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Trump appoints Charlie Kirk's widow Erika to Air Force Academy Board of Visitors
President Donald Trump appointed Erika Kirk, the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, to serve on the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.
Kirk, who serves as CEO and Board chair of Turning Point USA, is listed among those appointed by the president on the academy's website.
"The Board inquires into the morale, discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods and other matters relating to the Academy which the Board decides to consider," the site explains.
Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September, had been tapped by Trump to serve on the board last year.
"Erika is the right person to fill Charlie’s place on the Board and continue his work of inspiring the next generation of service members and advancing the Academy," Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, noted, according to KOAA.
‘WE ARE NOT AFRAID’: ERIKA KIRK VOWS TPUSA WILL CONTINUE CAMPUS DEBATES NATIONWIDE
"I look forward to working alongside her to carry on Charlie’s legacy," he noted, according to the outlet.
Pfluger, a graduate of the academy, is the board's chair.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, Turning Point USA, and Pfluger's office on Tuesday.
Iran war, 11 days in: US controls skies, oil surges and the region braces for what’s next
One week into the war with Iran, U.S. officials say American and Israeli forces are moving toward "complete control" of Iranian airspace — clearing the way for deeper strikes, a broader target list and a conflict that appears to be expanding rather than winding down.
In briefings this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine described what they called near-uncontested airspace over key corridors, a shift that allows sustained bombing operations deep inside Iran.
"We are winning with an overwhelming and unrelenting focus on our objectives," Hegseth said in a press briefing Tuesday morning.
AFTER THE STRIKES, HOW WOULD THE US SECURE IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM?
Caine said U.S. forces have now struck more than 5,000 targets in the first 10 days of operations, including dozens of deeply buried missile launchers hit with 2,000-pound penetrating bombs.
The message from Washington is one of overwhelming military advantage.
But the broader picture, rising oil prices, expanding drone warfare, strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure, and regional spillover touching NATO territory, suggests a conflict that is growing in scope even as U.S. officials project confidence in its trajectory.
Amid the intensifying conflict, Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the recently deceased Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — as the country’s new supreme leader, consolidating authority within the clerical establishment and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at a pivotal moment.
The succession, only the second since the 1979 revolution, signals continuity rather than recalibration in Iran’s posture. Mojtaba Khamenei had long been viewed as a potential successor and is closely aligned with hard-line factions inside Iran’s security apparatus.
President Donald Trump criticized the selection, saying the leadership change would not alter U.S. objectives and suggesting it reflects the same entrenched power structure Washington has sought to weaken. The administration has made clear that military operations will continue regardless of who occupies the supreme leader’s office.
Rather than opening a diplomatic off-ramp, the transition appears to reinforce the likelihood of a prolonged confrontation.
Hegseth said Tuesday that the U.S. and Israel had achieved "total air dominance" over Iran and were "winning decisively with brutal efficiency."
"That doesn't mean they won't be able to project," Hegseth said. "It doesn't mean our air defenders still don't have to defend. They do. But that is strong evidence of degradation."
"Most of their higher-end surface-to-air missile systems are not factors at this point in time," Caine said.
"Fighters are moving deeper with relative impunity," he added, noting there is "always some risk."
Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. military's Central Command, also reported that Iranian ballistic missile launches had dropped by roughly 90% from the opening days of the conflict, while drone attacks had fallen by more than 80%, attributing the decline to sustained strikes on launchers and infrastructure.
Still, officials have cautioned that air superiority does not mean every threat can be stopped. Iranian missiles and drones continue to be launched, and some have required interception across the region.
Hegseth said the campaign is transitioning from expensive standoff weapons like Tomahawk cruise missiles to 500-, 1,000- and 2,000-pound precision gravity bombs — a shift he said reflects confidence that Iranian surface-to-air missile systems have been suppressed in key areas.
He described the U.S. stockpile of such bombs as "nearly unlimited" and warned that Washington’s timeline "is ours and ours alone to control."
The emphasis on gravity bombs is more than rhetorical. It signals a move toward sustained, high-tempo operations designed not only to hit active threats but to degrade Iran’s ability to regenerate its missile force.
Even as missile launches decline, unmanned systems remain central to the war.
Iran has leaned heavily on drones — including Shahed-style loitering munitions — to strike energy facilities, pressure U.S. bases and disrupt shipping near the Strait of Hormuz. Compared to ballistic missiles, drones are cheaper and easier to deploy in volume, allowing Tehran to sustain pressure despite losses elsewhere.
