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- [00:05]
Leslie Heaney
Hi, everyone. This is Leslie, and you're listening to the interview with Leslie Heaney. I am thrilled to welcome Jenna Bush Hager to today's podcast. I know you all know Jenna. She is the host of Today with Jenna and Friends, the fourth hour of NBC's morning program. She's also an author and the creator of the Read with Jenna Book club. She has launched a publishing imprint called Thousand Voices, which is a joint venture with Random House Publishing, where they're supporting emerging writers. She's also the founder of her own production company. Not really sure how Jenna sleeps. She does all this by being a mother of three and wife and friend and citizen. In this episode, she and I sit down and we talk about her latest book, this third book that she co authored with her twin sister Barbara. This book is called I loved you'd first, and it's sort of a meditation on the bond between parent and child. In the episode, Jen and I talk about why she and Barbara decided to write this book. We talk about the power of female friendships and sisterhood and what it's like to host the fourth hour of Today without her dear friend and former co host, Hoda Kapi. We also talk about all the amazing work that Jenna is doing through her Read with Jenna book club and her Thousand Voices collaboration. And we talk about all the people that she's had on that she sort of speed dating with as her possible co host for Jenna with Friends, among them, Scarlett Johansson, who I guess they got their ears pierced on a recent episode. And last, but certainly not least, we talk about our mutual love of karaoke. So I enjoyed every minute of my conversation with Jenna. She's absolutely delightful, and I think it's a conversation that you all will not want to miss. So with that, here's Jenna Bush Hager. Jenna, I'm so happy to see you.
- [02:02]
Jenna Bush Hager
Me too.
- [02:02]
Leslie Heaney
Thank you so much for coming on the pod.
- [02:05]
Jenna Bush Hager
I'm so happy to be here.
- [02:07]
Leslie Heaney
Tell me, so this is your third book with your sister, Barbara. I loved you first. I love the title. What inspired the two of you to write this story?
- [02:19]
Jenna Bush Hager
Well, yeah, we've been writing together now since 2016, and we started in the sister department because it's what we know, you know?
- [02:29]
Leslie Heaney
You do sister? Yeah. Do you do sister?
- [02:31]
Jenna Bush Hager
We market, you know, corner of the sister market. I mean, we. I think we both are perfectly aware of how grateful and how lucky we were to have been born a twin because it's a unique relationship, you know, and we. We had each other. We moved a lot when we were Little. We had, you know, a pretty normal childhood. But we did have extraordinary circumstances, you know, both when we were really young and then when we were in our, you know, early late 18, 19, 20, which is like such a unique time in your life, you know. And so we'd always known how lucky it was to have a partner so that we didn't have to walk into things alone. And so we started in the sisterhood department. And then we've, you know, I became a mom later. She's just become a mom. She just had her second baby. And you know, I think we've realized too like this beautiful part of motherhood, this part of our life, that it was something we didn't know before. And so this book is really one of those kind of like odes to moms. Like you'll read it to your new baby. You know, it's like that moment where it's. You see your child and you know, like, I was the one that loved you first and I'll love you forever. There's all those books that I'm sure you read to your kids when they were really little that just sort of make you cry. You know, like the one where the son like carries the mom at the ending, you know, there's all those.
- [04:03]
Leslie Heaney
You mean like the Giving Tree? The Giving Tree.
- [04:06]
Jenna Bush Hager
But no, that's not the Giving Tree. This is like the one that's like my son you will always be or something. And then like dying. I mean, it's whatever. We don't.
- [04:15]
Leslie Heaney
I mean, I'm getting verklemp just hearing you describe the plotline on that one.
- [04:19]
Jenna Bush Hager
This is all about how we can choose as parents to see the world through our kids eyes, you know, and like see the first seasons and see all these things that they find so beautiful and relive it, you know. Or we can choose to not pay attention. But we left out the not pay attention part.
