It’s not every day that a seasoned broadcaster like Willie Geist gets labeled as the heartthrob of morning television. But that’s exactly what happened during a recent episode of Today With Jenna & Friends. On Tuesday, March 4, Willie sat down with cohost Jenna Bush Hager, and the conversation took an unexpected turn when Jenna dropped the bombshell that he had officially been dubbed "morning TV's boyfriend." Let’s just say Willie wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.
Jenna Bush Hager Fires the First Shot
“You really lit the internet on fire last week,” Jenna, 43, told Willie, 49, with a playful grin. “Now, here’s the deal: you might not know this, but Pedro Pascal holds the title of the internet’s boyfriend. He’s cool, he’s handsome, and everyone loves him. Well, guess what? Our team has now crowned you as morning TV’s boyfriend.”
Willie’s reaction? A mix of horror and disbelief. He winced at the comment and said, “Ugh, makes me very uncomfortable.”
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The Viral Moment That Started It All
It turns out that this title wasn’t just handed out randomly. Jenna explained that the nickname came about after a backstage interaction between Willie and guest cohost Heather McMahan went viral. The clip, which aired on Today With Jenna & Friends’ Instagram page, showed Willie hugging Heather, who couldn’t help but gush over his appearance.
“Heather, who is one of the most outgoing people I know, completely froze when she saw you,” Jenna remarked. “She was so starstruck, she barely spoke a word. And let me tell you, the internet ate it up.”
Willie chimed in, “Yeah, we had a moment. But honestly, I didn’t even know it was being recorded. I got home that night, and my wife, Christina, said she saw the video of us in the makeup room. I was like, ‘What? Where did you see that?’ She said, ‘It’s on Instagram.’ Of course it is.”
The Comments Keep Coming
The online reaction to the video was overwhelming. Fans flooded the comments section with messages of admiration for Willie. “Willie Geist has always been my news crush,” one person wrote. Another added, “Honestly, who doesn’t have a crush on Willie?”
Even Willie’s wife joined in on the fun. Christina left a comment on the video, writing, “HA! Love you, @heatherkmcmahan! I’m confident our marriages can survive this! It’s not the first time I’ve witnessed the WG phenomenon! I get it, girl. Have fun. You’re doing great this week!”
Willie joked, “Wow. Alright, I’m glad she got the last word out of that. I think she handled it better than I did.”
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The Viral Video: What Happened?
So, what exactly went down in that viral clip? In the video, Willie hugged Heather, who couldn’t help but comment on his appearance. “You look so good in blue,” she said. Willie quipped, “I don’t even have anything ready. Oh my God, I’m wearing slippers, stop.”
Then came the playful banter. “Are we an item?” Willie joked. Heather replied, “Yeah, we kind of are.” It was all in good fun, but the internet couldn’t get enough of the chemistry between the two.
Willie’s Take on the Title
When Jenna asked Willie how it felt to be called morning TV’s boyfriend, he admitted that he wasn’t quite sure what it meant. “I don’t even know what it means to be morning TV’s boyfriend,” he said. “I am on morning TV a lot. Very early in the morning, later in the morning in this case.”
Jenna pointed out, “You don’t even take a Sunday off.”
“That’s true,” Willie said. “I’m on from like six to noon most days, so I do occupy the morning. I guess it’s an honor to be in the company of Pedro Pascal.”
Willie’s humility and self-deprecating humor made the moment even more endearing, and it’s clear that his fans appreciate his down-to-earth personality just as much as his charm.
