Jenna Bush Hager's recent jest during an episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna left both the audience and her co-host, Hoda Kotb, in splits, even as she later acknowledged that it might have been a tad audacious.
The joviality stemmed from a viral Bustle article titled The Thirstiest Thing A Man Can Do Is Read, suggesting that men reading in public is considered alluring.
Taking the cue, the two co-hosts delved into a light-hearted discussion about the charm of watching men engrossed in books.
While Hoda admitted that witnessing a man read in a public setting feels “hot,” Jenna pushed the envelope with her humor, saying, “I’m dehydrated when a man takes out a book.”
As the conversation progressed, Hoda queried about the thought process behind such a sentiment, hinting at what it conveys about the reader. Jenna, highlighting her fondness for men who wear glasses, quipped: “I mean, if they’re reading something I respect, that could be grounds for an affair.”
Immediately recognizing the cheekiness of her comment, she clarified with a direct glance at the camera: “I’m just kidding, I would never do that. Henry and I are very happy. And he reads.”
Jenna and Henry Hager, united in matrimony for 15 years, share a strong bond. Reiterating this, Hoda remarked: “He does read,” followed by a playful nudge at Jenna's earlier jest, asking her why she was feeling "defensive."
The lighthearted Jenna replied: “Because I shouldn’t have said that, I went too far.” Yet, ever the charismatic host, she didn't dwell on it.
Instead, she animatedly elaborated on the romantic imagery of a man reading, saying that if the man is "in nature reading, [that] gives you extra points,” further adding: “Nature, plus glasses, plus book that I approve of...” This leaves one pondering if the combined effect would lead to an enchanting tryst.
This isn't the first time Jenna has regaled her audience with personal anecdotes on the show.
One of the recent chucklesome tales involved a novice errand her husband Henry embarked upon during their early days together.
Jenna reminisced, “When Henry and I first got together and he had to buy me tampons for the first time, I might as well have asked him to buy me illegal drugs.” She added, describing Henry's reaction: “He’s like, ‘I got the goods, I got them!’”