Hoda Kotb Holds Back Tears While Accepting Surprise Gift From Jenna Bush Hager On Her ‘Today’ Birthday Celebration: “This Is Too Much!”

By Radhamely De Leon
Published Aug. 12, 2024, 12:00 p.m. ET

More On:

hoda kotb

NBC celebrated Hoda Kotb‘s 60th birthday with a massive celebration at the Today plaza in New York City where she and Jenna Bush Hager could barely hold back their tears as they looked back on her decades-long career together.

During the live broadcast, Kotb already appeared overwhelmed with emotion by the time her co-host decided to surprise her with a gift.

“I know how much your girls mean to you. Gifting is not either of our love language, and I have a card for you, but we’re short on time,” Bush Hager explained as she handed Kotb a large, wrapped present. “This is just for you. This is something that I hope you can hang in your new home.”

Tears began to well in Kotb’s eyes as she unwrapped the present while Bush Hager explained, “I had my dad, who has started painting, paint your favorite photo of you holding your girls.”

Kotb began to openly cry and wipe her tears as she held up the painting for the audience to see. Bush Hager’s father, former U.S. President George W. Bush, who picked up painting after leaving the White House in 2009, painted a portrait of Kotb walking through a park with her daughters.

After noticing how emotional Kotb was becoming, Bush Hager quickly segued into the next thing they had planned for the broadcast. “Oh no! It’s too much, it’s too much. Okay, we have to go to a video,” she said. They later shared a hug as the show went to commercial.

She then threw it to a “very special” birthday message Kotb received from actress Sandra Bullock, who recently turned 60 as well and offered Kotb advice on becoming a mother later in life.

During the broadcast, the Today hosts were joined by a large crowd of supporters and several surprise guests who were all there to celebrate Kotb’s milestone birthday. It also marked her very first day back on Today after covering the 2024 Paris Olympics for the past two weeks. The show, which takes place during the fourth hour of Today, was on hiatus during the Olympics and was pre-empted for NBC’s live Olympic coverage.

Kotb became emotional several times during the broadcast as she watched the personalized video messages from her colleagues and loved ones.

The episode also featured some surprises for their guests, as one university student from Kotb’s alma mater was gifted a $20,000 university scholarship from the Virgina Tech Foundation’s recently established Hoda Kotb Scholarship. A dance organization that was previously featured on Today also received a $20,000 donation.

But a personalized painting from a former U.S. president certainly raises the stakes as far as birthday presents go.

Kotb concluded the episode with a special thanks to Bush Hager and Today executive producer Talia Parkinson-Jones. “This was a beautiful celebration,” she said after they wheeled out a birthday cake and sang happy birthday to her. “Thank you Jenna Bush Hager. Thank you all for coming!”

Today with Hoda & Jenna airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.