Kathie Lee Gifford, 70, reveals years-long feud with Howard Stern ended when he left a ‘surprise’ voicemail asking for her forgiveness

Kathie Lee Gifford revealed how her years-long feud with Howard Stern ended with a ‘surprise’ voicemail.

The television personality, 70, opened up about the rift between her and the disc jockey, 70, in her new memoir, I Want to Matter: Your Life Is Too Short and Too Precious to Waste.

She recalled how their beef previously started in 1995 when she sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XXIX and heard boos from the crowd.

Life! with Regis and Kathie Lee alum — who revealed why she forgave her late husband Frank Gifford for his extramarital affair with a flight attendant — later learned that Stern had encouraged his fans.

Nearly two decades later, the former Today host felt compelled to make a friendly gesture to Stern, which led to their reconciliation, as detailed in her book, released April 30, according to Fox News digital.

The television personality, 70, opened up about the rift between her and the disc jockey, 70, in her new memoir, I Want to Matter: Your Life Is Too Short and Too Precious to Waste; seen in November 2015

Gifford recalled that she wanted to wish him good luck in 2011 ahead of his appearance on the Today show in 2011, when he learned he had been cast as a judge on the seventh season of America’s Got Talent.

Despite others discouraging her from talking to the radio host, she decided to “say hi to Howard.”

“I said, ‘Hey, it’s Kathie Lee,’” she recalled. ‘I thought it was about time. I said, “I just want to wish you all the best with the new show.”

“I got up, went back and sat in the makeup room,” she said, before recounting how her hairstylists and makeup artists asked her why she was talking to him.

‘They said, “Why did you do that?” I said, ‘God told me to do that.'”

She later recalled boarding a flight when she received a call from an unknown number without caller ID, which she did not answer.

When she listened to the voicemail, she said it was a “surprise” to hear it was from Stern.

“He said, ‘I can’t believe how nice you were to me. I was so rude to you and you were so nice. I just have to apologize to you. Please call me,” she recalled.

Nearly two decades after their breakup began, the former Today host felt compelled to make a friendly gesture to Stern, which led to their reconciliation; seen on March 28

“When I listened to it, I said to my kids at the table, ‘Well, the pigs have officially flown.’ [But] I always believe that God can touch anyone’s heart,” she told the outlet.

‘I can’t hate anyone who hates me. Once you start praying for people, you can’t hate them anymore. Love cannot live where hate lives, and that is very simple.’

However, Gifford said her late husband Frank and son Cody Gifford tried to tell her not to call him back because Stern had been “terrible” to her and her family.

However, she decided to call Stern again and she said they had a productive conversation.

During their phone conversation, she recalled that the radio host had asked her to forgive him.

Gifford said she told him, “I want you to know that I forgave you 30 years ago.”

“I said, ‘I’m very happy for you that you’re asking for forgiveness, because every time we hurt someone in life, it’s important to ask for forgiveness,’” she recalled.

She said Stern seemed confused about her friendliness.

However, she decided to call Stern again and she said they had a productive conversation. During their phone conversation, she recalled that the radio host had asked her to forgive him

She said she then invited Stern, who she described as an “odd man out,” to her home for dinner. In her memoirs, she said she “pissed him off” because she was “everything he wasn’t”; seen in November 2023

“He says, ‘What?’ I said, “I forgave you thirty years ago, and I’ve been praying for you every day since. And that’s the truth.”

She said she then invited Stern, who she described as an “odd man out,” to her home for dinner.

In her memoirs, she said she “pissed him off” because she was “everything he wasn’t.”

“I saw him a few times at Sirius, and it went well,” she said. ‘I can handle a rock well. I can find something good in everyone. That’s what my faith teaches me.’