- [04:40]
Leslie Heaney
I got a sneak peek. Julia was kind enough to send me a sneak peek. And what I love so much about it is exactly what you're saying is it's sort of like as a parent you're reliving or you're seeing all of these things through their eyes. You're kind of discovering the world through their eyes. And you talk about in the book kind of discovering the natural world right through their eyes. Whether it's looking at clouds or looking at the things that we sort of. When you become kind of a surly 20 something or 30 something before you have kids, and then you kind of are like, wait, there's all this magic, you know, around us that we don't always appreciate as much, but when you get to see it kind of with your child through their lens, I think.
- [05:19]
Jenna Bush Hager
It'S like, you know, obviously, as a parent, our job is to protect and to show and to lead and all the things that, you know, we're supposed to do. But I think the surprise about parenting is how much we are led. We are shown, we are protected. You know, I mean, it's so interesting. It's this, like, really beautiful relationship where we learn so much about ourselves and the world through our kids, if we allow. You know, I mean, my kids are such optimist and so hilarious. And, you know, it's like, if I lean into that, you know, I can. I feel like my eyes are open to new things every single day.
- [06:00]
Leslie Heaney
Well, I. Not to have you think that I'm a stalker, but I did notice on your Instagram that you were, I think, in Disney World last weekend. I mean, talk about, you know, seeing the world through your child's eyes. That was. No, that was like a flashback. When I went to Disney with Mike, you know, you kind of get back to. You remember It's a Small World.
- [06:18]
Jenna Bush Hager
Totally, totally. And, like. And what's so interesting is, like, even my daughter, my eldest, who's 11, like, we went to Disney because my son had never been. He's almost. You know, he's five. So it was like it was his turn. And my daughter is like, we have to go on. Like, we have to go on Winnie the Pooh. Remember when we went on it, you know, and it was like, yes, you do it. Like, we kept. I kept telling my husband, like, this is for the kids. Like, we're. Disney World is the most magical place. But it's magical because we're there with our children. You know, it's like, you gotta lean into all of that to make it magical. And we had the best trip. We really did.
- [06:55]
Leslie Heaney
It is. It's a great. I remember, I think, when our daughter, who's now 19, was in her princess phase, and we did bring a babysitter with us, and I said to my husband, I'm like, do you wanna go to Germany or France for dinner tonight? We were hitting Epcot. I mean, I think you can really, you know.
- [07:12]
Jenna Bush Hager
Oh, totally.
- [07:12]
Leslie Heaney
You kind of relive it, and then you can find the, you know, your.
- [07:15]
Jenna Bush Hager
Own drink around the world.
- [07:17]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, we definitely. We definitely did. So this is the third book you've written with Barbara, right. And you've talked about you kind of this is that you did the sister thing for a while. Tell sort of the moment that you both decided that you wanted to do this, or was it after she had her first child and.
- [07:33]
Jenna Bush Hager
Well, we. For this book, I mean, we've sort of been on this. We've been working together. Like, I would say the first book was our. Was sort of the catalyst of like a big decision maker. Like, we should work together, you know, because now we just. It's fun. I mean, I think one of the things we love about it is we get to go on book tour together and spend a weekend, you know, together. And, you know, so now it's sort of like, what else do we have to say? Do we have space? But I think for our first book, we were meeting to talk about doing, like, doing a sisters first kids book. And it was the day after the 2016 election. We were in a room with a group of women. And I think, you know, we probably had different political views. I'm sure, you know, nobody was talking about that, but what we were talking about is sort of how women, no matter what political party you're were in, it was on both sides, were discussed in that campaign, was not something that would make me proud, you know, to share with my children who were quite young then, you know, And I think what we realized is, like, most women we know lift each other up, whether they're sisters or friends. You know, I know you surround yourself, because I know many of them who I also surround myself with, with, like, strong, amazing women who are kind and devoted and would be the first to be there for you or to lift you up, to support you. And for whatever reason in, like, the larger conversation, we didn't feel like that was part of the conversation. You know, it's like sisterhood. What does it mean to have somebody's back? How do we want to talk about other women? You know, and so we decided to write that. I feel like that was the big catalyst. Like, okay, if we can write a book of personal essays for adults based on our life, like, now, you know, we're like, what else do we have to say as moms? You know, And I think we felt like the rhetoric was at such a stage, and sadly, I feel like we're still sort of there, but that, like, we had something to allow, you know, our stories of having a sister that always supported me, you know, through both normal times, but also extraordinary times, felt like it was relevant. So I think we try to think as we write each book, like, what has not Been said that we still can say, you know, and so that was our big choice. I feel like now we go on book tours, and somebody's like, you should write, you know, the sister's first kids book. You should write, I don't have a sister, but my best friends are my sisters. So then we wrote Sister Superpower Sisterhood. You know, we always are sort of like, we're not gonna write another book. And then on book tour, somebody says, like, I was gonna say, you might.
