Hoda Kotb Reveals The Bizarre Signal She’s Going To Give Jenna Bush Hager During The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: “I Triple Dog Dare You”

Hoda Kotb‘s family joined the Today co-hosts on set this morning for a special family-themed broadcast. Kotb’s daughters, Hope and Hayley Joy, watched the broadcast from side stage with Kotb’s siblings and their kids.

Ahead of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this Thursday (Nov. 23), Kotb clued viewers into a little secret of hers: She likes to give her kids a special “signal” while on the air. This year, however, Jenna Bush Hager wants one, too.

“It’s going to be great,” Kotb said. “And every year I do a signal for my kids so that they know that mama is looking at them.” She explained that her kids wanted her to blow them a kiss while hosting this year’s parade.

During their discussion, Bush Hager turned to Haley and asked, “Haley, what has she normally done?”

From side stage, Haley responded, “She normally pulls her ear.”

Bush Hager continued, “I’d like a signal. I know you may be close but I won’t be there tomorrow.”

Luckily, Kotb already had an idea for a signal – albeit, a bizarre one. “What I usually do for Jenna, and she does for me too, is on the air, before we go on, usually there’s lipstick right here [on our teeth],” she explained. “So what about this move, very casually… How about that?” She then pretended to scrub her teeth with her finger.

“I told her that might be too dramatic but I’m into it. So, will you really do that?” Bush Hager asked, to which Kotb replied, “If you double-dog dare me i’ll do it.”

Bush Hager didn’t back down. “I triple dog dare you!” she said. She later told Kotb to do it again so she can know what she’s “looking for” during the broadcast.

“Do you have to look like a little squirrel when you’re doing it?” she asked.

 “Yes, otherwise it loses its effect,” Kotb said.

Kotb will be hosting the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will begin a half hour earlier this year at 8:30 am ET for the very first time in almost a century. According to Kotb, this will give the parade “an extra 30 minutes” so it can proceed “a little slower.”

She will be hosting alongside Al Roker. Roker experienced a near-fatal health scare just before last year’s parade, forcing him to back out of hosting the annual event for the first time in 27 years.

Tune into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC and Peacock on Thursday, Nov. 23.

Today with Jenna and Hoda airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.