Hoda Kotb’s lengthy ‘Today’ show absence caused by ‘family health matter’
The “Today” show revealed on Wednesday that Hoda Kotb has been absent from her post for more than a week because of a “family health matter.”
The journalist’s colleague Craig Melvin explained, “We can tell you that Hoda has a family health matter that she’s been dealing with.
“We look forward to seeing Hoda and Savannah [Guthrie] back on the desk,” he continued, referencing Guthrie’s recent COVID-19 diagnosis.
Kotb has yet to address the situation.
Thousands of fans have expressed their concern for the 58-year-old following her absence from the “Today” show and “Today With Hoda and Jenna” since Feb. 17.
Her “Today” channel podcast “Making Space” — which typically releases episodes every Monday morning — has also not released a new one since Feb. 20.
Kotb’s Instagram page also had her 2.2 million followers spiraling after her page transitioned from posts about her family and her job to inspirational quotes.
“Choose hope,” a graphic from Monday morning read, while another said, “Sometimes miracles are just good people with kind hearts.”
She also shared four other statements about being “brave” and “strong” amid “dark clouds.”
Hundreds of fans commented on each post, wishing her well and saying how much they missed her presence on the NBC morning shows.
In the midst of Kotb’s absence, her “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie had to unexpectedly flee the set mid-broadcast on Tuesday morning.
Guthrie started hosting the morning show at 7 a.m. but didn’t return after a commercial break half an hour later.
Sheinelle Jones — who originally co-hosted “Today 3rd Hour” but was filling in for Kotb — then revealed that Guthrie, 51, was “rushed home” after testing positive for COVID-19.
“Savannah, we love you. Wishing you a speedy recovery,” said Jones, 44.
NBC has not publicly shared when Guthrie will be able to come back or who will take both her and Kotb’s main slots on the “Today” show.
“World News Tonight” anchor Tom Llamas, “Today 3rd Hour” co-hosts Craig Melvin and Carson Daly and “Today” show regular Al Roker have all been helping out on the “Today” show.
Willie Geist and Jones have both filled in for Kotb over the last week alongside Jenna Bush Hager.
Kotb is the mother of two daughters — Haley Joy, 5, and Hope Catherine, 3 — whom she co-parents with her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman.
Despite the two calling off their engagement in December 2021, she gushed to People about having created a “healthy mix” with the “great dad” in August of the following year.
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“He’ll have a Saturday, and I’ll do the Sunday. We switch each week,” she explained at the time. “He’ll take the girls and do some fun things, and I’ll take some quiet time.”
As for how the little ones handled the transition, Kotb said, “They love it.”
Jennifer Aydin called out Rachel Fuda’s “terrible nose job” during an intense screaming match that aired on Tuesday’s “Real Housewives of New Jersey.”
It all went down during Teresa Giudice’s housewarming party, when Aydin, 45, confronted Fuda, 31, in front of their stunned co-stars.
“I called [Rachel] up and I said, ‘I’m sorry that I spoke about your nose job,’” Aydin recalled to the group. “People bad-mouth me about my terrible nose job. I felt bad about your terrible nose job, and I just felt bad. I was calling to apologize.”
Earlier in the episode, a flashback showed Aydin – who has previously admitted to being “not happy” with her “wackadoo” nose job – asking Fuda about her nose, and if it was still swelling from the procedure during a group mozzarella party (Fuda got the nose job in 2019).
“So we leave the mozz party, she calls me [and] she’s like, ‘Hey, I hope I didn’t offend you by, like, bringing up your nose job. You know I’m just like not really happy with my results,’” Fuda told friend Jennifer Fessler during a one-on-one lunch.
Fuda claimed that the call quickly turned into Aydin “s–t talking” Dolores Catania, which she alleged she was “not a part of.”
The conversation left Fuda feeling uneasy, and she later confronted Aydin at Giudice’s housewarming party.
“You had started talking s–t [about Catania], and what did I say to you? You said, ‘I’m giving context,’ and I said, ‘Jennifer, don’t get me involved,’” Fuda said.
Aydin strongly disagreed with Fuda’s statement and doubled down that she was just telling her the “history” that led to her falling out with Catania, 52, last season. However, that only fired up Fuda even more – leading both women to scream at each other at the top of their lungs.
“You f–king idiot!” Aydin shouted at Fuda, who clapped back saying, “Watch your f–king mouth” and “do not call me an idiot.”
“F–king idiot,” Aydin repeated.
Catania and Margaret Josephs both encouraged Aydin to calm down, while Catania wanted to understand why she had called Fuda to “talk about her” in the first place.
“I’m offended,” Catania told her on-again, off-again friend. “I don’t like that you did that. I’m not calling and talking about you and Bill [Aydin]!”
Aydin defended herself by saying that everyone in the group talks after “s–t goes down” at group events.