In response, the United States has deployed a Ukraine-tested counter-drone interceptor system to the region. Ukrainian specialists, drawing on experience defending against Iranian-designed drones used in the Russia-Ukraine war, are assisting in strengthening base protection.
The drone fight underscores a key dynamic: while U.S. forces may dominate the skies, lower-cost unmanned systems can still impose risk and strain air defenses.
The Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and major liquefied natural gas shipments transit — has become one of the most consequential flashpoints of the war.
Drone attacks and Iranian threats sharply have reduced commercial traffic, driving up insurance costs and forcing some vessels to reroute. Oil prices have climbed above $100 per barrel amid fears that disruptions could persist.
Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities, and Iran’s retaliatory targeting of regional energy infrastructure, signal that energy assets are now active targets. Reports of strikes affecting water and desalination plants further suggest the war is expanding beyond strictly military sites.
If instability in Hormuz stretches for weeks, analysts warn, global energy markets could tighten quickly, translating into higher gasoline prices and renewed inflation pressure in the United States.
Trump warned Monday that Iran will be hit "20 times harder" than it already has if it threatens ships in the Strait.
The war has edged closer to NATO territory. Two Iranian ballistic missiles were intercepted near Turkish airspace, raising the risk of broader alliance involvement.
Iran has also struck Azerbaijan, drawing sharp condemnation from Baku and angering Turkey, Azerbaijan’s closest ally. Notably, Iran has not seen a unified regional bloc mobilize in its defense, highlighting its relative diplomatic isolation even as it escalates militarily.
Despite Hegseth’s assertion that certain offensive munitions are plentiful, sustaining air and missile defense operations is resource-intensive, and inventories of high-end interceptors were already under strain before the conflict began.
Iran has attempted to degrade radar systems tied to platforms such as THAAD and Patriot batteries. While U.S. commanders say launch rates have declined sharply, interceptors are expensive and produced in limited quantities.
Trump convened major defense contractors last week to press for accelerated production of interceptors and related systems. Expanding output could require congressional funding if the campaign continues at its current pace.
The battlefield now extends beyond launch sites and into supply chains.
The Pentagon has confirmed seven U.S. service members have been killed and eight seriously injured in Iranian strikes.
In Iran, the U.S. claims over 50 top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have been taken out. Iran claims more than 1,000 people have been killed in the strikes and approximately 175 people, including many schoolchildren, were killed in an attack on a girls’ elementary school in Minab.
No group has claimed responsibility, and investigations are ongoing.
The incident has intensified scrutiny over civilian protection as the conflict widens.
A little more than one week in, the trajectory points toward expansion rather than containment.
U.S. officials project confidence in air dominance and sustained strike capacity. Iranian leadership has consolidated under a hard-line successor. Energy markets are volatile. Drone warfare continues to test defenses. The conflict has brushed NATO territory and struck civilian infrastructure.
The central question is how far the conflict will spread, and whether military momentum can outpace the economic and geopolitical costs mounting across the region.
Americans are fed up with tipping culture as nearly 9 in 10 say it's completely 'out of control'
Americans are sick of today's tipping culture — to the point where 83% say automatic service charges should be banned, according to new research.
In a survey released Tuesday, WalletHub found that nearly nine in 10 Americans think the country's tipping culture is "out of control."
The group also found that three in five Americans think businesses are replacing employee salaries with customer tips — while 83% support banning automatic service fees.
AMERICA'S BIGGEST TIPPERS REVEALED: THE 5 MOST AND LEAST 'GENEROUS' STATES
Mandatory service fees are seen as a way to fairly compensate workers serving large parties, but WalletHub's findings suggest they are overwhelmingly unpopular among consumers.
The results were based on an online survey of 200 U.S. adults.
Americans in general are "fed up with increased tipping obligations," said Chip Lupo, an analyst at WalletHub.
"Tips have gone far beyond traditional establishments, which had been places like sit-down restaurants, bars and hair salons," Lupo told Fox News Digital.
"Now, it's everywhere you look. That's part of the frustration, because people are at a point where they don't know who to tip and how much to tip."
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Some restaurant owners, however, are wary of eliminating tipping altogether.
Vicki Parmelee, owner of Jumby Bay Island Grill in Jupiter, Florida, previously told Fox News Digital she was skeptical of a "no-tip standard," which typically translates to a mandatory service fee.
