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Today’s Savannah Guthrie Says ‘Dressing Rooms Need a Little TLC’ After Kelly Rowland Controversy
Today’s Savannah Guthrie once again addressed the dressing room controversy that had would-be guest host Kelly Rowland abruptly leaving the set on February 15.
“What can I say? Yes, our dressing rooms need a little TLC,” Savannah, 52, told People on Wednesday, February 26, while promoting her new book, Mostly What God Does. “But I have to say, we have a historic studio that has been around for 70-plus years. It’s a small space and it’s not that easy to renovate. So, you know, I totally get it.”
Savannah continued, “I’ve actually gotten to see a lot of green rooms lately and there are some phenomenally beautiful ones. But I hope for what we lack in green room decor we make up for in the warmth and gratitude we have for the guests who come on because it means a lot to us. Let’s call it intimate. We’ll call it intimate. Cozy.”
Costars Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager also chimed in to defend the former Destiny’s Child star, noting that she has an open invitation to return to the iconic set.
“She’s one of those people who’s like, she may be one of the nicest celebs we’ve ever had. That’s who Kelly is, by the way. So, whatever the snafu was with the dressing room, we want to delete, delete, delete. And then, we want her to come back,” Jenna, 42, said. “She’s invited whenever. And our dressing rooms do need work.”
This is not the first time the talk show hosts have opened up about the controversy, with Savannah telling Entertainment Tonight on February 21 that their dressing rooms “need a remodel.”
“We need Extreme Makeover: Today Show Dressing Room Edition,” she told the outlet. “We are in a historic studio, 1A. It’s the same studio that has been used for decades. It’s incredible and it’s iconic, but it’s old … You get the good with the bad … If you want history, sometimes you’re gonna have a few little chips of paint coming off the wall.”
“We try to do our best,” she added. “Hopefully, the main thing is how people feel and the reception that they get, a warm hug from all of us on the show, ’cause we’re really grateful for them coming.”
Kelly, 43, sat down for an interview with Savannah on February 15 to discuss her new Netflix film, Mea Culpa. She was scheduled to cohost alongside Hoda later in the show, and while Savannah claimed she had “no inkling that anything was amiss,” Kelly walked off the set and Rita Ora took over her cohosting duties at the last minute.
“After 28 years of knowing her, Kelly Rowland remains one of the kindest, most amiable humans I have ever met and have had the blessing to represent,” Kelly’s rep, Yvette Noel-Schure, told Entertainment Tonight following the singer’s abrupt exit from the set.
