{"id":1218648,"date":"2025-02-26T13:22:59","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T13:22:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/?p=1218648"},"modified":"2025-02-26T13:22:59","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T13:22:59","slug":"savannah-guthrie-talks-today-legacy-motherhood-and-hoda-kotbs-exit-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/savannah-guthrie-talks-today-legacy-motherhood-and-hoda-kotbs-exit-exclusive\/","title":{"rendered":"Savannah Guthrie Talks \u2018Today\u2019 Legacy, Motherhood and Hoda Kotb\u2019s Exit (Exclusive)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Back in 2008, a young Savannah Guthrie<\/strong><\/a> was working as a White House correspondent for NBC when Today<\/em><\/a> sent her to Crawford, Texas, to cover Jenna Bush Hager<\/strong>\u2019s wedding to her now-husband, Henry<\/strong>. \u201cI was outside with fake hay bales,\u201d Guthrie recalls with a giggle, confessing that she had very little intel on the couple<\/a> or the event. \u201c[I was] reporting about Jenna and Henry with no information. We\u2019ve watched it back together and laughed,\u201d she adds. \u201cJenna\u2019s like, \u2018Oh, my gosh, you didn\u2019t know anything!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The Arizona native, 53, never imagined that some 16 years later, she\u2019d be working with Hager \u2014 whom she calls \u201cone of her closest friends\u201d \u2014 or that she\u2019d be a coanchor on TV\u2019s most popular morning show. \u201cI still have \u2018pinch me\u2019 moments,\u201d says the mom of two (she shares daughter Vale, 10, and son Charley, 8, with her husband of nearly 11 years<\/a>, consultant Michael Feldman<\/strong>). \u201cMost days, when I walk in and see the plaza all lit up, I can\u2019t believe it\u2019s me. I grew up watching these shows; Katie Couric<\/strong> was my idol. I was just a kid from Tucson with no ins or connections. I know how improbable and miraculous it is that I\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The busy journalist took some time out of her hectic schedule to talk to Us<\/em> about her new children\u2019s book<\/a>, Mostly What God Does is Love You<\/em> (a follow-up to her bestselling 2024 collection of essays, Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere<\/em>), the recent departure of her longtime coanchor Hoda Kotb<\/strong> and why she\u2019ll never write a memoir.<\/p>\n

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KWAKU ALSTON\/NBC<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How does it feel to be one of the most powerful women in television?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t false modesty, but I really don\u2019t believe that. But I do feel like one of the luckiest women in TV. I think our show is relevant and important, and I get to be a custodian of that for a moment. I like being part of something that matters. I\u2019m biased, but Today<\/em> is the best place to work in TV. It\u2019s joyous, it\u2019s endlessly interesting and I love the people I work with.<\/p>\n

Do you feel a sense of responsibility sitting in that chair every morning?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Definitely. You\u2019re standing on the shoulders of people who came before you, including Barbara Walters<\/strong>, who was one of the first female broadcasters. She broke barriers. Hoda and I used to talk about it all the time. Jane Pauley<\/strong>, Katie and Ann [Curry]<\/strong> and all of these people \u2014 we\u2019re so lucky to get to follow in their footsteps. So yes, it\u2019s a huge responsibility.<\/p>\n

Do you still get nervous on the job?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t get nervous when I sit down and the lights come on and [it\u2019s] \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d I do get anxious about big interviews. If I have a really big one, my husband\u2019s like, \u201cOh my gosh, steer clear.\u201d He\u2019s sliding food under the door and I\u2019ve got all my papers laid out.<\/p>\n

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\"Savannah<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Savannah Guthrie Reveals How Hoda Broke News to Her About ‘Today’ Exit<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tSavannah Guthrie wasn\u2019t surprised by cohost Hoda Kotb\u2018s decision to leave the Today show. \u201cHoda and I have had this discussion for years and years,\u201d Guthrie, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly at Project Healthy Minds 2nd Annual World Mental Health Day Gala at Spring Studios in New York City on Thursday, October 10. \u201cWe\u2019re dear [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What\u2019s a particular interview that made you feel that way?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I [recently] did one with Bill Gates<\/strong>, and there\u2019s just a lot you could talk to him about, and we only have seven minutes. You don\u2019t know what you\u2019re going to get. You can have your plan, and then [it] runs right into a real human being.<\/p>\n

