Jenna Bush Hager opens up to Hoda Kotb about 'extreme' phobia that sees her 'hit the dirt' once she encounters it

1 month ago 13

By Kirsty McCormack For Dailymail.Com

Published: 17:22 BST, 2 September 2024 | Updated: 17:26 BST, 2 September 2024

Today host Jenna Bush Hager has opened up about an 'extreme' phobia that she suffers from which leaves her 'down on the ground' in fear.

During Monday's episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, the mother-of-three and her cohost, Hoda Kotb, were discussing a DailyMail.com article about the most common phobias in the US, when Jenna decided to come clean about hers. 

'Well, I have globophobia,' the 42-year-old announced before joking: 'Which is the fear of reading phobia words! No, it's actually the extreme fear of balloons,' as Hoda, 60, confirmed: 'Jenna has a fear of balloons.'

'I do,' the former First Daughter reiterated as Hoda added: 'And we don't really want to get into why, but she does,' which led Jenna to admit: 'If I hear a balloon pop right by my head, I'm down on the ground, I really am.'

Confirming Jenna's words again, Hoda revealed: 'She literally hits the dirt, she's down on the ground,' as Jenna opened up about another phobia of hers.

Jenna Bush Hager has opened up about an 'extreme' phobia that she suffers from which leaves her 'down on the ground' in fear

Hoda Kotb giggled as Jenna also opened up about being scared of 'hiking'

'I also am scared of... and this is a fear and I hate thinking about it, but I don't normally get scared of heights, like I can go on rollercoasters, but hiking... I don't know, I'm scared,' she said as Hoda started giggling.

Jenna continued: 'Sometimes hiking... when you get to the top, top, top, and you're like, "If I hit this rock, I would fall off," I have that!'

Referring to her husband of 16 years, Henry, Jenna then said: 'We used to hike when we first got together and I lived in Latin America for a period.

'We would go to each country and we would hike the tallest point and we were in Ecuador, and it was touch and go. I was freaked out!' Jenna went on as Hoda continued laughing.

It comes less than a week after mother-of-two Hoda poked fun at her cohost's childhood obsession, that she didn't grow out of until she was 22.

During last Tuesday's episode, the duo were reminiscing about what their bedrooms were like when they were younger.

Revealing what her bedroom was like as a kid, Hoda recalled: 'I had posters on my wall, so it's the weirdest combo but I loved both of them. I had a lot of sports trophies and little stuff like that, I had Fred Flintstone and Snoopy sheets and I loved it.'

She continued: 'I remember just diving in bed and thinking, "What's better than right here laying with the Peanuts characters?" And I had a million stuffed animals. I loved stuffies, I had them lined up.' 

Hoda poked fun at Jenna on the show last week for a 'very odd' childhood obsession she used to have

The 60-year-old anchor admitted that she used to have posters of Barry Manilow and Erik Estrada on her bedroom wall as a kid

Jenna then revealed: 'My bedroom was, first of all I kinda remember the windows and looking out and there was a fence and my cat Cowboy was always up on the fence. I had a chair that I would sit by the air conditioner and write in my journal or write stories. 

When Hoda asked if she had any posters, Jenna replied: 'I don't remember the walls. I think my room was small and mainly windows, there was a bookshelf with all my books and then bookshelves around the closet. And I really loved Barbie... until I was 22!'

Laughing at her comment, Hoda said: 'Yeah that was your big thing, very odd,' as Jenna quickly fired back: 'Well you had stuffies!' 

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