Hoda Leaving
My mail ballot has been mailed to me. I am ready.
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Harding Street got a measure of justice yesterday. A dirty cop is off the streets. Good.
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“Today” Co-Host Hoda Kotb made a surprising announcement this morning. See this from “Today:”
Hoda Kotb has announced that she is leaving TODAY early next year, but will remain part of the NBC family.
She tearfully recounted on TODAY on Sept. 26 about how her 60th birthday celebration in August prompted a decision to make a change.
“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new,” she said. “I remembered standing outside looking at these beautiful bunch of people with these gorgeous signs, and I thought, ‘This is what the top of the wave feels like for me.’ And I thought it can’t get better, and I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on.”
Hoda’s intention to spend more time with her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, also factored into her decision.
“Obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have,” she said. “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time.
“And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”
She said she will remain with TODAY through Jan. 1, 2025, and is going to stay in the NBC family in an unspecified role.
“It’s kind of a big deal for me,” she said through tears. “I’ve been practicing so I wouldn’t cry, but anyway, I did.”
Hoda has been part of the fabric at NBC News for nearly three decades, after previously working at “Dateline” and as the co-host of the fourth hour of TODAY with Kathie Lee Gifford and then Jenna Bush Hager. She and Savannah Guthrie have co-anchored TODAY for more than five years.
“We love you so much,” Savannah tearfully said on TODAY. “And when you look around and see these tears, they’re love. You are so loved. We don’t want to imagine this place without you.
“So it’s complicated because we love you so much, and we don’t want you to ever go,” she continued. “But also I just want to say I am so proud of my friend. You have guts. For someone to leave at the top of their game, to leave something that’s wonderful that you love, where it’s easy and comfortable and beautiful and fun, and say, ‘But I dream bigger for myself into the great unknown.’ You have so much guts. You inspire me. I love you.”
The TODAY family all shared emotional messages with Hoda on the show.
“It’s not over,” Jenna Bush Hager said. “I’m going to be showing up at your house like the stalker you are to Zac Brown. I will be there on your doorstep, and we are your friends forever.”
See the featured photo. I am thinking Hoda will be replaced by third chair Craig Melvin. That would be the logical choice. I don’t know who will replace Hoda in the fourth hour with Jenna. I hope they stay within the NBC “Today” family. Stay tuned.
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The Rays and Red Sox will also not be advancing to the MLB playoffs.
We lost yesterday and have today off. We will probably know Sunday night the schedule and start times for the four Wild Card series that get going next Tuesday.
