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Savannah Guthrie Laughs About Throwing Away Hoda Kotb’s Junk After She Retired From ‘Today’
Out with the old! Savannah Guthrie wanted her new cohost Craig Melvin to make himself at home as he took on Hoda Kotb’s position on Today after she retired, but first that meant getting rid of some stuff the mom of two left behind.
“It’s funny, you know, it’s a new era. We gave [Hoda] this beautiful goodbye, and it’s a new era. It’s the Craig era,” Savannah, 53, told The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon during a Wednesday, January 15, appearance alongside Craig, 45. “We go in and we sit on the set, and there are these trays, you know, and it might have like a mint or whatever it is. We realize that all of the trays [were filled with] all of Hoda’s stuff.”
Savannah continued, “It was like one contact and expired bean dip and, like, belly button lint and all this stuff.”
The morning show host explained that Craig thought the items in the tray belonged to her, and she had to clarify that “none of this” belonged to her.
“So, we threw it out and I sent her a video. I was like, ‘Honey, we miss you, but here’s what’s happening,” Savannah added.
Jimmy, 50, then played the video Savannah sent to her former coworker.
“Oh, hey girl, I guess you didn’t want any of this s–t,” the Mostly What God Does author said into the camera as she tossed the tray filled with Hoda’s items into the trash. “Don’t mind me. Love you.”
The three TV personalities continued to laugh about the moment, and Savannah described the tray as “disgusting” and said it looked like it had “rusted barnacles” attached to it.
Hoda, 60, said goodbye to Today after 17 years with the program on January 10. Her last day was filled with surprise guests and sweet sendoffs from several of her friends and family. Jamie Lee Curtis, who couldn’t be there in person, gave Hoda a customized gift in honor of her retirement.
“I did have something made for you by Moy Thompson, and it’s one of my orbs, and it says, ‘Every today with you is a better day’ and the dates of your time at Today,” Jamie Lee, 66, said while describing the gift. “So, from all of your fans, your friends, me included. Thank you for being such a shining example to all of us of what’s really important, and the reason that you’re stopping is the most important. God bless you, and thank you!”
Hoda’s two daughters made a special appearance during the episode, and the three of them were serenaded with the song “Rainbow Connection” by Kermit the Frog. Plus, Hoda’s former cohost Kathie Lee Gifford pulled off a surprise appearance by attending in person. Kathie Lee, 71, had previously said she wasn’t going to be able to make it and would be in Nashville, Tennessee, on Hoda’s last day, but it was all in an effort to throw Hoda off the scent.
The two women chatted about their years together on the show, and Kathie Lee thanked Hoda for helping her grow in her role as a TV host.
“You took away fear,” Kathie Lee told her friend. “You proved to me that you are a fearless person.”
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