Hoda Kotb Says 'Never Look Back,' Then Becomes Matt Lauer's Official Replacement

Half an hour into 2018, NBC News anchor Hoda Kotb tweeted three words, three hearts and an image containing three more words that neatly distilled how a lot of people have been feeling lately: "never look back." Happy new year ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/IBbaCN2XQz She could have used different words (e.g., "Fuck you, 2017!"), but Hoda Kotb is much too nice a person to be so blunt. And then this morning, this happened: .@SavannahGuthrie announces @HodaKotb will be co-anchor of TODAY. #SavannahHodaTODAY pic.twitter.com/B64n2FmCwq As seen in the clip above, "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie opened up the show by saying, "It's 2018 and we are kicking off the year right because Hoda is officially the co-anchor of 'Today,'" as Kotb sat beside her, beaming. "This has to be the most popular decision NBC News have ever made and I'm so thrilled." "Today" correspondent Eun Kyung Kim's Today.com post about the appointment opens with, Hoda Kotb has been named the co-anchor of Today, making her official debut Tuesday just after an announcement by NBC News Chairman Andy Lack. Kotb, 53, will join Savannah Guthrie at the anchor desk during the first two hours of the morning news program. She also will continue to co-host Today's fourth hour with Kathie Lee Gifford. But it takes Kim until the eighth paragraph to lay out the scandalous backstory at play here: Kotb, who joined NBC News in 1998 as a correspondent for Dateline, has been a frequent substitute in the Today anchor chair over the years. She became a fixed presence in the spot after Matt Lauer was fired as Today anchor on Nov. 28 following allegations of sexual misconduct by a female colleague. When Guthrie announced the following morning that Lauer had been dismissed, Kotb was by her side. "Over the past several weeks, Hoda has seamlessly stepped into the co-anchor role alongside Savannah, and the two have quickly hit the ground running," Lack said in an email Tuesday to staff. "Today" has instructed all of us to issue Twitter congratulations: Tweet your congrats to @SavannahGuthrie and @HodaKotb with #SavannahHodaTODAY! pic.twitter.com/dEYq0ceX3I And various NBC News personalities are totally on it: So happy for my dear friend @hodakotb !! Congratulations on being named the new Co Anchor of @TODAYshow !! Nobody does it better!! Congrats to the awesome and talented @hodakotb on her well-deserved new role as co-anchor of @TODAYshow. Love you Hoda! #SavannahHodaTODAY Bonus: Al Roker tweeted this photo of a very happy Al Roker (and, oh yeah, Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie): A hearty #congratulations to @hodakotb officially our new @TODAYshow #cohost with @SavannahGuthrie #SavannahHodaTODAY pic.twitter.com/SNNZ2y8Zko Hoda Kotb's own Twitter reaction was very Hoda Kotb-ish: Whaaaaaatttttttt! #SavannahHodaTODAY pic.twitter.com/qX53MUHxcj As for Matt Lauer, well, his longtime Twitter account, @MLauer, yields this error message: Sorry, that page doesn't exist! Actually, did Matt Lauer himself ever exist? Was he all a dream (or a nightmare)? Not sure. Anyway ... never look back!

Hoda Kotb Says 'Never Look Back,' Then Becomes Matt Lauer's Official Replacement

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