- [10:22]
Leslie Heaney
Get some ideas on your tour.
- [10:24]
Jenna Bush Hager
I know. Well, right now, this. This is our last one planned for a bit.
- [10:28]
Leslie Heaney
I love that idea, though, of you all thinking about things of kind of what the world needs now. And this is such a positive message, this book, as are your other two books as well. But I never knew that about your first book. And I think that's really a beautiful kind of mission of that book, beyond just the sisters that you have that are your biological sisters, but also all of the sort of the broader sisterhood and women kind of coming together to support each other and how that didn't seem to be a dialogue that was happening.
- [11:00]
Jenna Bush Hager
And I think in most everybody's normal life, I mean, I think one reason why Barbara and I are particularly attuned to it is like, yes, we have each other, which is a specific type of relationship, because twins is unusual. But also, my mom was an only child, and she only had, like, two cousins. Like, she just was from a really small family. And so what she modeled to us and what she modeled. Continues to model was the importance of female friendship. You know, her sisters, and they're still her best friends to this day, they would go to a different national park every single year as a group, starting when they turned 40, which now feels like, you know, I passed that. That date. But, like, those were her. Her sisters. And so I think because it was modeled for us, I have such really strong female friends. You know, it's really important to me. And so I think it's just something that we can easily talk about. And I think, you know, one of the things that worries me a little bit about motherhood at this stage or parenthood or whatever is, like, we're distracted, you know, And I think people are shocked by my past. Like, people, I think, assume that my parents weren't that active in our lives, but that was far from the truth. I mean, my dad didn't run for president until we were 18, so we were grown 17, you know, but, like, for the first 17 years of our life, both of our parents were really involved and super present because there wasn't the distraction that we all have in our hands all the time. Like we. Yeah, it is like. And it's constant and it. And we're. If we are all honest, we're all slightly distracted, you know, because you're thinking like, oh my gosh, did I schedule that? Have I done this? You know, and we have phones that are like, I mean, always right by us. You know, when you said to me like, and it's like seeing all the natural world, you know, when through your kids eyes it's like that's what we should be doing. And if we're all honest, including myself, it's like sometimes you're walking down the street holding your kids hands in New York City and you get a work email in. You know, it's not all frivolous. But I guess the point is I feel like Covid was a really hard time, obviously. And there were moments with my little kids where we would like lay in the grass and look at the stars, you know, and it's like our lives are all so busy and I feel like busier than when we were younger or at least the way.
- [13:35]
Leslie Heaney
Well, I think it's because people. We're accessible and they assume.
- [13:39]
Jenna Bush Hager
Yeah.
- [13:40]
Leslie Heaney
That we're available at any time because we have our phone.
- [13:44]
Jenna Bush Hager
Exactly. I think like that's going to be. I don't, I didn't even think about that till today. But I think that's one thing that interests me is like, how can we all slow things down? And I think it's because like, I know that I need it. You know, I feel like I'm, you know, successful. I feel like my work life is super fulfilling. I feel like I'm doing all these things that I'm so interested in. But I also want that slowness with my kids, you know, and it's like not a balance. I hate that word, but it's like a, you know, it's something I'm interested in. I'm really interested in that.
- [14:18]
Leslie Heaney
Actually in reading the book, I thought, gosh, I need to do more of that and maybe I need to go down like the Colorado river on a whitewater rafting trip so that I can't. I can't totally.
- [14:28]
Jenna Bush Hager
And I did do that when my mom and all of her best friends turned 40. The trip they picked was to raft down the national. Down the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon. And then for their 60th, they invited their daughters. So we got to go on that trip and it was amazing. So Yes. I feel like that's what we need to do. We gotta get out of like cell phone range.
