Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie smiling while holding mics and hosting Today outside© Getty Images

Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie smile through hardship on Today

The daytime stars were joined by Al Roker on Friday

Content Writer
August 18, 2023

Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie kept smiling on Friday's Today despite the fact wet weather threatened to put a damper on the show's spirits. The popular daytime news program began with the pair sitting in Studio 1A while commenting on how their latest performer Jon Baptiste's show was prepping to deal with the rain.

"We're going to be singing and dancing in the rain," Savannah optimistically described the morning's entertainment. "We don't care about the rain," Hoda added, continuing her friend and co-star's glass-half full approach.

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Despite the wet weather the show went on as planned and all were delighted

"There are people lined up with ponchos on," she said, before the broadcast cut to footage of the crowds lined up in their bright orange Today-branded rain coats. "Is Jon practicing? He's already out there?" she then said surprised as the program showed the acclaimed musician warming up despite the drizzle.

"Jon Batiste brings is A+ energy wherever he goes – even though it was pouring earlier today, it looks really good right now," Hoda added later in the show, before she turned to Today's trusted weather host Al Roker to get a more certain look into whether the show would be "a little soggy" or not later in the morning.

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Jon Batiste performs on NBC's 'Today' at Rockefeller Plaza on August 18, 2023

"I think we're going to be okay," he predicted, and thankfully for all those present at the Rockefeller Plaza, the 68-year-old was proved correct. However, he was also right to warn that there would be "one more quick shower" on the way to wet those waiting outside for the summer concert to begin.

Conditions were therefore still very damp when the 36-year-old Jazz and R&B artist finally took to the stage to perform. As Savannah joked earlier in the show, help was needed to dry out the floor of the stage so that Grammy winner Jon could still dance as well as sing – but his performance was a success and all in the crowd and watching from the stage looked delighted to be watching the Academy Award winning score-composer.

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The three host's optimism paid off

Dylan Dreyer joined the hosting team outside of the Today hosts for Jon's stunning concert. The 42-year-old recently made an adorable announcement on her Instagram, explaining how her six-year-old son was enjoying joining in with her preparations for a charity run.

"I told Calvin I’m running a 5K in Boston in October… he told me he wants to run with me so we’ve been getting ready!" she captioned a video of them discussing the physical challenge. "He’s my motivation…both because of his celiac diagnosis and because he likes doing it together," she added.

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Dylan's sweet post was loved by fans

Hoda was also recently promoting how her own children have been inspiring her in her work beyond Today. Announcing that she would be releasing a new children's book, Hope is a Rainbow, in 2024, she explained that the short story had been created with her youngest daughter Hope in mind.

WATCH: Hoda introduces her new children's book

"It reminds me that hope is in every corner, no matter what hardship you endure," she told her co-hosts about the story when she first revealed it via the show on August 2.

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