Why Was Savannah Guthrie Brought To Tears By Jenna Bush Hager?
"Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie has embraced some incredible opportunities throughout the course of her decades-long career, but she was not prepared for what her fellow "Today" crew cooked up for her recently. The group, led by Jenna Bush Hager, pulled off an incredible surprise that left both Guthrie and Hager in tears.
Guthrie started with "Today" in 2001, detailed her IMDb page, but she's never been one to stay still for too long. She's guest-hosted numerous other shows, was a guest judge on both "Top Chef" and "Project Runway," and even appeared in "Sharknado 3." While her career has been long and successful, Guthrie has had her tough moments, too. In 2019, Guthrie endured a significant eye injury after her son threw a toy train at her, which resulted in multiple surgeries to correct the damage, as she detailed on "Today." She's admitted her most embarrassing interview was with Khloe Kardashian, and a town hall she led with former President Donald Trump in October 2020 sparked big reactions from both sides of the aisle, per The Guardian.
Given all the personal and professional highs and lows Guthrie has experienced over the years, one might think it would be tough for her to pick one experience that really stood out. However, chances seem good the surprise she recently received thanks to Hager and the "Today" team will be nearly impossible to top.
Savannah Guthrie got the surprise of a lifetime
During the January 4 episode of "Today," it was revealed Savannah Guthrie celebrated her 50th birthday on December 27. Jenna Bush Hager and conspired to come up with an epic birthday gift, and they pulled off something magnificent. Hager mentioned Guthrie is a huge music fan and relies heavily on her faith — and these two passions intersected for an experience she likely never could have dreamed of: a private performance from opera singer Andrea Bocelli.
"Today" showed Hager led a confused and blindfolded Guthrie into an empty Madison Square Gardens ahead of Bocelli's event that evening. "The fact that Andrea Bocelli adapted this very famous song that I know Savannah loves, to grapple with the power of faith, is something that I think is going to move Savannah in so, so many ways," Hager detailed. Hager sat Guthrie down in the front row, keeping her blindfolded, as Bocelli's daughter Virginia started to sing "Hallelujah." Guthrie's blindfold was taken off just before the famous opera singer joined in, and both women cried listenting to the performance. "I want Savannah to know that in 50 years, she has done so much. She has brought so many people happiness," Hager noted. "I just want her to feel all the power of who she is and to feel loved, because she is." Guthrie said, "It was magical."
This is just another example of Guthrie and Hager's tight bond — not only are they neighbors, but Guthrie gushed to E! News in 2017, "She's [Hager] one of my closest friends!"