- [14:52]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, 100%. I love that your mom does that.
- [14:54]
Jenna Bush Hager
I know.
- [14:55]
Leslie Heaney
I just got back from a girls trip last week. I had some, went away with some friends and mine usually involves and sitting on a beach, but I like the, you know, being out of, out of range and like, you know, and making having that be intentional. Yeah.
- [15:10]
Jenna Bush Hager
And maybe especially with our kids, you know, it's like they want to feel our focus and you know, it's like we obviously, I mean, I think one of the things, like obviously we live in a very polarized time, but I think one of the things that unites us, like every parent I have met like adores their children. 99% of the parents want the best for their kids. And so it's like the fact that something as innocuous as a phone has sort of interrupted any of that connection. It bothers me because it's like it feels like there should be something we can do about it, you know, and it feels like there are people like Jonathan Haidt who are trying to.
- [15:50]
Leslie Heaney
Yes, that's 100%.
- [15:52]
Jenna Bush Hager
But anyway, that's, I never thought about that side of, of it until now.
- [15:58]
Leslie Heaney
This episode is brought to you by the Scout guide. Back in 2014, a very good friend of mine and mother of three, Susie Matheson, along with her business partner Christy Ford, saw how big box stores and online shopping behemoths were suffocating their local businesses and in Shore Hillsville, Virginia and they wanted to find out a way to spotlight the amazing entrepreneurs in their community through a beautiful local guidebook. So from that the Scout Guide was born. And the Scout Guide has gone on to build a network of over 90 women owned franchises from coast to coast. These are franchises that are run by extraordinary women who are building their own businesses while supporting the small businesses in their local cities and towns. The Scout Guide is always looking though to expand their franchise family to find other women who are interested in building their own businesses. So if you're a woman who's looking to get back to work but you want to have your own schedule or you're ready for a career shift and you have some, let's say marketing or sales experience and you're interested in supporting your local stores and local businesses, the Scout Guide franchise is just the opportunity you are looking for. I happened to look at the 90 different locations the Scout Guide currently covers and there are several locations that I know a lot of my listeners are from that are not covered. So there's a lot of great opportunities out there. And if you're interested in learning more about the scout guide, you can go to their website, franchise.thescoutguide.com or you can email them at franchisethescoutguide.com to find out more. And when you do, don't forget to mention the interview with Leslie Heaney. So you've had read with Jenna since 2019, right? And I am in awe of all that you do, by the way, because you have three children and you have, like, an incredible career and you have wonderful friends and you're so involved with so many different things. And I've often thought I just was on this girls trip, so I brought a book and I. When I was thinking about you for today, I thought, when does she find time to read? The process of you selecting.
- [18:10]
Jenna Bush Hager
I mean, the process of me selecting. And like, you can't see this too close, but, like, is this like. It's pages. Pages and pages. Yeah, and pages of. Book of entries. And it's a. For the book club. You know, we have a whole team of readers. But, like, I'm reading constantly. I'm reading and there's a team of people that are reading constantly. And it definitely has taken like, and, you know, for better or worse, like, I get to read for work, which is such a privilege. It's my biggest joy. I definitely had a cocktail or two at a New year's Eve, like, 50th slash, a lot of work peeps, and said to my boss, you've stolen my favorite joy. You know, But I definitely initiated all of read with Jenna. It was something I believed in. It was something I pitched, it's something I fought for. And, you know, we have this incredible team, but it's a ton of work, you know, and so it is. I don't read the way I used to read, which is like back reading. Like, you know, everybody was talking about all fours. I didn't read it around for the book club.
- [19:18]
Leslie Heaney
I started to read it and I was like, lying in bed next to my husband. I'm like, I almost feel, like, embarrassed. This is really. I mean, it was a spicy.
