Should Hoda Kotb and Kevin Costner date?
There has been much speculation about Kevin Costner’s Love Life following its high profile, contentious divorce.
But the viewers of the TODAY show that he seems more interested in your future romance options.
Citing an apparent crush on talk show host Hoda Kotb, they’re totally smitten with Costner.
Fans are shipping Hoda Kotb and Kevin Costner
On Tuesday, July 9, Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie appeared as guests on Watch what happens live. You can see the clip below.
One of the callers asked Hoda how she feels about the world (or at least a significant portion of the Today audience) shipping her with Kevin Costner.
Sparks, these fans noted, seemed to fly between Hoda and Costner during their interview in June. And, well, many fans think the two could actually connect on a less professional level.
The news that fans were feeling this way came as a clear shock to Hoda.
“Wait what?” she asked between nervous laughs. “I’ve never heard that, not once.”
Andy Cohen was sure to explain to the chronologically challenged that shipping means that viewers want Hoda and Costner together. The term to send in this context it follows from relationship. This specific formulation first appeared in X file fandom in the 1990s, eventually breaking out of the confines of fanfiction circles as people applied them to real-life (potential) couples.
Hoda Kotb played it cool after potentially awkward fan question
Obviously, Andy (and the fans) were giving Hoda a hard time about this potential pairing with Kevin Costner. But she handled it well.
“Well, if the viewers want,” Hoda joked, looking into the camera.
Savannah Guthrie chimed in: “Give the people what they want!” That’s all very sweet… and that wasn’t the end of it.
On Wednesday, July 10th, Today with Hoda and Jenna continued the conversation, with Jenna Bush Hager bringing up the WWHL time.
“I actually knew because people would come up to me on the street and say, ‘You should set up Hoda and Kevin Costner,’” Jenna revealed.
She then joked: “I didn’t know they were flirting behind my back.”
‘Today’ had a little joke in store for Hoda Kotb
The show’s producers have released an edit of Hoda Kotb and Kevin Costner’s still relatively recent interview.
As you can see in the video below, the video is suggestive — with slow, romantic music, giving the impression that Hoda and Costner were flirting.
“You guys are ridiculous,” Hoda correctly stated with a laugh. “The slow motion and the music, seriously?”
As anyone who has ever discovered that people “ship” a close friend or colleague can attest, this can be an awkward situation. Sometimes, like Hoda, all you can do is laugh.
We don’t think Hoda intends to become another Kevin Costner’s Famous Ex-Wives. It’s funny to talk about it — as long as no one takes the joke too far.
There is some danger when it comes to celebrity-obsessed fans (and wanting them to kiss). But as long as everyone can behave, the laughter-inducing Today The program’s edits are harmless and quite funny.