Hoda Kotb had a hilarious confession during her conversation with co-host Jenna Bush Hager on December 1. While discussing how Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez got caught “canoodling” in a furniture store, Hoda, 59, admitted that she once did the same thing.
“I think I should confess that one time, when I was in New York here, living here, working here, and I was dating someone here, that we were in a furniture store, and we had a full-on makeout,” the TV personality said. Jenna, 42, was shocked and asked her co-host to clarify whether this just meant kissing or going “all the way.”
In response, Hoda noted that she didn’t go any further than kissing. “No, no, no, but you know, like a real makeout for a while,” she said, before adding, “It was so edgy because I’m like, ‘I could lose my whole job, and it’s happening right now,’ but I was kinda excited, you know that feeling?”
After Jenna teased Hoda of living “on the edge,” Hoda replied, ”It was totally sexy and a turn-on.”
Although she detailed the steamy moment, Hoda didn’t divulge who she kissed. Previously, the journalist was in a long-term relationship with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman. The two started dating in 2013 and announced their engagement in 2019. However, Hoda revealed that they had split during a 2022 episode of Today.
“Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and meaningful conversations over the holidays, and we decided that we’re better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple,” she explained at the time. “So, we decided we are going to start this new year … on our new path as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children, and as friends.”
Although their relationship didn’t last, Hoda has had nothing but positive things to say about the financier. In June of this year, the NBC host gave him a sweet shout-out via Instagram in honor of Father’s Day. Hoda adopted her daughters, Haley Joy and Hope Catherine Kotb, and she and Joel have been amicably co-parenting the children since their split.
Before she met Joel, Hoda was married to ex-husband Burzis Kanga from 2005 to 2008.