To prepare for his Today cohosting gig, Jenna Bush Hager’s husband, Henry Hager, recruited help from a familiar face.
Hager, 46, visited his wife’s 30 Rock colleagues to “get some tips from some pros” in a video package during the Thursday, March 27, episode of Today With Jenna & Friends. After getting a “great crash course” from NBC’s biggest personalities, Hager went to “the one person who knows [Jenna] best” — Hoda Kotb.
“I’ve got some good advice. No. 1, never point out any of her stains because she’s gonna have one here, one here and one here,” Kotb, 60, told Hager while pointing to various spots on his shirt. “Have a blow dryer at the ready. Do you know why? Armpit stains.”
For her last and “most important” words of wisdom, Kotb told Hager, “You have the best seat in the house.” He agreed, stating, “I do.”
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The surprise interaction brought Bush Hager, 43, to tears. “What is happening? That’s so sweet. Thank you for doing that,” she said after the package’s conclusion. “And you also opened my heart, so thank you. That was so sweet. I miss Hoda. She’s the best.”
Bush Hager took over Kathie Lee Gifford’s role as Kotb’s fourth hour of Today cohost in 2019. After nearly 20 years on the NBC morning show, Kotb had her final episode of Today on January 10.
Kotb has not appeared live on the show since her exit but has appeared in a handful of video messages, including one to announce her new book, Jump and Find Joy, earlier this month. She also surprised Bush Hager backstage at Jenna & Friends while she was cohosting with former NBA star Dwyane Wade.
“What is happening?” Bush Hager excitedly exclaimed before embracing Kotb in a clip shared via the show’s Instagram page on March 11. “I had to come in for a second,” Kotb stated before telling Wade, 43, he was “crushing it” as that week’s guest host.
Hager chatted with Wade about hosting in his Thursday video package. “It’s going great,” the athlete said before joking, “I kind of got a little feel of what it’s like being married to Jenna. Yeah, I’ve learned to let her talk.”
During his 30 Rock visit, Savannah Guthrie encouraged Henry to channel his past self on air. “Be that cute Henry that worked in her father’s campaign in the old days,” she quipped. “Be a little snazzy, the one that snuck out of the White House in the wee hours. That guy.”
Guthrie, 53, also recommended that Hager “tell some tales on Jenna,” adding, “She can dish it. Can she take it?”
Hager gushed over his wife at the top of Thursday’s episode, stating, “I love you. I would do anything for you, and I’m so proud of you. … You brighten my day and my life all the time, and so, let’s just do this and see how it goes.”
Bush Hager, for her part, returned the love by surprising him with a “good luck” video message from their three kids — Mila, 11, Poppy, 9, and Hal, 5.
