“I hope this isn’t true”: Kelly Ripa Memoir ‘Live Wire’ Might Have Created New Enemy as Kathie Lee Gifford Defends Late Regis Philbin After Being Accused of Humongous Ego and Sexism

Kathie Lee Gifford is speaking highly of her friendship with the late Regis Philbin, weeks after Kelly Ripa said she and her co-star's friendship "didn't really exist." Gifford and Philbin worked together for 15 years, spread across two popular shows. Gifford co-hosted New York's The Morning Show with Philbin since 1985, before leading their own national talk show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee from 1988 until her departure in 2000. [caption id="attachment_131695" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Kelly Ripa had a tough time around Regis Philbin during the early days of the show.[/caption] The controversy erupted after an excerpt from Kelly Ripa's memoir went viral. She