"There's no incentive for the servers to be attentive and give extra-good service. … I'm not interested in doing that here," she said.
Christopher Dietz, chief financial officer of Triple T Hospitality Group, told Fox News Digital that tipping is not intended to replace employer-paid wages in restaurants.
"Tipping is not about replacing wages, but about rewarding exceptional hospitality," the New Jersey-based expert said. "Our service professionals are specially trained and highly skilled at what they do."
Dietz added, "Tipping allows these professionals, who often go above and beyond to make guests happy, to earn more per hour than what any restaurant could afford to pay given the tight margins of the industry."
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Michelle Korsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association in Washington, D.C., said research shows that tipped servers earn a median of $27 per hour, "and that earning potential is a major reason people choose careers in restaurants — along with flexible schedules and the opportunity to build valuable skills that translate far beyond the industry.
"For years, full-service restaurant operators and their employees have worked together to preserve tipping because it works for servers," Korso continued to Fox News Digital. "It supports higher earnings for workers and helps ensure restaurants remain places where people can build careers that fit their lives and long-term goals."
Jules Hirst, the owner of Etiquette Consulting Inc. in California, agreed with the sentiment of the survey takers.
"In some ways, tipping is out of control," Hirst told Fox News Digital.
"Nobody should be tipping when you've grabbed your own water from the refrigerator," she said. "Everywhere you go, the option for tipping comes up."
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The etiquette expert added, "Tipping is for someone who goes above and beyond in service for you."
Americans do need to know when to tip and when to skip, said Diane Gottsman, owner of the etiquette-focused Protocol School of Texas.
"When you have a simple exchange, perhaps buying a cup of coffee at the coffee shop, and you are presented with an option to tip, you can hit 'skip' or 'no tip,'" she said.
"Not every exchange requires gratuity."
Although she acknowledged "tip fatigue," Gottsman said that until tipping is banned, it's important to keep in mind that restaurant servers are generally paid a lower base salary.
"If tipping [were] to be banned, it would mean that the hourly wage would need to be increased," she said.
Fox News Digital's Peter Burke contributed reporting.
Former Democrat senator joins conservative Washington news outlet as columnist
Former Democratic senator turned independent Kyrsten Sinema is joining the Washington Reporter as a contributing columnist, the outlet announced Monday.
"Senator Sinema is deeply respected across the aisle and brings a rare perspective shaped by years in Congress," founders Brian Colas and Garrett Ventry said in a statement. "Her column will be an inside look at some of the most consequential policy debates."
The two continued, "This is another step in establishing the Reporter as an independent, nonpartisan outlet dedicated to serious reporting and real policy insights. The Reporter will be announcing more contributing columnists in the coming weeks."
SINEMA BEING STALKED IN BATHROOM FOLLOWS MONTHS OF LIBERAL MEDIA PRESSURE AGAINST ARIZONA DEMOCRAT
In a comment to Fox News Digital, Colas explained that the Washington Reporter reached out to Sinema's team to provide a different perspective for its more conservative audience.
"The Reporter is a center-right publication, but our aim is to reach a bipartisan audience, and that's why we're adding some columnists who will speak to both independents and Democrats," Colas said. "For Sen. Sinema, our Republican audience also find her insights fascinating, especially some of the policy debates like AI and drug pricing and financial services."
KYRSTEN SINEMA'S SWITCH TO INDEPENDENT DESCRIBED AS 'GUT PUNCH' TO DEMOCRATS: ‘NO WIGGLE ROOM’
Sinema, a former senator from Arizona, fell out with the Democratic Party after initially opposing then-President Joe Biden's Build Back Better plan and expressing support for the filibuster despite party pressures to eliminate it.
In 2022, Sinema changed her party affiliation to independent and did not run for re-election in 2024.
Despite the backlash from her party, Colas told Fox News Digital that the overall response to Sinema joining the Washington Reporter has been largely positive.
KYRSTEN SINEMA RIPS SENATE DEMOCRATS FOR APPARENT FLIP-FLOP ON FILIBUSTER NOW THAT THEY NEED IT
"We've had a lot of offices reach out and say this is a fascinating move and we look forward to seeing or reading what Sen. Sinema thinks about issues because they see her as someone who can speak across the aisle and actually understands how legislation gets done. So the feedback has been unanimously positive," Colas said.
Colas said Sinema will join former Politico reporter Rachael Bade in the outlet's efforts to broaden its audience.