How hard is it to get people to open up?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are topics people want to talk about and some that they don\u2019t. Any interview where I feel like they want to dodge [a question], that\u2019s anxiety producing. I find myself in these confrontational moments a fair bit, especially with politicians. I myself am quite nonconfrontational. I don\u2019t like it at all. But, in that moment, the job is more important. I\u2019m here. I\u2019m supposed to get the answer.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve been on the show for nearly 13 years. What are some highlights?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Covering the White House and the State of the Union, interviewing presidents and also anchoring election night. There\u2019s no kid who went to journalism school who doesn\u2019t aspire to that and get that rush. [Also] I was born in Australia. We lived there for two years, but I had no memory of it. Today<\/em> sent me back with my mom and I got to see it for the first time. The producers found the hospital and the room I was born in.<\/p>\n

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\"Savannah<\/div>
KWAKU ALSTON\/NBC<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do you ever feel like, \u201cI can\u2019t believe this is my life?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

I really do. By the way, I was a terrible high school student. I barely attended. I graduated with the most average grades. There was nothing about me that was like, \u201cOh, this one\u2019s going places.\u201d So, I know how it started.<\/p>\n

The whole Today crew seems like a big family. What role do you play?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I probably have a big sister vibe. Carson [Daly]<\/strong> is my mischievous little brother and Craig [Melvin]<\/strong> is the cool brother who explains what\u2019s going on with the game and has big opinions. We all know Al [Roker]<\/strong> is the wild uncle. Hoda was certainly our cheerleader.<\/p>\n

Hoda left in January. Do you remember when she told you her decision?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had a wedding overseas, and she called me. I said to my husband, \u201cHoda wants to call me, and she knows I\u2019m at the airport. This can\u2019t be good.\u201d I kind of had a feeling that it could be that.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>‘Today’ Show Hosts React to Hoda Kotb’s Surprising Exit<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tNews of Hoda Kotb\u2019s Today show exit is bittersweet for her cohosts. \u201cI just turned 60, and it was such a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 years old because I started thinking about that decade, like, what does that decade mean? What does it hold? What\u2019s it gonna have for me?\u201d Kotb, [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How do you feel about her being gone?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m heartbroken. But I\u2019m also thrilled for her and proud of her. That is so gutsy to leave something you love at the height of your excellence and say, \u201cI\u2019m dreaming this bigger dream for myself.\u201d She was like, \u201cI turned 60 and sure, I could do this wonderful thing with one hand tied behind my back for another 10 years,\u201d but she said, \u201cI\u2019m going to take a risk.\u201d Lucky [for] us that the perfect person was right there waiting in the wings. [Craig] has stepped into the role seamlessly.<\/p>\n

Do you think Hoda misses it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I texted her [recently] and was like, \u201cAre you still getting up at this hour?\u201d And she writes back, \u201cYes.\u201d I bet she misses all of us, but she\u2019s really happy.<\/p>\n

Did her leaving spark anything for you as far as your future on Today?<\/strong><\/p>\n

What I know now is that I have the best job with the best people, both on camera and behind the scenes. We\u2019re doing important work and [it\u2019s] fun. Who knows what the future holds? I\u2019m open, but I\u2019m pretty darn happy.<\/p>\n

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\"Savannah<\/div>
Nathan Congleton\/NBC<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You went to law school. Do you ever think about going back into that field, or even into politics?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heck no! And if I ever say that I am, please show me this and then throw me in front of a moving train. [Laughs.]<\/p>\n

You and Jenna have become very close. Tell Us about your friendship.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We were neighbors first. We literally lived next door to each other, and our kids went to the same school. We had this precious time of being in and out of each other\u2019s houses every day. Her little boy [Hal, 5] is my godson, and our husbands are buddies and we go on trips together. It\u2019s been just a wonderful surprise of life.<\/p>\n

Jenna told Us that she\u2019s gotten in trouble with Henry for revealing too much about him on the show.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He\u2019s a super good sport about it. If I was on [Today with Jenna & Friends<\/em>], I\u2019d probably be saying all kinds of things about my husband! We don\u2019t do as much talking about our personal lives on our show. [Michael] doesn\u2019t love when I talk about his snoring. He rolls his eyes. Now my kids are old enough that [they could] hear from a friend, \u201cOh, your mom said this about you,\u201d so I try to be careful \u2014 my daughter\u2019s at an age where everything is embarrassing. My mere existence is mortifying.<\/p>\n