- [19:26]
Jenna Bush Hager
No, no, very spicy. Very spicy. And wouldn't have been. But I guess my point is I would have gone back and read something that everybody was talking about. I can only forward read at this point. So it's a lot and it's. And I do have an app, which has been very helpful. Like, we also just started an imprint with Penguin Random House, which is amazing. And so fun. But now I'm reading for the book club. I'm reading for publishing, our imprint. And then I also have a production company, so I read for production for that as well.
- [19:59]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, tell me about. So what, what is an imprint? Is that just a synopsis?
- [20:04]
Jenna Bush Hager
No. So we're, we are working with Penguin Random House to publish emerging and debut talent. So I'm looking for new writers and I'm like the publishers. Thousand Voices Books. Amazing. Which has been really fun. I'm obsessed with it because part of like what has frustrated me as a reader with the book club and I think any reader can feel this, no matter if you have a book club or not, is you'll read a book and you'll be like, oh my gosh, I'm obsessed with this book. I'm obsessed with this book. And then you get to the ending or you get halfway and there's some part that you're like, this does not ring true for me. Or I felt this twist coming from a mile away or whatever it is. So to be in the publishing business sort of like early on, as a voracious reader, I can be like, wait, you guys, this part I didn't love or can we do some character work with these guys? Or whatever, but. Or I'm obsessed with this book. Like all I want to do is talk about it, you know.
- [21:04]
Leslie Heaney
And so that is so fascinating.
- [21:07]
Jenna Bush Hager
So we have our first book which publishes next October, but we have acquired seven books and all of the writers minus one are debut.
- [21:19]
Leslie Heaney
That's so exciting.
- [21:20]
Jenna Bush Hager
I know. And they range from like a 26 year old writer to a 61 year old debut writer, which I'm so crazy about.
- [21:28]
Leslie Heaney
And so you're probably getting. And you probably won't know this off the top of your head, but thousands of either inquiries or treatments or.
- [21:38]
Jenna Bush Hager
And we definitely are.
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Leslie Heaney
But also you have people who are kind of helping you, right?
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Jenna Bush Hager
Definitely. And we have a very specific lens. You know, we. I think people kind of know my taste after running a book club for six years and we've worked with the agents over the last six years, you know, we great relationships with them. So I think like they're only going to send me things they think would be really special and that we would be into.
- [22:02]
Leslie Heaney
I forgot about that piece of the puzzle. Being able to have agents who kind of know for those authors and those books that you choose, it's a game changer for, for them, whether they're established authors or not. That must feel so wonderful. As a lover of books and A promoter of. Of people to see kind of the impact that your selections have on those authors and on those books.
- [22:28]
Jenna Bush Hager
Totally. I mean, I have letters that are, like, pinned up on my. You know, around my desk, and I need to find where the rest of them are. But, like, yeah, it means a lot because it's. I do also love the work, you know, and so I feel like if I can be a spotlight for others, you know, who. And it's hard, I'm sure many know, to get published. It's hard to break out. You know, the market is saturated, so to be able to highlight somebody's work who, you know. Some of these authors that I've worked with have worked on their books for years. The book that we just highlighted, which is called this is a Love Story I'm obsessed with. You should read it. It's beautiful. It's by a writer named Jessica Sofer, and she worked on it for a really, really long time.
- [23:19]
Leslie Heaney
Is that her first book, or is it first book? It's her second book.
- [23:21]
Jenna Bush Hager
Her first book was published, I think, in 2016, and it was quiet, so. And sometimes second books are even harder, you know, because there's. If your first book doesn't sell a ton, you know, it can be hard. But she hit the New York Times bestseller list last Wednesday, which is amazing. And it. I mean, I think she'd been.
- [23:42]
Leslie Heaney
That's awesome.
- [23:42]
Jenna Bush Hager
For, like, for years. Like, maybe since 2018 or 19, you know, and so it just feels so great to be able to highlight. And I loved this book. Like, I mean, it's the type of thing that if I was with a friend, I'd be like, you need to read this book.
- [24:00]
Leslie Heaney
Yes.
- [24:00]
Jenna Bush Hager
So that's what we're doing.