“I know her, she would never tell you to take sides. She’s not like that,” Giudice, 50, said while Josephs, 55, held her entire mouth open in shock.
Fuda clarified that Aydin “wasn’t telling me to take sides,” but it was still a conversation that she did not want “to be a part of.”
“You want a medal? That’s good! Somebody give her a medal!” Aydin sarcastically replied.
The comment seemingly sent Fuda over the edge as she grabbed her husband, John Fuda, and began to leave Giudice’s backyard.
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“Keep it moving, don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out!” Aydin exclaimed, to which Rachel snapped back, “There’s no door a–hole!”
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
Larsa Pippen has “been hanging out with” Michael Jordan — her ex-husband Scottie Pippen’s former Chicago Bulls teammate — amid her romance with his son Marcus Jordan.
The “Real Housewives of Miami” star was careful while discussing her relationship on Tuesday’s episode of “The Tamron Hall Show” but did admit that she’s been getting to know her boyfriend’s family.
“I’ve recently been hanging out with them, but I don’t really want to talk about them. I feel like it’s not about, you know, my parents or his parents — they’re all happy; our whole family’s fine,” Larsa, 48, explained when host Hall asked whether she’d met Michael, 60, and his ex-wife, Juanita Vanoy.
“I feel like it’s more about where I am, where [Marcus] is. I feel like we’re in a great place. We motivate each other. We’re really happy being together. And I feel like that’s the most important thing,” the mother of four continued, adding that both sets of parents just want to see their children “happy.”
“We’ve spent holidays together, and it’s good,” she made sure to note. “We’re in a great place.”
When asked point-blank whether she and Marcus, 32, had his parents’ “blessing,” Larsa replied, “Yeah.”
Despite the couple’s shared history, the Bravolebrity said she and her beau “literally just met at a party four years ago” and struck up a friendship.
“We have a lot of mutual friends, and so we’re kind of in the same circle,” she shared, insisting that they have “everything in common.”
As for the duo’s 16-year age difference, Larsa doesn’t believe that age “determines your level of maturity.”
“I’ve dated guys that were a lot older than me,” she pointed out. “Scottie is 10 years older than me.”
And when asked whether she and Marcus are “in love,” the jewelry designer replied, “I think so.” Larsa referred to him as her “forever Valentine” earlier this month.
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The unexpected twosome made their romance Instagram-official in January but have been photographed on numerous dates since September 2022.
As for how the contentious relationship between her ex and Marcus’ father — who won six NBA championships together — factors in, Larsa insisted she “didn’t plan it like that” but also “[doesn’t] care” about how Scottie may feel about it.
First comes the pregnancy announcement, then comes the boyfriend reveal!
“Bling Empire” star Kelly Mi Li is expecting her first child — a baby girl — with William Ma.
The couple’s first public appearance together was Saturday at the Netflix personality’s baby shower, which took place at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills in stormy Los Angeles.
“Will and I just want to thank each one of you for being here today to celebrate this special occasion to welcome our little one, especially for those who flew in, in this crazy weather. When I was imagining my baby shower, I didn’t mean a literal shower,” Li told her guests, per People.
“This weather the last few days has been as moody as my pregnancy,” she went on. “Having a new baby and being first-time parents can be really overwhelming, but each one of you here today has made us feel so supported and loved in different ways, so it really means a lot you are here today.”
Among the 40 loved ones in attendance were Li’s “Bling Empire” co-stars Kim Lee and Kane Lim; “Selling Sunset” stars Chrishell Stause, Mary Fitzgerald and Amanza Smith; “Dancing with the Stars” alum Cheryl Burke; and Natalie Lee from “Love Is Blind.”
The pink-themed soirée included balloon clusters that spelled out “A Bling Baby is on the way.”
Guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and a mimosa bar, as Katherine Ho performed Li’s favorite song: her take on Coldplay’s “Yellow,” featured in “Crazy Rich Asians.”
And what’s a baby shower without games? In one called “Find the Guest,” which was used as an icebreaker, the winner received a pair of diamond bar earrings in 14K gold.
Even the dad-to-be got in on the fun; Ma and his pregnant girlfriend, 37, sat back-to-back while raising their hands as statements about what kind of parents they expect to be were read aloud.
Li announced she was expecting in November 2022 and used pink-filled cupcakes to reveal the baby’s sex the following month.
Though she’s kept her baby daddy’s identity under wraps, the reality star has gushed over her mystery man in the past.
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“They say when you meet the right person, you will just know. I never understood the depth of this quote until he walked in my life,” Li captioned an Instagram photo of the pair facing the ocean in October 2022.
“I have never felt so supported, loved, fulfilled and cared for, nor did I know this kind of love was even possible,” she added before wishing her “best friend and partner in life” a happy anniversary.
