THEY SEE FAMOUS PEOPLE
There’s no question that their kids are the most important people in
their lives, but on a daily basis, Guthrie and Kotb meet luminaries who
are changing the world. You would think that it would be old hat to
them after years of delving into the deep questions with VIPs from
politics, entertainment, and current events. But Kotb says that’s far
from the case. “When you sit with a celebrity, sometimes you kind
of feel like a little kid in a way,” she reveals. “You feel weird. I do,
at least. You almost feel a little like a fangirl, as opposed to a grown
woman interviewing a celebrity.”
Guthrie and family
Credit: Instagram/savannahguthrie
Kotb on vacation
Credit: Instagram/hodakotb
But that doesn’t mean that their sit-down sessions with presidents
and A-list actors leave a lasting impression. Kotb says that she’s
hard-pressed to remember a favorite interview and Guthrie agrees.
“I would have to strain to tell you who was on the show this
morning. Because I work really hard to get ready for it, and then as
soon as it’s over, I’m kind of onto the next phase,” she says, adding
that being up in the night with the kids might also contribute to her
lack of short-term memory.
Whoever it is, Kotb says that the best interviews are the most honest
ones. “I don’t care if they’re an A-list, or a B-list, or a C-list, or a D-list,
or someone we’ve never heard of. It doesn’t matter. But someone
who speaks the truth, all of a sudden, life breaks through,” she says.
What can viewers expect from the show this fall? The women agree
that news will be on the forefront with the looming election year,
but they’re both stoked for the frivolity of Halloween, too. Last year
Kotb was Elton John, while Guthrie was Cyndi Lauper. The previous
year, they were surprisingly believable versions of Blake Shelton
and Dolly Parton. They say there’s been a meeting to discuss this
year’s costumes, but they can’t disclose what they’ll be, only saying
it will be “epic.”
THEY MAKE TIME FOR OTHERS
Guthrie and Hotb
Credit: Instagram/savannahguthrie
Despite schedules packed with work, parenting and travel, Kotb
and Guthrie both find time to give back. Kotb is dedicated to a “tiny
organization” in New York’s Spanish Harlem called Groove With
Me. The charity teaches girls to dance from first grade through
high school. “The graduation rates among the girls who are in this
program is like 96 percent. In the school in general, the graduation
rate, I think it’s just over 50 percent,” she says. Seeing the girls’ lives
change in real time brings Kotb great pleasure, she says.
Guthrie has two pet causes. Her uncle Pierce has Down syndrome,
and she’s an ambassador for Best Buddies, but also has a Best Buddy
herself, named Tara, who visits the show. Guthrie also works with
the Dole Foundation, Elizabeth Dole’s charity that helps military
caregivers. “We always say, ‘If you’re caring for the people that care
for our veterans, then you are caring for our men and women in
uniform,’” she says.
The fact that the women both work with charities that speak to
them personally show it’s no empty gesture. They truly care about
the people around them. It’s all the more reason to want to be
their best friend.
WINTER 2019/20 11 FLYWASHINGTON.COM