NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Daughter of former President George W Bush, Jenna Bush Hager, hosts NBC’s daytime talk show, ‘Today.’ Recently, on the last episode of ‘Today’ aired on May 10, Jenna Bush Hager got teary-eyed after her “brutal honesty” about feeling guilty for not being there for her co-host Hoda Kotb.
Hoda Kotb and Jenna have been hosting the ‘Today’ show since 2019 and share a deep bond. Hoda is a veteran journalist who has been working in broadcasting for many years. She is a breast cancer survivor and a New York Times bestselling author. Her friendship with Jenna has been known to bring positivity to their show. During the latest episode of ‘Today,’ Jenna breaks down in tears on-air after she confessed her friendship with Hoda.
RELATED ARTICLES
'I feel like I haven't been there for you’
On the recent episode of ‘Today with Hoda & Jenna,’ Jenna reflected on her special bond with co-host Hoda Kotb. While the hosts were talking about the negative implications of the term “brutally honest,” Jenna demonstrated the meaning of “brutally honest” with positivity.
"If you don't tell the truth…there was a time where I was feeling a little bit…remember I was feeling a little sad with you, and not because you'd done anything, but [it was because] I didn't do anything, and I was holding it and holding it until I exploded," Jenna expressed. She continued, "So if you can't tell the truth, that would be horrible. But here's the thing, to be brutal about it.”
In response to her statement, Hoda praised her honesty and teased her that she couldn’t believe her for bringing up a personal matter, and with Hoda’s permission, Jenna explained her situation.
"When Hoda's daughter wasn't feeling well, I just wasn't there for her the way I wanted to be, and I didn't know how to be, and I felt terrible about it," explained Hager. "But I didn't know what to do, so I just said it. I said, 'I feel like I haven't been there for you." Hoda replied, "I still remember when you said that to me, and first of all, it was one of the most beautiful statements—you've had so many beautiful statements. And it touched me deeply, and it meant everything to me that you said that.”
Her words left Jenna in tears, displaying their beautiful bond, after which Hoda also started crying. After Hoda returned to the show post her daughter’s recovery, Jenna explained how much their friendship means to her. She said, "Hoda makes my life full," shared Hager. "It's so interesting, but you don't really know until somebody's kind of gone, unexpectedly, how much you depend on them." She added, "I mean, I knew I adored her, but I wrote her when she came back, and I said, 'I don't even know if you know, how much you impact my life.”
Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager's unbreakable friendship
Jenna and Hoda's friendship is something that is highly appreciated by their fans, as they portray "genuine connection." They have a close friendship that has developed since they began working together on the 'Today' show. They first met when Jenna was brought on as a correspondent for the show in 2009, and they quickly formed a bond over their shared experiences as working mothers. Since then, Jenna and Hoda have become close friends and have even co-authored a book together called 'Sisters First,' which chronicles their personal stories and the importance of sisterhood in their lives.
