So, things over on the Today Show are getting weird
Hoda Kotb remains mysteriously missing, and Savannah Guthrie just tested positive for COVID on air
Aux News Today
On this morning’s Today Show, two prominent faces were missing from the broadcast: Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb.
Guthrie had to abruptly leave her hosting position during the 7 o’clock hour after she tested positive for COVID-19 on air. At the top of the next hour, co-host Sheinelle Jones explained Guthrie’s sudden disappearing act.
“By the way, it has been an interesting morning for us,” Jones said. “As we said, Savannah left early, she wasn’t feeling great, so she took a COVID test. It came back positive.”
Jones continued, “So of course as soon as we found out, she rushed home to rest up. So Savannah, we love you, wishing you a speedy recovery.”
Guthrie’s positive COVID result feels like a lighter issue compared to the mysterious extended absence of Kotb, who has not appeared live on the Today Show since February 17. Neither Kotb nor NBC have shared any explanation for her disappearance as Craig Melvin, Tom Llamas, Willie Geist, and Jones trade off her hosting duties for Today and Today With Hoda And Jenna.
In addition to her work on Today, Kotb’s weekly podcast, Making Space, has not aired a new episode since February 20.
While her disappearance continues to raise concern from viewers, Kotb has taken to sharing inspirational quote graphics on Instagram, offering zero context for her truancy. Kotb last shared images of herself on February 18, but since has stuck to cryptic quotes on bravery, kindness, and the power of women. Her latest post came in yesterday, as an image with the words “Choose hope” on it.
The host has a devoted following, with many decrying that the daily broadcast just isn’t the same with her. It just doesn’t seem likely that Kotb would step away from her role without any warning, and NBC’s lack of public response strikes us as odd. We’re wishing Kotb well and hope to see her back in the saddle soon.
54 Comments
Al Roker slowly shuffling away from his co-hosts as the COVID diagnosis is announced is pretty great physical comedy to pull off on-the-fly.Al Roker is awesome. That’s my full thinking on the subject.
“great” You think it was “great” Sure you don’t want to walk that back just a tiny bit?
He’s got to be so happy that his main role on the show is no longer “let’s get Fat Al to eat this massively fattening local delicacy!”
Given his age, the fact he just got Covid last Oct, had some blood clots recently, I would have done the same thing. Granted, he may have done it also for some comedic value, I’m sure he was not wanting to get sick again for any reason. I wouldn’t put it past him to stay away from everyone tomorrow.
Answer: Al Roker, Boris Yeltsin, and presumably someone’s baby.
Question: Who are the top 3 people to ever poop their pants at the White House?
Is there a “Bottom 3?” You know Donnie had a blowout or two on the “Presidential Diet.”
Question: Who are the top 3 people to ever poop their pants at the White House?That we know of. I’m pretty sure Trump wore depends so he can never bother to use the WH crapper.
Why on earth would he ever be in contention for a positive ranking of people?
I guess the “top” in the question excludes the previous president.
He was our ‘local weatherman’ for years many long ago before NBC plucked him away. Looking back of course they did because he is awesome.
“Choose wine”
The Hoda Kot-b clone was failing, so they retired it and are prepping the Hoda Kot-c clone as we speak.
26 clones later we’ll be on Hodb Kotb and people will start to catch on.
They just don’t want a real-life Joan Calamezzo incident.
I guess Hoda is sick and dealing with it privately for now? I don’t know how “weird” I think it is. Also they might want to have marginally better health & safety protocols on their set
Yeah it’s weird Guthrie wouldn’t have tested prior to coming in if she wasn’t feeling well.
It is a little weird that they evidently haven’t said anything? Like just “Hoda isn’t feeling well, but she’s resting up and I know she wants to get well and get back as soon as possible!” or whatever – doesn’t have to have any specifics.
President Biden declaring covid is pretty much solved and then both of the top morning show hosts catching it at the same time would be a really weird reality check.
That total radio silence makes it seem even more serious. She probably got a cancer diagnosis and now it’s up to her to reveal or confirm anything about her own health.
Or, if she’s having some kind of medical procedure of the elective type that she doesn’t want the world to know about she could just be taking vacation time. I certainly wouldn’t tell my co-workers “I’m off to have my ass lifted!”
Sure, but from what I’m gathering from these articles there’s not even a “public story” like “Hoda’s on vacation” or “Hoda is feeling unwell but is recovering and will join us as soon as she can”. I mean, she is certainly entitled to her privacy, but it seems like someone in the chain could have come up with some kind of little white lie to prevent exactly this sort of speculation.
Well, if she returns with her tits pushed up to her neck…
As people in general drift towards the myriad streaming services and content- especially the youngs- I just have to ask, who the fuck watches these morning shows anymore? Does anyone other than a few retirees from Florida give two shits about Today or GMA anymore?