What inspired you to write your children\u2019s book?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have little kids, and I\u2019ve read a lot of books late into the night, and I thought, \u201cThis is a sweet, gentle book with a message that we all need to hear.\u201d I imagine that a tired mom might read it to her child or that a child might love thinking about being so small and God being so big, but still loving him or her.<\/p>\n

Do you have a favorite line from it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of them is, \u201cHe is big and you are small but never too small for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

How important is faith to your family?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I want my kids to have a relationship with God. I know how much it\u2019s meant to me, especially as a mom. You\u2019re not always going to be able to protect your babies. [I want them to know] God will always be there. I don\u2019t force religion on my kids. I come from a multifaith family; my husband is Jewish. But I do think it\u2019s my responsibility to bring God into the conversation. So yes, we go to church, and yes, this is what Mommy believes, and one day, they\u2019ll make their own choices.<\/p>\n

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\"Savannah<\/div>
Nathan Congleton\/NBC<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These days, do you feel you\u2019ve found a way to balance work and parenthood?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes and no. Talk to me on a Sunday afternoon, and the answer is no \u2014 and I\u2019m probably screaming \u201cno!\u201d because there are moments when we\u2019re completely overwhelmed. I don\u2019t have it as a goal to have it all perfectly in balance because I know that can\u2019t happen. Sometimes I feel out of whack when I\u2019m working really hard, and that has a lot of my focus; then, there are times when I can downshift at work, and I\u2019m all in with the kids. But I do feel good about the constant presence and the rhythms of life right now.<\/p>\n

Do you ever experience mom guilt?<\/strong><\/p>\n

All the time. I wish it didn\u2019t have to be this way, but for me, it\u2019s part and parcel of being a mom. \u201cShould I have spent more time [with them]?\u201d or \u201cDid I get frustrated too fast?\u201d or \u201cShould I be stricter because now they don\u2019t want to eat anything but beige food?\u201d I don\u2019t want my kids to be spoiled. But how about we reframe it, and instead of shaming ourselves, we say it\u2019s part of being intentional and conscientious?<\/p>\n

Yes!<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m going with that. It\u2019s [about] caring and thinking, \u201cHow could I improve? How could I be a better mom? How can I make sure I\u2019m shaping these kids to be beautiful, generous, loving, little productive members of society?\u201d I don\u2019t care if they go to a great college or make a lot of money. I want them to know their purpose and I want them to be kind, good humans. The world needs more of those.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager’s Best BFF Moments Over the Years<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tNathan Congleton\/NBC Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager formed a strong bond both on and off the small screen. Kotb and Bush Hager joined NBC\u2019s Today in 2007 and 2009, respectively, and went on to cohost the show\u2019s fourth hour together following Kathie Lee Gifford\u2019s 2019 exit. For over five years, the duo made fans [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

You\u2019ve opened up about becoming a mom later in life. Did you ever feel like the clock was going to run out?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I felt that way for a long, long time. When I was 36, I got divorced. I wasn\u2019t married long. That was a huge disappointment. I was pretty sure that I had lost my opportunity and more or less ruined my life. All I ever really wanted was to fall in love, be a mom and have a family. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s acceptable to admit these days, but that\u2019s kind of how I was. I wanted to do something important and meaningful, but I really wanted a family.<\/p>\n

What advice would you give to women who feel like the clock is ticking?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You just have to trust that things tend to happen at the right time and maybe not on your schedule. I could never tell someone, \u201cYou\u2019ll get to have babies too at 44.\u201d That was a miracle, and I recognize that. But why not hope? Why not have faith? In Spanish, the word for wait and hope is the same. And I think a lot about how waiting and hoping are kind of the same thing. If you can find it within you to spend that time waiting with joy and expectation \u2014 even if you don\u2019t get every single thing you want \u2014 you will have spent your time wisely.<\/p>\n

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\"Savannah<\/div>
Courtesy of Savannah Guthrie\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Would you ever write a memoir?<\/strong><\/p>\n

First of all, I\u2019m not even that interested in my own life. [Laughs.] Second of all, I really don\u2019t remember! I remember broad strokes, but the running joke on Today<\/em> is that a big celebrity will come on and I\u2019d say to Hoda or Craig, \u201cI wonder what they\u2019re like, I never met them.\u201d And then they\u2019ll play some tape and it\u2019s like, \u201cOh, you sat down and did a long interview with them.\u201d It\u2019s a blur.<\/p>\n

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