. However, her ignorance should be brought to her attention so she can rectify the mistake in future situations, and a public apology wouldn't be terrible, as long as she actually means it. If she makes an apology doesn't mean it, it means she didn't learn anything.

Okay. That makes sense to me.

[Caitlin.ann]

Thanks for the links, everyone.

She should at least apologize for being a dumb broad. Sheesh.

Well I've done what I can do for tonight. I may email the today show as well though.

[thought_on_a_wind]

Well, then you ignore those kind of stupid people. In my opinion, forcing people to make BS P-C "public apologies" for an insensitive remark is just as stupid as religiously intolerant statements.

The only thing I despise more than religious intolerance is political correctness. It is just as dangerous to our civil liberties, and hides under a hypocritical mask of benignity.
Would ignore it but for the prominent amount of influence they hold over everything around here... it's not uncommon to rifle through the classified adds and see "Wanted: Good Christian Man for [insert any type of job here]."

They like to equate paganism with sorcery, and sorcery with devil worship, and devil worshippers with redemption or social exhile.

[mayu]

its this kind of ignorant remark that reinforces the predujuce and ignorance of people already biast in thier thoughts of pagans.

[Convallaria]

Any word back from the network to anyone? Have there been any developments?

[Brónach Druid]

I heard that she gave brief blanketed apology saying something like she was sorry if she offended anyone. Its suppose to be in this clip. I have dial up and can't get this site to work for me, so I haven't watched it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25411...#25411068

[Brightshores]

I've never liked Kathie Lee anyway. She's free to think I'm "nasty and bad," and I'll contentedly go along thinking that she's an annoying, talentless, ignorant airhead.



I can see why many would be annoyed, though.
Adding, "nasty" and "bad" was overboard.

Maybe she added those because bad luck was mentioned in the sentence?
"Pagans believed it was bad luck to carry metal on the right side."

I have no idea. She's probably just completely ignorant that there are modern day Pagans and those words will offend them. Not that ignorance excuses things, though.

I agree with Agaliha. I'm not really offended because the context seemed so trivial (the stupid quiz) and her ignorance was so apparent..

[Fireyone]

She's thinking halloween pagans because she doesn't know better. I hope the outrage forces her to learn a thing or two.

If not let's make a group spell and make her son turn goth or something!

[Convallaria]

Her ignorance was so apparent..

That's sort of the worst part... I don't think it's acceptable to rest on ignorance as an excuse for offensive behavior.

[1111]

Kathie Lee is an idiot. Her mouth gets in her more trouble.

[Glowy]

she is a twit. I find it hard to believe she is still employed.

[Caitlin.ann]

I heard that she gave brief blanketed apology saying something like she was sorry if she offended anyone. Its suppose to be in this clip. I have dial up and can't get this site to work for me, so I haven't watched it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25411...#25411068

2:25 and 11 minutes into it are the snide parts. She really only made the situation a lot worse on herself. What a moron.

[Convallaria]

I heard that she gave brief blanketed apology saying something like she was sorry if she offended anyone. Its suppose to be in this clip. I have dial up and can't get this site to work for me, so I haven't watched it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25411...#25411068


IT WAS SO PETTY! Word for word, with people laughing in the background, out of the blue, they're talking about hair! and seeming like a complete brush off she says:


I think every 3 months we do this show I'm just gunna do a blanket apology to everybody that I've offended... and you know who you are. So just, I'm sorry, okay? Every one of you. Millions and Millions of you. I'm just sorry from the bottom of my heart...

Her co-host laughing right beside her the whole time...

She absolutely didn't take it seriously, but I get the impression that the network gets a lot of e-mails like the ones we sent about different offensive things that Kathy does... wouldn't that be a hint?

But while we're talking about obnoxious people on TV... I'd rather spend my energy trying to get Nancy Grace off the air, hahah! That woman is such a b____

[mayu]

she did a blanket appology, but she couldnt bring herself to say who 'we'are, i cannot belive how false this woman is, it took me a lot to sit through this irrelevent drivell to get to an apology that just wasnt ment.

i carnt beleive i wasted 5 minutes of my life listening and looking at her, ugh!

[Rudas Starblaze]

i wasnt offended in the least bit. in fact i found it rather funny. :lol:

[Agaliha]

She said:

"I'm just going to make up-- every 3 months we do this show, I'm going to do a blanket apology to anyone I've offended." *cheesy smile* "and you know who you are, so I'm just so sorry. Everyone one of you, millions and millions of you, I'm just sorry from the bottom of my heart." *sign* turns to co-host and jumps right back into conversation.

ETA: eh, someone already posted it :lol:

The part at 11:00 in my view negated any shred of sincerity she might have had. She obviously doesn't think it was a big deal and is just placating someone (network?).

[Caitlin.ann]

11 minutes in and out of nowhere:

"If that doesn't offend you to call you that..does that offend you, Hoda, anything I've done or said to you before?"
Why do you feel you need to apologize to anyone else?"
"I don't feel that I do".
"Don't apologize"

Thats basically it..

[Agaliha]

11 minutes in and out of nowhere:

"If that doesn't offend you to call you that..does that offend you, Hoda, anything I've done or said to you before?"
Why do you feel you need to apologize to anyone else?"
"I don't feel that I do".
"Don't apologize"

Thats basically it..


Yeah. Basically.
Her body language and expressions didn't help the matter.

If she's going to apologize, try to be sincere.
And second, say by name who and what you are apologizing for!
"I'm truly sorry to all the Pagans out there who were offended by my comment yesterday (?), I didn't realize that my words would hurt anyone's feelings and that was never my intent." ---would have been a lot better.

