【Title/标题】
Hoda Kotb thanks 'Today' viewers for 'the ride of a lifetime' as she signs off for the last time

【Source/来源】
Media Outlet/媒体：Yahoo! Entertainment
Written by/作者：Suzy Byrne

【Transcript/文稿】

It’s the end of an era as Hoda Kotb signed off as Today co-anchor and Hoda & Jenna co-host. There was no shortage of sweet moments over the four hours of TV, with one brief preemption announcing President-elect Donald Trump's "unconditional discharge" sentence.

While there was plenty of news to deliver on Kotb's last day — the Los Angeles County fires, Jimmy Carter’s funeral — it was also very much a “Hoda-bration,” which is what NBC dubbed her week-long send-off. There were montages, colleague tributes, celebrity tributes and lots of tears.

As the news show kicked off Friday morning, co-anchor Savannah Guthrie teased that the day would be about celebrating “everything everyone adores about Hoda filled with special surprises and a lot of joy.”

The female anchor team — the first ever on the show — held hands as Kotb, wearing a white pantsuit, said, “One last time. Let’s do this.”

Kotb revealed in a behind-the-scenes video that Guthrie — who wore black for the occasion — gifted her a bracelet that says “With you” in cursive as well as a ring that says, “Love.” She said, “I feel loved and held.”

Each member of the Today team paid tribute to Kotb in a video. Guthrie, who said Kotb was “like a sister to me,” said, “I love you deeply. I always tell you: Whether you are sitting next to me or not, whether we get up at 4 o’clock in the morning or not, you will always be by my side.”

Al Roker talked about his near-death health scare in 2022, when Kotb visited him nearly every day at the hospital — so often people could have mistaken her for a doctor.

Craig Melvin, Kotb’s replacement, said, “Hoda doesn’t do interviews. She has conversations [in which] she’s peering into your soul.” He talked about how encouraging she has been of him. (Kotb wished him luck on Monday, when he takes over, joking she won’t be watching because she’ll be sleeping in.)

Carson Daly spoke of Kotb’s good energy, how she’s always singing and dancing on the set, and he dedicated Coldplay’s “All My Love” to her.

Keith Morrison, who worked with Kotb on Dateline earlier in her 26-year career with NBC News, talked about mentoring her as she learned to narrate stories. He said, “We will miss our Hoda.”

NBC correspondent Maria Shriver was there to discuss Kotb's next act professionally: launching a business in the wellness space. Shriver told her, "You're made for this... You're going to help people come alive."

Kotb, a breast cancer survivor, is known for her good energy and sharing inspiring quotes on her Instagram. The team said she added the “morning boost” segment, an uplifting story that airs after a series of tough news stories. Kotb said Jenna Bush Hager will take over the “boost,” handing her Hoda & Jenna co-host a metallic baton to commemorate the transition.

The fans in the plaza were ready to say goodbye to Kotb. There was a big crowd of people with posters and glasses that spelled out “Hoda.” Kotb quipped that a security guard outside told her, “The next time you retire, do it in July,” as it’s an especially cold week in New York.

There were a ton of celebrity tributes, from Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, who appeared in person, to pre-taped ones from Oprah Winfrey and Kristin Chenoweth. Jamie Lee Curtis also had an orb made for Kotb inscribed with, “Every today with you is a better day.”

Kotb said her decision to leave was made around her two young daughters, Haley and Hope, both of whom made an appearance. They said they were excited that their mother would be home on Monday morning to walk them to school.

Mother and daughters were serenaded by Kermit the Frog, who sang, “Rainbow Connection,” the song Kotb sings to her girls each night. Kotb became emotional listening to it, especially when her colleagues joined in.

Other family members supporting Kotb on her last day included her sister, brother, sister-in-law and nieces. She said her mother, Sameha, who has supported her as a working mom through the years by taking the kids to school, was "at home watching," having previously made several long trips to New York City from the suburbs where Kotb moved over the summer.

The 8 a.m. hour ended on the plaza, with everyone rocking purple hats and Kotb thanking "every person who came out here. I read your cards. I got your bracelets. I got the scarves you crocheted. I read the texts. I got everything. I want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you," she said. "I love you."

The celebration picked up on Hoda & Jenna at 10 a.m. Bush Hager started by saying their final show together would be "a love letter" to Kotb, and the woman of the hour replied, "I think I'm ready."

They talked about letting the emotions flow and not trying to stop them. Bush Hager joked that the show was "brought to you by Kleenex."

Kotb debuted on the fourth hour in 2007 and in 2008 began co-hosting with Kathie Lee Gifford. The current hosting team of the more light-hearted lifestyle show began in 2019 after Gifford departed.