Kathie Lee Gifford is usually willing to laugh at herself and doesn't mind poking fun at others.

In fact, her reputation for being outspoken and not afraid to "hog the spotlight a little," began nearly two decades ago while she was still sitting next to Regis Philbin on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee."

But Gifford wasn't smiling so much Monday after she and "fourth hour co-host" Hoda Kotb on NBC's "Today" show watched the latest parody of the duo on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." The skit aired over the weekend.

For the record, Gifford bristled last April at a previous "SNL" spoof featuring host Zac Efron impersonating and making fun of Gifford's beloved (and now college-bound) son Cody.

(Gifford, fresh from the make-up chair and with hair still in curlers, even surprised Efron while he was doing a live interview with "Today" host Matt Lauer that next week. She interrupted the interview to inform Efron her own son is "much larger and cuter" than him).

So what happened this time around to get Gifford's goat?

For starters, prior to the live broadcast of her watching the skit Monday on "Today," Gifford hadn't seen the skit, citing"she's "in bed by 9 p.m. well before "SNL" airs." (Given Gifford's reaction to the skit, I really believe it.)

Secondly, this latest skit, in addition to the usual implications of Gifford being boozy (drinking on the set) and brazenly criticizing her co-host, producers and anyone in earshot, focused a great deal on her not being a good singer.

The funny Kristen Wiig who portrays Gifford in these skits laid it on thick this time, belting out Gifford's ballad "Everyone Has a Story." "SNL" newcomer Jenny Slate, who's from Chicago, played an always-dour version of Hoda.

The basic premise featured musical guests the Black Eyed Peas as "Today" show guests, waiting for their own segment, becoming increasingly agitated by Gifford's singing.

An animal trainer played by guest host January Jones, is equally rattled by the singing, even pleading off-camera to Slate, "I've been waiting since 4 a.m. [for this segment] and Kathie Lee's CD was playing on a loop [repeatedly] in the green room and it's really agitating the animals, as well as the Blackeyed Peas. . .There's a very dangerous situation brewing over here!"

Once Wiig tarts singing "Everyone Has a Story" live -- the opening for a segment honoring "real-life special stories -- the Black Eyed Peas are shown attacking Gifford. Lead singer Fergie punches Wiig in the face and shouts "Everybody Has a Headache!"

The only time the real Gifford cracked a bit of a smile -- she sat stone-faced during a split-screen effect while watching the skit -- was when the "real" Hoda chimed in and explained she was part of the skit's punchline. She cited one of Wiig's lyrics: "Everyone has a story....even Hoda has a story...but Hoda's story is boring..."

Sighed Gifford, "I don't know, everyone seems to enjoy it [the "SNL" spoofs]. I personally don't think it's so funny."

But what really seemed to annoy Gifford was her co-host saying she believed Wiig was a good singer as she impersonated Gifford, prompting Gifford to reply, "No. I'm sorry. She's not." Then her producers are heard laughing off-camera.

"Oh! It's OK to beat the crud out of me," continued Gifford.

"That's fine. But when I say that 'I'm sorry, but that woman can't sing,' that's a problem with you people?!"

After producers showed the clip a second time to see if Gifford would change her opinion, Gifford was even less amused.

"No. I think I'm going to sue her for ruining my song," said Gifford, with a flip of her hair.

"That's a nice song! And we've been doing it for a year [with this standing segment]. We've touched a lot of people's lives. And I sing it in tune."

After her producers played a cut of the real Gifford singing "Everyone Has A Story," Gifford looked into the camera and said: "See the difference? Thank you!"

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.

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