[Zephyrstorm]

I found the apology more offensive than the original comment actually.

eh. its Kathy Lee - how much more irrelevant can you get?

[Caitlin.ann]

I found the apology more offensive than the original comment actually.



I feel the same way.

[Agaliha]

I found the apology more offensive than the original comment actually.

Same. I wasn't offended or annoyed by the comment she made, but the "apology" did annoy me.

[Lyrien]

Wow, the apology was more offensive than the comment. I'm so glad I decided I couldn't stand her years ago.

[wooleybob]

She herself is a joke...:lol:

[tallwoman.9169]

Yes, she is a joke. Usually I don't get all worked up over issues like this. My attitude is usually, consider the source. For some reason this time, it hit a hot button. Maybe it was the forum in which it was said. Idk.

[Caitlin.ann]

Personally I just find she's showing the world how foolish and ignorant she really is. If the station wants to look bad with her then let them. I'll go on living my life just like everyone else. The disregard of basic human courtesy and respect really does bother me, but again I remind myself that she is not worth my anger as she has already demonstrated.

Just my added two cents. :)

[aluokaloo]

who's Kathy Lee Gifford again? I know her I'm just btrying to remember her. Isn't/wasn't she an aerobics workout instructor with a fake tan and a fake smile?

[tallwoman.9169]

She used to co-host with Regis Philbin. Has a football player husband who cheated on her a few years back. Tries to sing, personally, I don't care for her music, but many do.

[RuneCast]

I sent an email to her via her website. I even used an unspecific subject header. I'm sure a mail filter has been created already. Unfortunately I cannot sign the petition. I will not boycott Samsung. 1/4 of my electronic stuff is made by them. I like their products. They were a corporate sponsor for the segment. To the best of my knowledge, Kathy Lee Gifford is not an official spokesperson for Samsung, nor do I hold them automatically responsible.
Her words, combined with Bob Barr's and George W. Bush's regarding paganism are revealing.

Update: Okay, I watched the apology. There's an acronym for it, BS.
Rather than emphasize any further offense, I just think some 5 second sound byte on national tv in the opposite direction is in order to balance out her slip. That apology was an insult. She would not even identify us. That's refusing to dignify the situation.

[Meadhbh]

Her first comment didn't really bother me so much as her follow up statement. If they felt the need for her to say something then she should have at least made the effort to sound like she meant it.

[Clair de la Lune]

She used to co-host with Regis Philbin. Has a football player husband who cheated on her a few years back. Tries to sing, personally, I don't care for her music, but many do.


Didn't she also have a line of clothing at Wal-mart that USED UNDERPAID LITTLE CHILDREN TO MAKE THE CLOTHES AKA: SWEAT SHOPS!:eyebrow:




AND SHE HAS THE BRASS TO LOOK DOWN ON ANYBODY!!!!! WHOA LADY, YOU HAVE REALLY GOT A BRASS SET THERE!!

[WitchJezebel]

She's an obnoxious, self-centered cow - I don't put any stock into anything that she says. I wonder how she still manages to get work, I've yet to meet anyone who actually likes her.

And yes Clair she IS the one who was guilty of using sweatshop labor.

[Glowy]

Clearly she could careless about the number of people she has let down with such a hurtful comment.

I honestly can not believe she is still on the air... has she not proven herself an idiot on television countless times?..

[Shosha]

Ok... When i heard what she said in the first place I figured "she's always been pretty bimbo-ish." you know.

I wasn't really insulted by the original comment, But there was no apology in that at all. Sarcasm, and not well done sarcasm either, abounded... false faces... you know the Kathy Lee types... we all knew at least one back in highschool.

If she's not sorry, then she should keep her mouth shut in the first place.
If she understands how her comments migth make someone feel bad she should say : Here's what I said and I'm sorry I said it. I was wrong and I'll try harder in the future not to be so flippant about people's religions even if I don't know what they are or even give a rat's......nose.

[Cake-eating_Moth]

There's an online petition revolving around this now. Feel free to sign it if you feel a sincere apology needs to be given, by either her (apologizing for her ignorance, ATLEAST) or by the network for airing the segment. Some people on the petition are mentioning that her blanket apology was lame, insincere, and
IMO - makes her seem more like a 15 year old who's selfish and rebellious.

LINKY: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/quotnasty-bad-pagansquot-protesting-hate-speech-on-nbc

[Drouach]

She wasn't talking about 'pagans' general, she was particular about the 'bad & nasty' ones!!

You know the bad & nasty ones that get offended at petty tv crap?

[Caitlin.ann]

She wasn't talking about 'pagans' general, she was particular about the 'bad & nasty' ones!!

You know the bad & nasty ones that get offended at petty tv crap?

Nice generalization there. :thumbsup:

[Sequoia]

Meh. The apology was worse than the statement itself, but frankly, I don't care that much about it. I doubt she'd know what a neopagan was if a skyclad, pentacle-wearing, Rede-chanting, Hippy Goddess came up and bit her on the nose.

Just one more bimbo making a stupid comment.

[evergreen]

Meh. The apology was worse than the statement itself, but frankly, I don't care that much about it. I doubt she'd know what a neopagan was if a skyclad, pentacle-wearing, Rede-chanting, Hippy Goddess came up and bit her on the nose.

Just one more bimbo making a stupid comment.

I want to be the one to bite her on the nose! :giggle: Self tanner and ignorance has a nasty taste though...

The apology was more offensive then the actual comment. Really, I thought when she was dumb enough to leave Regis, she'd be gone from the spotlight.