July 2018
Celebrity Photo Of The Month
Hoda Kotb with I LOVE DANCE Staff Members & Judges
Prior to her current high-profile position at The Today Show, Hoda Kotb had been a valued member of NBC for nearly 20 years. She joined the network in 1998 as a correspondent for the news magazine DATELINE NBC.
Kotb began hosting the 10 a.m. hour of TODAY in September 2007, paired with veteran morning talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford in the slot. The two demonstrated an easy rapport and shared an Emmy win in 2010.
She had served as interim host of the opening hours - 7 and 8 a.m - of NBC’s daily morning talk show since late November 2017, when previous anchor Matt Lauer was fired. Her pairing with Savannah Guthrie proved a winning combination. On January 2, 2018, Hoda Kotb began the New Year with the announcement that she was officially taking over as co-host of TODAY.
What a delight she is! When a few ILD Show Directors and Judges extended their New York trip following the Buffalo ILD Competition, they went to Rockefeller Plaza for the NBC TODAY show. On the Plaza, Hoda not only welcomed them commenting on their “Dance Teacher” t-shirts, but took one of their cameras and said “I’m going to take a selfie with you.” How cute and sweet was that! She is such a congenial and hard-working co-host of the show. The ILD team (pictured R to L) behind Hoda are: Stacy Hardin, Karen Lundy, Kim McKimmie and Mary Schonover.
She is a talented writer too!
In 2010, she published her memoir, “Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee.” She wrote two more books, “Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives” (2013) and “Where They Belong: The Best Decisions That People Almost Never Made”(2016). Her fourth book, “I’ve Loved You Since Forever” came out this year and was adapted into a song by Kelly Clarkson.
On a personal note, (but well known to her television fans) in March of 2007, Hoda underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery for breast cancer and has since become an advocate for breast cancer awareness. On February 21, 2017, she announced on the Today Show that she had adopted a baby girl named Haley Joy Kotb.
She is so very lovely and ILD wishes her continued joy, good health and success. We love you, Hoda!