- [24:02]
Leslie Heaney
And how did you. Besides you and Barbara, you know, acknowledging that you had this kind of unique experience as twins and obviously a very unique experience with your upbringing. As we talked about earlier. Did you always want to write? I mean, was that something that you were an English major? I think. Was that always a passion of yours? Was it of Barbara's? And then you just thought, let's take this.
- [24:23]
Jenna Bush Hager
It was a person of mine. I mean, Barbara was like. And it was so lucky that we had parents that didn't compare us, because twins are often compared. I mean, children in general, like, friends of mine are like, God, my mom always compared, or whatever. My parents did not. And I know it was an intentional action. And we were. Barbara and I were very different. And she was like. She won, like, the math. The state math competition. I'm not kidding. She was such. She missed, like, one math problem on her math sat. She just was so. And by the way, she's a great reader and a great writer, too. But I think, because I wasn't a serious academic, and I had a sister that was. I had a teacher at. In, I think, fifth or sixth grade in Dallas, Texas. Her name was Mrs. Cunningham. Like, I'll never forget her because I wasn't acknowledged that much for academics. It just wasn't my thing, you know.
- [25:16]
Leslie Heaney
I mean, you're my sister from another Mr. Jenna. That's. I had a similar experience.
- [25:21]
Jenna Bush Hager
I just didn't have teacher that was like, wow, you really are killing it, you know? Yeah, not much of that. Like, I was the personality, you know, and so. But I did have A teacher in fifth grade, I think, named Ms. Cunningham, who I loved. She was Scottish. And she said, you're a really good writer. And I was kind of shocked by it. And she said, keep reading, you know, in order. And it's such good advice for young people who want to write. It's like, the more you read, the more can understand plot and characterization and all of that. So. But yeah, I think, like. And it also shows you that a teacher's words really matter.
- [26:00]
Leslie Heaney
I. I was just gonna say that. How. How impactful. Like, yeah. And it only takes one teacher and one moment. And probably from that point on, you felt like, oh, I. I want to pursue this more because I. I am good at it and I enjoy it.
- [26:12]
Jenna Bush Hager
You know, when you're young, you don't. It's nothing's that, like, black and white. You're just like, oh, somebody sees something in me. But then it's like, I was on the school newspaper. I was. Those were the things I leaned into, and I'm sure I leaned in to. I always did AP English. I was an English major. I took creative writing classes. I went to Oxford my junior year. I went to a big public high school, but I went and studied creative writing and English literature at Oxford one summer. And I was like, the only kid from Austin, Texas, that was there. It was like a bunch of LA kids. And, you know, I mean, one of the reporters here at NBC News was there, and he called me Iowa, because I'm from Austin. Like, there's. Everybody else was, like, from Brentwood.
- [26:56]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, exactly. From LA or New York or something.
- [26:59]
Jenna Bush Hager
Actually, you're all gonna move to Austin in 20 years, you know, so. Yeah, totally. I mean, it shows you, and it is what I was into. Like, I did love to read, but I think her words totally shifted how I felt about myself, what I was interested in. And it is interesting that both positive and negative affirmations from teachers can. Oh, oh, totally, totally change our lives.
- [27:25]
Leslie Heaney
I want to switch gears just a second to talk about Hoda. So since January, you've been having guest hosts with you. It's sort of like speed dating. I'm sure that has exciting elements to it, but it's got a. You know, you must have missed having your. Your wing lady there with you.
- [27:42]
Jenna Bush Hager
I mean, I totally do. I mean, when she told us, her office was, like, right down the hall from my office, which I'm in right now. And when she called me in, I made, like, a guttural sound. Like a. No, like, it was. I. Because it was shocking, and I was surprised, and I think it was kind of amazing because we knew for a period of time. So we had, like, three months together to. We went to Austin. We got to kind of say goodbye. She hates goodbyes. Like, when we would go to parties or bars or whatever, she would always.
- [28:17]
Leslie Heaney
Drive off before she did a French leave or French accent. She was.
