TodayIt's like Hoda Kotb has her own Mr. Big!
The Today show host has been dating a mystery man of almost two years, and has somehow managed to keep his identity a secret until very recently. Only referring to him as "Boots," Hoda never revealed his name, just like Carrie never revealed Mr. Big's name until the very end of the series. It turns out that her boyfriend is financier Joel Schiffman!
Access Hollywood's Billy Bush guest co-hosted with the morning hostess Monday and "outed" her, but didn't feel too badly about it because other reports had already published the big reveal after spotting her on the beach with her man.
"Joel is out from the shadows," Hoda joked after Billy said his name.
But after keeping the secret for so long, Hoda admitted that it felt good to finally speak the truth about her boyfriend. We have to admit that we're excited to because it finally answers so many of our lingering questions!
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"You know I have to say it feels...I feel like some relief because you know when you feel like you're keeping a secret," Hoda said. "I talked to him this morning and I was like, 'Who cares?' He said, 'Who cares?'"
So, that's that! Instead of "Boots," which she dubbed him after only showing his shoes for so long, the world has finally gotten a glimpse of Joel, 56, and he is in great shape! She had previously been married to tennis coach Burzis Kanga for two years until 2007.
She told the Huffington Post in August that she met Joel one night when she hadn't originally planned to go out because of bad weather, but ended up doing so despite the rain.
"I'm so glad I went out that night because it was a chance meeting that ended up being kind of a life transforming event for me," she said. "I feel like I have found real-life joy right as I'm knocking on the door of 50, with a wonderful guy, and I feel very blessed, you know?"
We're so happy for Hoda and Boots Joel!
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