Is ABC targeting Hoda Kotb to leave ‘Today’ for ‘The View’?
Hoda Kotb of NBC’s “Today” may want to take her landing strip somewhere else -- like maybe ABC’s archrival morning talk show, “The View.”
ABC executives are hot to snag Kotb as a replacement for Joy Behar, who’s leaving “The View,” according to a report in the New York Post.
On the fourth hour of “Today,” Kotb has become famous as a kind of straight woman to the ungovernable Kathie Lee Gifford, with the pair engaging in loose and often racy chick-chat. In perhaps their most famous moment, seen in the above video, a whirl of discussion about female grooming led to Kotb telling Gifford she has a “landing strip” in her private area.
The Post quoted an unnamed “media expert” as saying that “Hoda addresses several of their needs. She has news experience, which is something ‘The View’ has not had since Meredith Vieira left. She also adds some diversity to the panel.”
“The View” is remaking its panel due to the retirement of Barbara Walters and the exits of Elisabeth Hasselbeck (who’s headed to Fox News) and Behar.
As always in this type of story, talent representatives might be using the media as a negotiating tool. On the other hand, with “Today” feeling intense ratings pressure and having already been knocked off its longtime No. 1 perch by ABC’s “Good Morning America,” anything could happen.
ABC insists it’s not chasing Kotb. “There’s absolutely zero truth to this whatsoever,” a spokeswoman wrote in a statement.
An NBC spokeswoman could not be reached for comment.
[Updated, 3:29 p.m. PDT July 29: A source close to Kotb offered this reaction: “Hoda loves her job at the ‘Today’ show and is happy boozing with Kathie Lee every day.”]
What do you think of Kotb and the possibility of her joining “The View”?
ALSO:
Elisabeth Hasselbeck to leave ‘The View,’ heading to Fox News
Greta Van Susteren: Elbowed aside at Fox News by Megyn Kelly?
TCA press tour: NBC preps Hillary Clinton bio and ‘Tommyknockers’
Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT
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