Jenna Bush Hager put her dad, former President George W. Bush, on the spot when she FaceTimed him live on Wednesday’s episode of “Today with Hoda & Jenna.”
While Bush Hager and her co-host, Hoda Kotb, were rehashing their live performance of their new Christmas song, which they performed earlier on the “Today” show, Kotb asked Bush Hager if she had received “any feedback” from her friends or family.
“I just received, ‘Hit the high notes like I taught you. Fine performance,’ from my dad and my mother just chimed in, ‘Very cute,’” the mom of three read from her phone.
Kotb immediately burst into laughter and asked her co-host to “get some clarification” from her father because it was “unclear if he liked” the performance.
“Should we try to FaceTime my dad?” Bush Hager asked.
Kotb, 59, encouraged her to “just try it” even though the former chief of state “probably won’t” answer.
“He doesn’t usually like it when I put him on the spot like this, but what could go wrong?” Bush Hager, 42, said while holding out the phone so she and Kotb could both fit on the screen.
Bush Hager clarified that she “did not warn” her dad that she was going to call him, but he “knows what time we’re on TV” and he could be doing other activities like walking on the elliptical or painting.
The 43rd president of the United States waited until the last second to answer, changing the call to the FaceTime audio-only option via his Apple Watch.
“Hody! Yeah, Hody!” Bush, 77, exclaimed upon answering the call, referring directly to Kotb.
Kotb then asked the pressing question for his thoughts on their performance of their new original Christmas song, “A Carefree Christmas,” at the “Today” show plaza earlier Wednesday morning.
“I was unbelievably impressed!” he gushed.
Bush Hager then chimed in, asking her dad what his favorite part was. When Bush said he enjoyed seeing their vocal coach, Cheryl Porter, perform, his daughter asked, “What about us?”
For more Page Six you love …
“I thought you all were cute,” he continued. “I think your dance moves were well choreographed and I think the sound guy did a good job of making sure your voices were subdued.”
Bush Hager and Kotb each laughed at the teasing before thanking him for his feedback.
“You were very good. It really was fun. Congratulations. It was lively and it’ll become a bestseller,” he said before his daughter alerted him that he was “on TV” and hung up on him.
George and his wife, Laura Bush, currently reside in Dallas, while Bush Hager and her twin sister, Barbara Bush, live in the Northeast.
Bush Hager recently reflected on the “really special” bond the four of them have and getting the opportunity to have an intimate dinner with them last month.
Source: NewsFinale