- [28:21]
Jenna Bush Hager
Yeah, we called them the Houdini. Like, it had its own name because it was such an intense. You've never seen anything like it. Like, we'd be like, where's Hoda? Before we even, like, put one foot into the, you know, bar. So she didn't love to say goodbye. I mean, I think it was a really interesting lesson and sort of a beautiful goodbye. Like, she got to sit in the glow of how beloved she was. I got to tell her what it felt like to work with her. She got to say the same to me. She got to do it on, you know, across the board. She got to hear from all these people, and I will say, like, I'm so proud of. So I miss her terribly. We've had drinks, so it's like. It's not like I'm not gonna see her again. We're still friends. I still talk to her a lot. But I will say, like, I think what's amazing is, like, the show has gone on, you know, and it's like, I miss her. And it isn't as hard as I thought it was gonna be, because, I mean, maybe it's because we've had the long, beautiful goodbye. Maybe it is because I've been at NBC for 15 years, hosting the show for six, and I have such an amazing group of colleagues. Like, I love everybody that I work with, and I know them so well at this point, and I. So I don't know. I mean, I. I'm a little bit embarrassed with how sad I was. I mean, I called my parents to say that I cry.
- [29:41]
Leslie Heaney
I cry. Yeah. So what did your parents say when you told my parents?
- [29:45]
Jenna Bush Hager
My dad was like, it's going to be like. I think he thought because I was weeping, this was like the day of. And I had a long day at work, so it was like I was calling him, you know, at night on my drive home, and I wake up at 4:50 in the morning. So, like, after a long day, it was like. I think he thought like, a child was sick. You know, he thought it was something really irreversible and horrible. And obviously her leaving wasn't able to be reversed, but. And it was horrible, but it wasn't, you know, life or death. And so he was like, jenna, it's going to be okay. Like, you're gonna be okay. And the truth is, he was right, you know? And I think part of that is how great our team is. And part of that is that, like, we really got to celebrate her and say goodbye in a really profound way that we're all proud of. So it felt like a really strong. Like, it's a case for a beautiful goodbye in any relationship. It's, you know, with kids, I feel like it's taught me a lot about sort of life in a weird way. And it's made me sort of clear on a lot of different things. Like, I mean, it's nothing I would have chosen and it's okay. It's. It's. I'm tired and it. But it's all working out, you know, for now.
- [31:00]
Leslie Heaney
That is a really good point. Like, those things that are unknown and are scary and you don't want the change and you've gone through the change and. Not that change. Not the change, but, you know, the professional change that's coming too.
- [31:12]
Jenna Bush Hager
That's not my door.
- [31:13]
Leslie Heaney
Yeah, yeah. Please, when you get there, I will walk you through. It's quite a. Quite a. Quite a situation. But I think it's so. It must be exciting too. Like the week that you had, you know, all the snl.
- [31:25]
Jenna Bush Hager
Yeah.
- [31:25]
Leslie Heaney
Ladies on.
- [31:26]
Jenna Bush Hager
I mean, that's just like fun things coming up. Like, it's wild to me. I mean, all the SNL ladies were amazing. Scarlett Johansson hosted the show for a week. We got matching.
- [31:35]
Leslie Heaney
She's so great. Oh, yeah.
- [31:38]
Jenna Bush Hager
Oh, wait, no, that's the wrong one. And that shows you how many I have, which is kind of hilarious.
- [31:42]
Leslie Heaney
Did you. Did you do that on the air? I missed I missed that. Oh, wow.
- [31:47]
Jenna Bush Hager
She has her own Piercer. Who knows? But, like. Yeah, And I think it speaks to our show and sort of what. I mean, any of my fears of, like, oh, are we.
- [32:02]
Leslie Heaney
Well, that also speaks to you, Jenna. I mean, I don't think there's very few people who could. Who could make that transition and have the show be as just. I mean, people, you know, love watching you and hearing what you have to say and the dynamics that you are, just the way that you are able to connect so well with people. But I think it's so fun, you know, as you said, you've got great stuff coming up. Right.
- [32:24]
Jenna Bush Hager
It's important. We have really fun people coming up. And, like, when does this air? I feel like I can tell you one or two. But, like, we have comedians, we have people, we have other broadcasters, we have. We have other actors and actresses whom, you know, like Scarlett Johansson. Like, we never. She'd never hosted morning television before, and, like, everybody fell madly in love with her because they didn't know that side of her, you know, like Amy Poehler. It was such a blast to be with her and have that day. You know, we have a lot more of that, which is really, really fun.
