Hoda Kotb left her Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager red-faced Monday morning after she accused her of being too strong when she met her husband Henry Hager 20 years ago.
The duo were discussing Keith Urban’s comments about feeling “scared and nervous” about asking Nicole Kidman out, when Jenna, 42, began reminiscing about meeting her now-husband during the 2004 presidential campaign.
“But you made the first move, so he didn’t have to, right?” Hoda, 59, asked as Jenna responded, “Exactly,” before backtracking and adding, “No, I didn’t really make the first move, but like… I mean, it was clear.”
“But you know what I like about you, when you like something or want something, you say it, you don’t hide it, you don’t try to be shy about it, you just say it,” Hoda commented as Jenna. she admitted: ‘Yeah, but I kind of held back a little bit and kept my options open a little bit…’
Hoda Kotb left Jenna Bush Hager red-faced on Monday after she accused her of being too strong when she met her husband.
Jenna, a mother of three, admitted that she “kind of” made the first move when she met her husband 20 years ago.
Jenna met Henry Chase Hager during her father George W. Bush’s 2004 presidential campaign.
Jenna, pictured here with Henry in August 2023, said she ‘pulled back a little’ when she first met him.
However, Hoda wasn’t convinced when Jenna told her, ‘Don’t look at me like that!’ as the mother of two gleefully accused: ‘You didn’t do it! You practically proposed to her on the third date!’
Jenna responded, “Well, I did, but that was after I knew he was caught,” to which Hoda responded, “Wait, you catch first and then take some time to watch?”
“No, no, at first, yeah, I made the first move and then I backed off a little bit,” Jenna explained, as Hoda asked her why she did that.
‘Because I read the rules!’ Jenna responded, as Hoda and the camera crew burst out laughing.
Trying to explain herself, Jenna continued: ‘And I think you have to play… I know it’s kind of annoying, but if you act like you’re crazy about someone… if I had proposed (on) the first date, that could have been too strong.
“But they do say the deal is that you move a quarter of the way and let him come three-quarters of the way, and then you just leave your quarter,” Hoda stated as Jenna admitted, “Well, I didn’t hold him back.” ! I went in with everything!’
He then asked Hoda, ‘Okay, have you ever been bullied into making the first move?’
Hoda responded, “If I really like someone, I’ll say something like ‘oh, I hope we go on another date.’ I don’t mind saying that.”
The duo were discussing Keith Urban’s comments about feeling “scared and nervous” about asking Nicole Kidman out, when Jenna, 42, began to remember
Henry and Jenna got engaged in November 2007 and married the following May.
The couple pictured with their three children: Mila, 11, Poppy, eight, and Hal, four.
“I don’t say, ‘So you’re going to call me?'” I think it’s good to put it out there, but I think basic human nature is that when something gushes out at 100 miles an hour, you back away, and when something drips, unfortunately, you lean in.
“So, it has to be somewhere in between, you deserve a lot,” he added.
‘And then as soon as they get caught, you can propose to them, but give them a couple of months!’ Jenna joked.
Jenna and Henry got engaged in November 2007 after he asked President Bush for permission.
The wedding took place during a private ceremony on May 10, 2008 at Jenna’s parents’ Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.
The happy couple are now parents to daughters Mila, 11, and Poppy, eight, and son Hal, four.