Me and the Mrs. We watch CBS in SPITE of Gayle “F-O-O” King. We like Tony and a lot of the correspondents, like Charlie D’Agata. We just have our coffee, wake up gently while we feed the kids, and then flush it. The first hour is all I stick around for, the wife a little longer. Second hour is what I cal The Bullshit Hour. The first is some semblance of news, slowed down so the caffein can catch up. And then Gayle makes me want to move like a sick dog moving away from a pointed stick. You think I’m going to watch “Mayor Of Kingstown” first thing in the morning? Nawp.
What?
I guess I understand… personally, I prefer peace and quiet in the morning. The last thing I want is some schmuck droning on about this-that-and-the-other meaningless news, punctuated by ads for cialis and ulcerative colitis treatments. I feel like our world is already so damn noisy.
In the summer, you’re right. I get up, make coffee around 4, sit outside and wait for the sun to come up (actually, in the summer, it’s already up by then) listen to what’s left of the birds, hear the town wake up, then get moving. My wife can’t live without the Cool Fire on, preferably with Wayne Brady or Drew Carey and a million screaming fans. When she leaves for work…that shit gets shut down. In the winter, everything is seriously closed in. Still up at 4, but it’s dark until 8, sit with the kids in the quiet, then when wifey gets up, on comes the TV and if I don’t opt for CBS, then it’s the cooking channel. How many times can one person watch Eat Bobby Flay? Marriage is compromise. Hell, LIFE is compromise. Anyone who says they don’t is lying.
Old people LOVE to have stuff like this on in the background.
My parents (so retirees from Indiana)
When I’m home on a weekday, I keep news on until about 9:30 when they’ve covered the same headlines about 5 times. It’s just to have something playing in the background and the off chance that some truly breaking news happens. NPR checks the same boxes much better and they have actual in depth stories and conversations about topics outside the 24 hour chatter.
adults who aren’t poor, don’t want to rely on the internet for everything and people who enjoy watching more than just constant movies, weeb trash or things days after they aired.
My only exposure to it is in hospital waiting rooms. Wondering if shows like this just get by on “passive” viewship.
Never had to be up early and ready for work or school before? Nobody is setting down to binge streaming when they gave 35 minutes to get kids out the door. It’s the perfect background TV shit for that stuff.
If they do, I don’t know how. Last time I saw – I mean, the last time I was in the room while the TV happened to be turned to – one of these shows, it was 75% commercials. The further I drift toward the myriad streaming services, the more I realize that commercials aren’t my thing.
Stuff like this is just background noise and moving wallpaper for people while they’re making their morning breakfast and preparing to go to work. Never mind streaming services and peak content and golden age of TV and whatever, I can’t imagine one’s going to their Netflix queue first thing in the morning when they’re still half-asleep. It’s not content you give any amount of shits about really, it’s just something to have on to wake you up a bit before you go out the door.
A lot of Gen-X and millennial stay at home moms who grew up watching it with their boomer parents watch it. According to Googleable stats, it’s only a million less viewers than SNL averages.
Noah Oppenheims’s Secretary: ‘Line 1 sir, someone wanting to fill in for the hosts.’Noah Oppenheim: ‘Name?’Secretary: ‘It’s uh……a ‘Pat Mauer’ sir.’Noah Oppenheim: ‘Hang Up. Oh and no more surprise pizza delivered by assholes wearing fake mustaches. Tell security to taze as soon as he walks through the doors.’
That’s nothing. In 2021 the Florida governor disappeared for 2 weeks and then reappeared looking pale and sickly and lost 20 pounds. But there was nothing to see there!
The guess is that either Hoda is dealing with severe COVID or she has a significant mental/physical health issue that hasn’t been fully determined yet.
Cosmetic surgery. She’s over 40 and on TV every morning.
She’d have done that in the offseason…
What off-season? It’s the Today Show.
Yes, and? People take vacation. Typically in the summer and winter at least, and usually for weeks (plural) at a time. It’s not hugely uncommon…
Yes and? Sometimes people take vacations in February because it’s fucking gorgeous in Australia where the best plastic surgeons are.
All that Chardonnay finally got to Hoda. Can you say “Dialysis” boys and girls? Sure. I knew you could.
My biggest concern would be health issues with Hoda. Something they wouldn’t disclose without her first discussing it.
Hoda hasn’t hooked up with Joe Goldberg, right?
Maybe Guthrie should have taken a test before going to work if she wasn’t feeling great.
Hoda is always the example I give when people don’t understand what the Uncanny Valley is. I’m still convinced she’s a Disney animatronic. No human looks like that.
They put a wig on one of the Country Bears?
after she tested positive for COVID-19 on air
Sorry for being pedantic, but she tested positive during the broadcast (likely during a commercial break). It’s not like she stopped mid-interview to stick a cotton swab up her nose while the cameras were rolling.
This is supposed to be a TV and film site, right? Seems like you guys should know what “on air” means.
Been aware of Hoda for 10 or 15 years. She had a morning show with Kathy Lee and was parodied on SNL.Today I learned her last name was Kotb.
Pronounced “Kottie B.”
Sounds like Hoda may have taken a break to get a snip, stretch, or lift. Those things take time to heal and, typically, you don’t make a big deal about them or tell your co-workers. You just take vacation.