Today will go through a period of adjustment when Hoda Kotb officially leaves the show on January 10. But one guest was left very shocked by the news of her departure from the program — Mikey Day.
Mikey, 44, was a guest on the show on December 3. He was a lot of fun, singing about Hoda, 60, and Jenna, 43, and making them laugh a lot. But then, Jenna mentioned that she will need a new theme song because Hoda is officially leaving the show. The former first daughter said that Today With Hoda & Jenna will be renamed Today With Jenna & Friends.
The Saturday Night Live alum was surprised by the statement.
“[Hoda’s] leaving — did you read that?” Jenna asked Mikey during the episode.
“No! No!” Mikey screamed. “When did this come out?”
“She’s leaving January 13,” Jenna, 43, replied before Hoda corrected her and said that she is actually leaving on January 10. “Oh god — earlier than I thought!” Jenna admitted.
Mikey then walked off the set of the show during the live episode, leaving Hoda and Jenna laughing. They called after him telling him to come back to his seat. “I’m leaving too, then,” he said before walking back onto the set.
“We need you Mikey,” Hoda told him.
“Mikey, there’s a chair open,” Jenna told him. “Would you ever host a morning show?”
He seemed thrilled by the question and began singing a theme song about him and Jenna.
“Are you kidding? Let’s do it! Jenna and Mikey!” he said, sending everyone into a fit of laughter. “Immediately thinking about my own personal interest. I’m so sorry. Are you going to have guest hosts?”
Jenna said that she will be having guest cohosts on the show once Hoda leaves.
“Well, I’m throwing my hat in the ring, producers,” he sang while looking off to the producers on the side of the stage.
Jenna asked him if he would sing all of the time if he was a guest cohost on the show. “Oh yeah, you’ll be over it in 20 seconds,” he told the Sisters First author. “You’ll go, ‘Not this guy.’”
The conversation then moved on to Mikey’s popular Beavis and Butt-Head skit on Saturday Night Live with Ryan Gosling. Jenna was actually in attendance during that taping of the show and complimented Mikey for how funny it was. Jenna called it one of the “most iconic” sketches in the show’s history.
“I love you guys. Thank you so much for saying that. … I can’t believe you were there for that,” the comedian remarked. “You ladies are so nice to me. I always feel so special when I come here, so thank you and I’m mad you’re leaving for real.”
Who knows, Mikey might actually have a chance to nab the permanent cohosting spot on Today‘s fourth hour in the future. There are already multiple names being thrown around as to who could potentially sit next to Jenna in the show’s fourth hour after the period of testing out different guest cohosts.
“The network bosses have said they’re going to take their time with making this decision but they’re not going to let it drag on too long because there’s a risk that it could turn people off so they’re definitely walking a tight rope with this,” an insider told Closer in November.