The New York Post reported in December that the Justice Department and FBI under the Biden administration considered opening a criminal investigation against Sinema after she left the Democratic Party.
Stephen Colbert mocks Paramount while accepting WGA award for confronting 'social injustice'
"The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert mocked Paramount for canceling his show after being honored at the 2026 Writers Guild Awards Sunday night.
At the ceremony, Colbert received the Walter Bernstein Award for demonstrating, with "creativity, grace and bravery, a willingness to confront social injustice in the face of adversity" after his show's recent cancellation by CBS and its parent company Paramount.
Though Colbert denied connections between himself and the blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter behind the award's name, he joked about Paramount effectively ending the "revolution" by ending his show.
COLBERT ACCUSED OF ELECTION 'STUNT' TO PUSH TALARICO AHEAD OF CROCKETT IN TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
"This is not the 1950s," Colbert said. "This is not the Red Scare. And, as far as I can tell, no one in late night is fomenting a revolution. As we know, the revolution will not be televised. It was going to be televised, but then Paramount bought it."
He added, "Evidently, the revolution was losing, like, $40 million a year — it had to go. I guess the revolution is thinking about starting a Substack."
Fox News Digital reached out to Paramount for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
CBS announced in July that it had canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and that it would officially be off the air in May 2026. Liberal critics have accused CBS and Paramount of ending the show to appease President Donald Trump and receive approval for a long-planned merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media.
STEPHEN COLBERT THINKS THEORIES LINKING HIS SHOW'S CANCELLATION TO POLITICS ARE 'REASONABLE'
CBS has said it was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," adding, "It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."
The Writers Guild of America East, however, claimed that Colbert, a frequent Trump critic, has been using his platform to push back against a "threat to democracy" in the wake of his show's impending conclusion.
"Walter would be proud to see the award go to Colbert," Tom Fontana, president of the Writers Guild of America East, said in a statement. "Colbert put his career on the line to fight back against a threat to democracy that’s much greater than just the loss of the beloved 'Late Show.' Stephen Colbert has built an empire by speaking truth to power, and we’re beyond proud to have him as a WGAE member."
Despite Fontana's statement, Colbert rejected the parallel between himself and Bernstein's history of being blacklisted.
"The blacklist wasn’t a law or a regulation or an executive order," Colbert said. "It was a voluntary industry-wide agreement to deny work to left-leaning artists out of fear that certain members of the government might publicly attack the parent corporation of these artists for the union that they belong to. It was that threat, only the threat, of trouble, that ended so many careers."
He continued, "And now while to be associated with Mr. Bernstein in any way is a great honor, I want to be clear that I do not deserve the implied parallel."
Pizza before tomatoes? Ancient Rome's version of America's favorite food looked nothing like today's
A restaurant is selling an ancient Rome-inspired pizza — and it may not taste anything like modern diners expect.
Neverland Pizzeria in Budapest, Hungary, is selling a limited-edition pie featuring ingredients that would have been available in ancient Rome.
That means no tomatoes — a New World crop — and no mozzarella.
ARCHAEOLOGISTS REVEAL NUTRITIOUS FOOD REMAINS DISCOVERED IN ANCIENT VILLA QUARTERS
Instead, the pie features epityrum, an olive paste, and garum, a fermented fish sauce popular in ancient Rome.
Its base is made of ancient grains, including einkorn and spelt, and the dough contains fermented spinach juice to help it rise.
The pie also features confit duck leg, toasted pine nuts and ricotta, plus a grape reduction.
Neverland Pizzeria founder Josep Zara said he was inspired by a fresco unearthed in Pompeii in 2023 that appeared to show a focaccia-like flatbread with spices, pomegranate seeds and dates.
"We sat down to imagine what we might be able to make using these ingredients, and without using things like tomatoes and mozzarella," Zara told The Associated Press.
"We had to exclude all ingredients that originated from America."
ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH ANCIENT BREAD THAT SURVIVED UNDERGROUND FOR 5,000 YEARS
Head chef Gergely Bárdossy said the limited ingredient list forced the team to rely heavily on experimentation.
"The fact that there wasn't infrastructure like a water system at the time of the Romans made things difficult for us, since more than 80% of pizza dough is water," Bárdossy told the AP.
"We had to come up with something that would have worked before running water."
To modern diners, the dish resembles a small flatbread made of wheat, honey and olive oil, said Lisa Roberts, a New York-based culinary archaeologist who specializes in the Mediterranean.
