Melvin co-anchors the first three hours the show, while Bush Hager cohosts the fourth.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Jenna-Bush-Hager-Craig-Melvin-TODAY-with-Jenna-and-Friends-110325-bf26b81797de48bd9743421c87d9d29f.jpg)
Craig Melvin began his time as a guest host on Today With Jenna & Friends with a shocking admission: he’s “never” watched cohost Jenna Bush Hager’s hour of the Today Show.
As Melvin settled into his seat during Monday’s show, he looked around the studio and told Bush Hager that it was “a nice set” before dropping his truth bomb.
“You know, I’ve never seen the show,” he said.
“That is so rude!” Bush Hager responded, before asking everyone else in the studio, “Did you hear him just say he’s never watched this show?”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Jenna-Bush-Hager-Craig-Melvin-TODAY-with-Jenna-and-Friends-02-110325-9de1100b94d04aadbc2201490dc0eaf8.jpg)
Melvin then tried to explain himself, pointing out that he is “usually in transit” after finishing hosting the first three hours of the Today Show while she works on the fourth hour of the broadcast. “But this is nice,” he added.
Bush Hager didn’t let her new guest host off easily, and she continued pressing him about it.
“Here’s the thing about it — it’s a full hour,” she said.
Melvin then agreed, adding, “I know. I could probably watch some of it.”
The NBC journalist replaced Hoda Kotb in January as co-anchor for the first two hours of Today with Savannah Guthrie, and he also cohosts the 3rd Hour of Today with Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and Dylan Dreyer.
After Kotb left the show, Bush Hager has worked with nearly 60 different celebrity guest cohosts rather than finding a permanent replacement. Melvin took the time during Monday’s episode to shout out Bush Hager for her work adapting to so many different guests and the new format.
“What you have managed to do over the last few months on this show, from just a purely broadcasting perspective — as the kids would say, real recognize real,” Melvin said. “To be able to sit next to someone different every day or two and do this, that’s a feat.”
As Bush Hager thanked him, he continued. “It’s true! Because, listen, we’ve both been in the business long enough to know you sit next to people you don’t really like a lot.”
Bush Hager denied that, however.
“No, I like everybody!” she said of her 57 previous guest hosts. “That’s the truth. I’ve kind of fallen in love with … we’ve had 57 first dates.”
“Should I be honored that I am 58?” Melvin asked her. “It’s taken 58 friends to finally be like, ‘You know, there’s a guy who literally has a dressing room across the street.’”
Watch a clip of Melvin cohosting with Bush Hager below:
Monday’s episode is the only scheduled appearance for Melvin as Bush Hager’s guest host. The next celebrities joining her in the fourth hour include Michelle Obama on Tuesday, as well as Carson Daly and Dylan Dreyer later this week.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(682x0:684x2)/jenna-bush-hager-craig-melvin-1-110325-00e8945daf0742b6a6befc9e9985cb92.jpg)
Leave a Reply