- [33:01]
Leslie Heaney
She's so awesome. Did you see her on the 50th anniversary show?
- [33:05]
Jenna Bush Hager
Yeah. I mean, by the way, I was invited to go to that concert, but I couldn't go because I was in Disney. That just says, oh, a lot about where the priorities are.
- [33:13]
Leslie Heaney
I was going to say, you put them first. You put them first. And you pointed out all the characters I saw her with. So. Tina Fey. I know Tina Fey a little bit because her daughter was in my daughter's class for three years. And I have a karaoke problem, which I think, you know, a little bit, because you. You and I have done some performing at a birthday party, but Tina and I did do a karaoke duet, which I have talked about before on the podcast. So seeing her with Amy. I never met Amy Poehler, but I, you know, I just. Again, I'm so obsessed with Tina that I hope that, you know, one day Amy and I can cross paths.
- [33:47]
Jenna Bush Hager
She just hilarious together, you know?
- [33:49]
Leslie Heaney
Yes, that's what I am hoping.
- [33:51]
Jenna Bush Hager
All right, so actually, karaoke again. I did. I was telling you how I have a friend who used to live in Nashville, Holly Williams, who's.
- [33:59]
Leslie Heaney
Yes.
- [33:59]
Jenna Bush Hager
Whose grandfather was, you know, Hank Williams Jr. Whose father, Hank Williams. She's a musician. She's a beautiful musician. And we were just on this girl's weekend. But, like, you know, for a sisters themed weekend. And she came to perform in this place in Tennessee. And she was doing. She came to perform her actual music because she is a musician. But like, we were sitting next to each other at dinner and I'm like, holly, I want to come on and sing Islands in the Stream with you. And then we started singing like Kid Rock, which he can be a polarizing fellow, but nobody can say they don't like rock. What? Sheryl Crow duet. Remember I got that picture of you from the 90s.
- [34:42]
Leslie Heaney
Yes.
- [34:42]
Jenna Bush Hager
I mean, you may know, and that's okay if you don't.
- [34:45]
Leslie Heaney
I mean, I love, you know, when I did karaoke with Tina that night and you know, I know I'm just, as I'm talking about it, you can feel the stalker vibe, I'm sure, coming through the screen. But I did, I, you know, she said to me, are we going to do a duet or what? And I did. We did Endless Love. And she was Lionel and I was. And my husband was like, I've never seen something more disturbing in my whole life. He's like, what do you mean? I said, what do you mean? That was so great. We had so much fun. He's like, you were. I mean, I was staring. Anyway, I really took it to the next level.
- [35:13]
Jenna Bush Hager
That's exactly what I did.
- [35:14]
Leslie Heaney
You did that with Holly Williams and.
- [35:16]
Jenna Bush Hager
Holly was like, at some point, I'm like, you are the musician and I should let you go, like, and continue to sing on your own, you know.
- [35:25]
Leslie Heaney
All right, so I know you have an action packed day today, so I'm mindful of our time. But you mentioned, like, production stuff. What's next? What's next for you besides maybe a trip to a national park with the kids at school?
- [35:37]
Jenna Bush Hager
Well, that's what's really next in my summer vapoo scene. I mean, I think where our focus really is right now is the imprint, you know, which has been so much less. And we're, we have some, hopefully some projects that you'll see on television at some point. It's slow, you know, I have to say it's slow. I have a fast paced news. A different show every day makes.
- [35:57]
Leslie Heaney
I know.
- [35:58]
Jenna Bush Hager
I mean, you're like, what's taking so long? But there should be something in that vein soon enough.
- [36:02]
Leslie Heaney
Well, I can't wait to see what's next. Thanks again. Okay, bye. Bye. That brings us to the end of this episode of the interview. A huge thank you to Jenna Bush Hager for joining. And as always, thank you all so much for listening if you enjoyed this episode, please rate or review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. We release a new podcast every Wednesday and until next Wednesday, this is Leslie and thank you for joining the interview.