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"The garnishes might include a cheese pesto, made with olive oil and herbs, and locally grown fruits, including pomegranate seeds, dates, pears and plums," she told Fox News Digital.
"If I saw this pizza today in New York or L.A., for example, I would think it was a modern chef's new take on pizza — like a breakfast or brunch pizza."
Romans were known for their love of garum "on everything," Roberts said, and she compared the fermented condiment to fish sauce or miso.
"Ancient writers prized it both as an ingredient and as medicine," she said.
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"In Italy and Spain, modern versions are made with anchovies. For Americans, Thai fish sauce would be the closest in flavor profile but less salty."
If the salty-savory-sweet combination sounds unfamiliar, Roberts noted it already has its place in American food culture.
She cited prosciutto-wrapped melon, pineapple on pizza and maple-glazed bacon as popular examples.
"I make a salad dressing with miso, honey, olive oil and lemon, and it's delicious drizzled over vanilla ice cream," she said.
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The dish is best seen as a "distant ancestor" of pizza, which was created over a millennium later, Roberts said.
"This dish belongs to a tradition called xenia, in which food images were offered as hospitality gifts in the ancient world," she said.
"In Virgil's Aeneid, Aeneas and his companions use flat wheat cakes as edible 'tables,' placing fruit and other foods on top of them. After finishing the meal, they eat the bread itself, showing that bread could serve both as a plate and part of the meal."
As for the pizza's popularity, Bárdossy said it appeals to a "narrow niche" of people.
"Most people want more conventional pizza, so it's not for everyday eating," he told the AP.
"It's something special."
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
Andrew Schulz warns 'Americans are furious' about prospect of new war while they struggle with affordability
Comedian Andrew Schulz and his co-hosts on the "Flagrant" podcast expressed bewilderment on Wednesday at why President Donald Trump launched yet another military effort in Iran while Americans struggle at home.
Schulz, who famously interviewed Trump during the 2024 campaign, has since blasted the president for appearing to execute the exact opposite of the agenda he ran on.
The military operation in Iran has divided many of Trump’s most die-hard supporters, and Schulz and his co-hosts suggested that the old techniques to win voters’ support for a foreign war just aren’t viable anymore.
"They’ve got to sell the war to America because nobody in America wants this war outside of the Persians," he said, expressing his sympathy for those with family who suffered under the radical Islamic regime. "But the rest of the people of America can't even point to Iran on a map."
He then jokingly asked his co-hosts how they might think America could make the proper sales pitch to sell the war to American taxpayers, imagining it was a time before the democratization of information, where the powers that be could merely tell people what to think.
"Is this the first war in American history where they haven’t even bothered to propagandize?" Schulz asked, suggesting, "I don’t think there’s anything that gets America to support the war."
"Of course," co-host AlexxMedia replied. "We’ve seen f------ Iraq and Afghanistan, we don’t f------ want this s--- again."
Schulz suggested that the best case scenario for public approval would be if a new regime was quickly installed, but said there is no way Americans would be in favor of a long-term engagement.
"Americans don’t give a f---, Americans can’t f------ afford healthcare, like, they don’t care what’s happening in Iran," he said.
Even the appeal of dominating the Strait of Hormuz or oil production to cripple China is a hazardous sell, Schulz said, because China and America are both so mutually dependent on each other economically. However, the idea of getting some leverage on China, in the case of a hot war, might be a decent prospect, with one major caveat.
"I wonder if Americans can’t say it, because then it looks like an attack on China," Schulz said as he and his co-hosts speculated on that scenario.
"So now they're stuck in between this rock and a hard place where they cannot give us any reason why it benefits us without pissing off China or making that declaration," Schulz added, speculating on that theory.
He continued, "And then the only reason it looks like we're in there is just because Israel needs it, and then, naturally, Americans are furious about it, right? Because we're like, ‘How the f--- does this benefit me? I can't afford to pay for college. I can't buy a home. I can't pay for health insurance. And we're going to spend billions of dollars on a war in a country I can't even point out on a map. How is this beneficial to me?’"
"That's how they feel already," AlexxMedia said.
"As they should!" Schulz agreed.
Longtime House Dem swats down attack ad from millennial challenger: 'I trust the voters'
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., pushed back against accusations of having been in office too long ahead of a primary race against challenger Evan Turnage and amid broader conversations in the Democratic Party on age and leadership.
