Jenna Bush Hager tried to put her “Today” show colleague Al Roker on blast during a morning segment this week.
The “Jenna & Friends” host dropped a bombshell during the “Jenna’s Morning Boost” segment before later having to correct herself. The mix-up took place on June 10 when Bush Hager revealed that her late grandmother Barbara Bush, the first lady during the term of Bush Hager’s grandfather George H.W. Bush, would be honored with a commemorative stamp.
Bush Hager then segued to asking Roker about an intimate moment that he allegedly had with Barbara Bush.
In front of their co-hosts Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie, Carson Daly, Bush Hager looked at Roker and asked, “Remember when you made out with her, Al?”
The 70-year-old journalist was taken aback, but she continued on. “Didn’t you kiss her?” she asked. Then realizing that she had the wrong man, Bush Hager revealed the identity of the actual person who laid a smooch on her grandmother.
She said, “That was Willard,” referring to Willard Scott who during his lengthy career as a broadcaster, worked for more than three decades as the weather forecaster on “Today.”
Roker jumped in to respond and said, “That was Willard, other bald weather guy.”
A big #HappyBirthday to my 2nd #dad Willard Scott. You are the best pic.twitter.com/uKgHV2YEHZ
— Al Roker (@alroker) March 7, 2018
Laughing across the table, Bush Hager quickly apologized. She said, “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to confuse you.”
Roker, who didn’t seem to take it to heart said, “It was awkward on so many levels, so many levels. I’m thinking, did I make out with her grandmother?”
At that moment the other co-hosts chimed in, and talked over each other so much that no one heard Roker say, “Not that I wouldn’t have.”
People magazine reported on the weird exchange on their Instagram page, where fans left their own reactions.
One person said, “I don’t have to see this to know this was awkward as hell.”
A second person noted, “This ridiculous and awkward moment is it for me. Thankfully we do not get the 4th hour on Today. We get Local news and Tam. Hall. God is good all the time. Sacramento Ca.”
Another person who was in disbelief over Bush Hager’s mistaken claim wrote, “I don’t see Barbara with Al. Not no way, no how!”
Two other disbelievers simply wrote, “Ewww” and “In no way do I believe this!”
Not only has Roker been married to Deborah Roberts since 1995, but Barbara was also 29 years his senior.
Luckily for Roker, there is video evidence to prove that it was in fact Scott who smooched Bush Hager’s grandmother.
Scott was in the field capturing the moment when George H.W. Bush waved to the crowd at his Jan. 20, 1989, inaugural parade. Bush embraced his supporters until he locked eyes with Scott, whom he then directly waved to and pointed at.
Barbara, who was standing by her husband’s side, spotted Scott as well, and ran over to him to greet him. When she got closer, she quickly kissed him on the lips before rejoining her husband in the parade.
Scott responded, “How ‘bout that! I’ve been kissed by the best.”
