There’s no denying that Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb have formed a bond that’s nothing short of extraordinary. These two ladies have shared countless heartwarming and emotional moments, and Jenna recently revealed one that will tug at your heartstrings. It turns out, she was in tears before interviewing the legendary Cher during her first week cohosting Today With Hoda & Jenna.
Now, picture this: Jenna, just weeks into her new role, finds herself in the bustling heart of New York City, getting ready to interview the iconic Cher. But before she could even step onto the stage, something unexpected happened. “It was the first week of our show. Hoda and I had only been hosting for a week. It was a Sunday, and I was running a little early, so I popped into Starbucks to grab a coffee,” Jenna, now 42, recounted during an episode of the talk show aired on Tuesday, November 19.
As Jenna sipped her coffee, her phone buzzed with a FaceTime call from Hoda. “She called me and said, ‘I want you to meet baby Hope.’ I got to meet her little girl right there on the call. And then I had to go back and interview Cher. I was bawling. I couldn’t stop crying. I kept thinking, ‘What does this mean for our show?’” Jenna confessed, her voice filled with emotion.
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Hoda Kotb’s Journey as a Mom
Hoda, now 60, adopted her youngest daughter, Hope Catherine, in 2019. She’s also a proud mom to daughter Haley Joy, whom she welcomed in 2017. Hoda’s family journey began not long before she and Jenna teamed up to cohost Today With Hoda & Jenna in April 2019, taking over from Kathie Lee Gifford. This new chapter in both their lives added a layer of depth to their already strong connection.
Jenna’s Emotional Confession
Jenna has been open about the challenges she faced when she first joined the Today show. She revealed that she was pregnant with her son, Hal, at the time. “I remember when I took this job, I was pregnant with Hal. I was really worried about it. I went to Hoda’s dressing room because I knew she wanted to have another baby and I knew she was in the process,” Jenna shared with People in May.
“And I also knew my sister wanted to be a mom, so I felt guilty about the fact that I could have three babies. I went to Hoda and I cried. At first, she thought, ‘Wait, you’re not taking the job?’” Jenna said, referring to her twin sister, Barbara Bush.
Hoda confessed that she initially thought Jenna was backing out of the job. “She said, ‘So are you not going to take the job?’ And I was like, ‘No, no, not that. But I just wanted to tell you.’ And she looked at me and I said, ‘You know, my mom says that everybody gets their baby right on time, but I can’t help but feel so much worry around this,’” Jenna remembered.
“And then, we started the show, and one week later. We started the show on a Monday, Sunday. She FaceTimed me, I was in Times Square interviewing Cher, and she said, ‘I want you to meet Hope.’ And she had her baby before I had mine!” Jenna added with a smile. “And it was this beautiful thing about blessings really do come when … and my mom’s right, you know. We get our blessings when it’s time. So if you’re so caught up in the, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m 30 and I’m not even loving it.’ It’s like, work towards that love.”