Turnage, 33, needled Thompson’s extensive tenure in Congress, noting in a campaign ad that the incumbent had served in office for the vast majority of his life.
"We live in the poorest district in the poorest state in the country. That was true when I was one when our congressman was first elected. It’s true today," Turnage said.
"If our congressman’s 33 years in office had helped build up this district, built health and wealth in this district, there would be no need for change."
Thompson, 78, fired back on Monday.
"Elections are about giving people a choice, and I respect that process," Thompson said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"I have always run my campaigns by focusing on the needs of the people of Mississippi's Second Congressional District and the work we've done together."
FIVE SLEEPER RACES THAT COULD UPEND 2026 – FROM PENNSYLVANIA’S ALLEGHENIES TO NEW MEXICO
Turnage’s focus on Thompson’s tenure comes as several senior Democrats have announced that 2026 will be their last year in office.
Among them, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her second in command, Steny Hoyer, D-Md., have both announced they will not pursue another term come the November midterm elections.
Other notable departures include Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
Among that group, their average age is 81 years old.
Although the crowd of resignations also includes members who have given up their seats to pursue a higher office, Capitol Hill has seen a historic number of departures in the 119th Congress — the highest rate since 2018.
But Thompson, the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, doesn’t intend to join them.
If Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in the midterms, Thompson would likely find himself the chairman of Homeland Security.
"There is always more to be done, and I remain committed to continuing that progress. Ultimately, I trust the voters of the district to look at the record and make the choice they believe is best for their communities," Thompson said.
Kathie Lee Gifford says God ‘made me famous’ so she could be ‘bold’ about Jesus
Kathie Lee Gifford never chased fame. But when the spotlight found her, she made one thing clear: her faith would always come first.
The seasoned TV personality, singer and author has written a new book, "Nero & Paul." The latest installment in her "Ancient Evil, Living Hope" trilogy, co-written with Bryan M. Litfin, Ph.D., explores whether gaining power and popularity leads to happiness and fulfillment.
For the star, the answer is simple — and it has never changed.
MORGAN FAIRCHILD REFUSED TO ‘SELL MY SOUL’ FOR HOLLYWOOD FAME
"A lot of people say to me, 'I don't want to be famous.' I say, 'Well, I didn't either,'" the 72-year-old told Fox News Digital. "I didn't want to be famous, but God made me famous because I think He knew that I would be faithful to Him, faithful to tell the truth about Him, to be bold in my faith in Jesus," she said.
"I was never the most beautiful girl," she said. "I was never the most popular person trying out for something. I was never the best actress, the best everything. I was never any of that. But God knew I would be faithful; I would be bold in sharing my faith."
"People go, 'You're so bold. Why are you bold?'" Gifford shared. "I say, 'Because I have to be. Look at what God did for me. Jesus died for me so I could live. And that's enough for me.'"
WATCH: KATHIE LEE GIFFORD EXPLAINS WHY SHE’S ‘ANTI-RELIGION’ DESPITE HER DEEP CHRISTIAN FAITH
Long before her morning show fame, Gifford built lasting friendships in California based on faith — including one with Kris Jenner in the 1970s, when the two attended Bible study together.
By 1985, Gifford was co-hosting alongside Regis Philbin, and she married football star Frank Gifford a year later. In 1988, their program reached a national audience as "Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee."
Over the years, Gifford never hesitated to speak openly about her unshakable devotion to Christianity to anyone who asked. And as for anyone telling her to tone it down in Hollywood? "Never. Not once."
"If I ever had an opportunity to share Jesus with people, share the truth about Him, I would," she said. "Why wouldn't I be bold about my faith? I never understood why people wouldn't. But I never cared what people thought. I never did. I still don't. I don't care."
"Of course, I wanted people to like me," she clarified. "But I also wanted the Lord to be honored in anything I did. I wanted the Lord to be proud of me. I wanted the Lord to say, 'Well done.' That's all that truly mattered to me."
"In the New Testament, Jesus says, 'What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and yet loses his very soul?'" she said. "King Solomon voiced a similar warning in Ecclesiastes. These questions, these warnings, haven't changed in centuries."
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"I don't know why we don't learn from history. And if you look at the world today, nobody's learning a lesson from all this. People are blind to it. But ultimately, only God wins. I wish people understood that."
Gifford said it has become easier for celebrities to speak openly about their beliefs in show business. Moving forward, she would love to see more women pave the way for young entertainers finding their way.
