Kathie Lee Gifford Talks Bruce Jenner's Transition: "This Was New for Kris"—Watch Now

Kendall and Kylie Jenner's godmother says Keeping Up With the Kardashians matriarch is "trying to get her act together, trying to be a good friend to him or her now"

Bruce Jenner transitioning came as a surprise to Kathie Lee Gifford, but Kris Jenner's longtime BFF has nothing but love for the Olympic gold medalist. 

(At this time, Bruce Jenner has not chosen to publicly identify as a woman and so E! News will continue to refer to him as Bruce and use male pronouns, until he indicates otherwise.)

Monday on NBC's Today, the daytime host admitted that despite being "dear, close friends" with the Jenners for many years, she was "shocked" when Bruce recently told her about transitioning. "I never saw this coming," she said. "I talked with Bruce last week, and nothing that I said or he said to me will be revealed, but I'm glad that we did have a long talk because he was prepared  for everything he was going to say and even more, and I'm grateful for that."

"We all want to how how to go forward," she continued. "We all want to love him through this."

Kathie Lee, who is the godmother of both Kylie and Kendall Jenner, pointed out that she and the rest of Bruce's friends and family are still figuring out "how you deal" with his transition. She has figured out, though, the most important step: "You put love first," she said, "and try and put yourself in someone else's high heels, I suppose...The story isn't over obviously. The transition goes on."

She also addressed the fact that while Bruce's first two wives Linda Thompson and Chrystie Jenner gave supportive statements to ABC News ahead of Bruce's exclusive sit-down with Diane Sawyer, Kris did not. (The Keeping Up With the Kardashians matriarch tweeted that "no one asked me to comment" for the special and she was actually "sitting with Bruce now watching this show...") As Kathie Lee said, however, "the other ladies, both fine women, had a long time to get used to this. This was new to Kris."

"She's trying to get her act together, trying to be a good friend to him or her now, trying to be a good parent," she said. "And it's complicated in ways that we cannot even comprehend. So we send our love and prayers to Bruce and his family. God loves you and so do we..."

Indeed, Bruce's family—Kris included—has been incredibly supportive. As she tweeted Friday night, "Not only was I able to call him my husband for 25 years and father of my children, I am now able to call him my hero."

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