Hoda Kotb Shares the 'Huge Grenade' Kathy Lee Gifford Threw at Her Live on Air, Talks Dating After Split

Hoda Kotb likes to connect with her viewers on the Today show, but some stories she'd prefer to keep off the air. The 58-year-old journalist was a guest on Tuesday's Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen and was asked by a fan if any of her co-hosts ever shared a story about her on-air that she wished they hadn't. 

"Kath did it, she threw one huge grenade once," Kotb recalled of her former Today co-host, Kathie Lee Gifford. "I was telling her that I was married once before and I met my husband on Valentine's Day and I got the divorce papers on Valentine's Day and it was Valentine's Day."

Kotb told her co-host in the makeup room that she hated the romantic holiday, explaining the personal reason why, before they went out for the live show. 

"We go out to the set. It's all decorated with flowers and hearts and everything and I go, 'Good morning! Happy Valentine's Day!' And she looks at me and she goes, 'Not for you!'" Kotb recalled. "I go, 'What are you doing?' But I remember that grenade fell right on the table. I didn't know what to do. I was so new, I didn't know what to say. I go, 'That was makeup room talk. That wasn't for out here because we're happy out here.'"

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Kotb was previously married to coach Burzis Kanga from 2005 to 2008. 

Kotb also confirmed to host Cohen that the Saturday Night Live parody of her and Gifford by comedian Kristen Wiig "was not [Gifford's] favorite," adding, "She did not dig it. I thought it was funny. We have to laugh at ourselves."

As for her romantic life, Kotb said she's still open to looking for love after agreeing to let her Today co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, set her up following her split from Joel Schiffman. 

"Not yet, but I'm saying 'yet' because I actually think that Jenna's got a really good track record with setting people up," Kotb said when asked if she'd been on any dates since discussing a potential set up. 

"It's coming, but it has to be the right guy," Bush Hager confirmed. 

Kotb also addressed her January split from former fiancé after eight years together. 

"You want what's best for your kids but I think you also recognize, I don't know, I'm not sure every relationship is meant to go all the way," Kotb said. "I think some are meant to be. I do like that, 'For a reason, a season, or a lifetime.' Sometimes people stay in something because they feel like they should and sometimes you just have to use your voice."

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