"So many celebrities are open about it, and it’s beautiful," said Gifford. "You didn’t hear a lot of people talking about it much before. And I’m so happy they seem totally open about it now. It wasn’t out there before in the same way. I’m grateful to see it now."
"I think it would also be really powerful to see more women sharing their faith," she said. "Women were at the cross. Women were at the tomb of Jesus. We were always there. And a lot of women watch television for sure. They don’t just need me to speak out."
In her book, readers see the contrast between Roman emperor Nero, driven by ego and applause, and the Apostle Paul, who lived and died for his calling and purpose. For Gifford, success has always meant the same thing — having a steady relationship with God. She said it has given her a lasting joy that has carried her through every triumph and challenge, both in front of and behind the camera.
"We’ve all had tough days," said Gifford. "But I can’t imagine not trusting in your faith. I’ve lived an incredible, busy life. I have beautiful children and grandchildren. I don’t want to miss out on any days with them. I'm grateful for the blessings I've been given by God."
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Not every day is blissful. In 2024, Gifford fell down the stairs in her Tennessee home, breaking her pelvis in two places. The fall took place while she was recovering from a hip replacement, the Los Angeles Times reported. She's on the mend, but she admits aging "ain't fun." She also described facing "terrible arthritic pain."
"They talk about the ‘golden years,’ but they’re not so golden," she said. "Some people live a long time and don’t have any pain. But that has not been my situation. I had always been super healthy until I turned about 70."
"When I fell down the stairs, my pelvis was completely crushed, front and back. But the Lord healed me. It was extraordinary. I still have to go to physical therapy. That’s what I’ve been having to do lately. That’s no fun. But I go, and I do it. The Lord gives me the strength to do it. And I think that’s what the Lord does for all of us. He gives us strength, and we have to keep going. I cannot complain. God has always been so good to me."
Bring up Jesus, and Gifford lights up. She’s an open book. And if any young star asks for guidance, she doesn’t mince words.
"Never be a different person," she said. "I’ve never been a different person spiritually. I’ve never been anything other than what I am. Always be the same person all the time. That’s the most important thing we have to be [in this business]. Just be you authentically all the time. Don’t be a different person just because people are watching you all the time."
"I’ve always tried to be that same person who shows by and loves Jesus," she reflected. "Just be the person you are. I know it sounds easy, and for me, it is. I don’t want to be a different person spiritually. Just be authentically you in every way."
"I hope readers [of this book] understand that nothing’s changed. It’s a great story of somebody who thought that fame and fortune were everything. And it’s just not. You’re never going to get anything [meaningful] out of fame and fortune. I’ve had all the fame and fortune I could ever wish for in my life. I could throw up from it. I’ve had that much of it. I don’t want any more. I just want to be faithful to God. I guess that’s not exciting to a lot of people, but it is exciting to me."
Ex-NBA star claims there's 'residue of slavery' in pro sports leagues that have salary caps
Former NBA star Jalen Rose suggested in a recent podcast there was a racial aspect behind certain professional sports leagues having a salary cap.
Rose appeared on a live edition of the "Joe and Jada Unfiltered" podcast last week and said the "only sports that have salary caps are Black led" as he talked about his problem with the system. He named leagues like MLB, NASCAR, golf and tennis that do not have salary caps. Though he failed to mention that the NHL has a salary cap as roughly two dozen NHL players are Black.
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"The second thing is they have no after high school restrictions," he continued. "So, that’s a residue of slavery because we’re going to get money off of you for multiple years for free. There’s no way around it. So, what happened in the game, it became so obvious because of social media and because of information, it’s like ‘We’re making a billion dollars, we gotta pay them something.' That’s how it ended up happening."
The member of the "Fab Five" Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team added he was "happy" to see players get paid off of their name, image and likeness, but, "if you notice, you still got to pay the system," he said.
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Rose said another issue of his was eligibility for the pros. He noted that in the NFL, players usually have to be three years removed from high school to enter the NFL. He pointed to all-time greats in the NBA like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett have been productive coming out of high school. He didn’t mention the careers of Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry, DeSagna Diop and countless others who fizzled out without playing college basketball.
In baseball, high school players come out and get drafted but start their careers in the minor leagues.
MLB is expected to have a fight about whether to have a salary cap in the next round of collective bargaining talks. The league appears to be ready to push for one, while the players have been opposed.
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