Kathie Lee Gifford is a well-known television personality, singer, songwriter, actress and author. She is best known for co-hosting the talk show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee from 1985 to 2000, and the fourth hour of NBC’s Today show from 2008 to 2019. She has also released several music albums and books, and won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2010.
Jeffrey Epstein was a notorious financier and sex offender who was accused of sexually abusing and trafficking dozens of underage girls. He died by suicide in his jail cell in August 2019, while awaiting trial on federal charges. His death sparked many conspiracy theories and questions about his connections to powerful people around the world.
Are They Related by Blood?
One of the rumors that circulated online was that Kathie Lee Gifford and Jeffrey Epstein were related by blood. This rumor was based on the fact that they both had the same surname, Epstein, at birth.
However, this is not true. Kathie Lee Gifford was born Kathryn Lee Epstein in Paris, France, to American parents, Joan and Aaron Epstein. Her father was a musician and a former US Navy Chief Petty Officer, who was stationed in France at the time of her birth. Her paternal grandfather was a Russian Jew from Saint Petersburg, and her paternal grandmother had Native American ancestry. Her mother was of French Canadian, German and English descent, and a relative of writer Rudyard Kipling.
Jeffrey Epstein was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents, Pauline and Seymour Epstein. His father worked for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation as a groundskeeper and gardener. His paternal grandparents were immigrants from Poland and Belarus, and his maternal grandparents were immigrants from Russia.
There is no evidence that Kathie Lee Gifford and Jeffrey Epstein were related by blood or shared any common ancestors.
Are They Related by Marriage?
Another rumor that suggested a possible relation between Kathie Lee Gifford and Jeffrey Epstein was that they were related by marriage. This rumor was based on the fact that Kathie Lee Gifford’s second husband, Frank Gifford, had the same surname as Jeffrey Epstein’s first wife, Rosalyn Gifford.
However, this is also not true. Kathie Lee Gifford married Frank Gifford, a sportscaster and former NFL player, in 1986. They had two children together, Cody and Cassidy, before Frank died in 2015. Frank Gifford was born Francis Newton Gifford in Santa Monica, California, to Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford. His father was an oil driller who moved the family around the country during the Great Depression. His mother was a Native American of the Caddo tribe.
Jeffrey Epstein married Rosalyn Gifford, a high school sweetheart, in 1967. They divorced in 1974. Rosalyn Gifford was born Rosalyn Weinberg in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents. Her father was a dentist and her mother was a homemaker.
There is no evidence that Frank Gifford and Rosalyn Gifford were related by blood or shared any common ancestors.
The Verdict
According to available sources, Kathie Lee Gifford and Jeffrey Epstein were not related in any way. They had different family backgrounds, origins, spouses and careers. The rumors that suggested otherwise were based on superficial similarities in their surnames or their spouses’ surnames, which are not reliable indicators of kinship.
Therefore, the answer to the question “Is Kathie Lee Gifford related to Jeffrey Epstein?” is **no**..
