Hoda Kotb’s post-"Today" chapter was supposed to be a joyful reinvention.
Instead, her first major independent project has reportedly stirred frustration, mockery, and quiet resentment inside NBC.
As insiders describe growing fatigue with her requests and question her latest venture, the former morning show star is facing an unexpectedly chilly reception from the very workplace she left behind.
A year after stepping away from her co-anchor role on "Today," Hoda Kotb is finding that her separation from NBC has not meant a clean break.
According to insiders, the 61-year-old broadcaster has continued leaning on her former colleagues for assistance as she builds her YouTube project, "Joy Rides."
That outreach, sources say, has worn thin.
One insider summed up the mood bluntly, telling the Daily Mail, “Even Hoda doesn't really know what this is. The staff call her a perpetual pest. She quit, now she keeps begging favors and everyone's over it.”
What was once seen as a friendly ask from a familiar face is now described as an ongoing burden.
Staffers who remain deeply immersed in the daily grind of network news reportedly feel stretched beyond capacity, leaving little patience for side projects that no longer fall under NBC’s umbrella.
"Joy Rides" was introduced as a celebrity interview series built around candid conversations inside cars, a stripped-down take on the familiar mobile-interview format.
The premiere episode, released January 21, featured "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie and was filmed before Guthrie’s December 19 departure for vocal cord surgery.
Despite the high-profile guest, NBC insiders were unimpressed. The early-morning shoot, much of it filmed in near darkness, was widely mocked behind the scenes as an unsteady debut.
One NBC producer did not mince words, saying, “The staff are sick of it. It's not their job to find content for Hoda's app. They're burned out working for NBC News and just want her to go away. She's pushing her luck. The idea looked cute on paper, but in reality it's awkward, forced and exhausting. Hoda's charm only goes so far when people are tapped out.”
The tone suggests more than creative criticism. It reflects exhaustion from a workforce already under pressure, now feeling pulled into a project they believe should stand on its own.
Savannah Guthrie’s involvement in the launch episode became a particular flashpoint.
While the former co-anchors have long shared an on-air bond, insiders say Guthrie’s participation did little to generate enthusiasm within NBC.
Instead, it fueled skepticism about the project’s reach and relevance.
One source noted the limited nature of the appearance, saying, “Savannah gave her fifteen minutes at 4am. That tells you everything. If anyone else with so few subscribers asked Savannah to do media, she wouldn't. It's basically Hoda forcing her way back into relevance, and no one's impressed.”
At the time of reporting, the five-question interview had drawn 9,497 views on Joy 101, a channel with just under 2,000 subscribers.
For critics inside NBC, those figures reinforced the belief that the show’s launch failed to justify the effort surrounding it.
The scrutiny surrounding "Joy Rides" coincided with broader turbulence around "Today."
During Guthrie’s medical absence, insiders say she entered what one source described as “full panic mode.”
An insider said, “Savannah is trying to laugh it off publicly, but privately she's completely shaken. Seeing the ratings tick up without her hit a nerve she didn't know she had.”
That anxiety reportedly intensified as ratings showed a 12 percent year-over-year increase during the week spanning late December and early January.
The source added, “She's refreshing the ratings reports like it's her full-time job right now. It's consuming her. She's hyper-aware now of every on-air decision, every co-host moment. It's like she's watching the show from the outside for the first time. Her biggest fear is that this changes how NBC sees her leverage. That thought alone is keeping her up at night.”
Behind the scenes, some staff noted a noticeable tonal change during her absence.
“Without Savannah, the vibe shifted immediately. It stopped feeling like a classroom and started feeling like a group of equals,” one source said. “She naturally takes charge, but when she's gone, everyone else finally breathes. It feels more collaborative, more relaxed. There's less tension on set now. No one's worried about stepping out of line or getting corrected mid-conversation. The show feels warmer. Instead of one authority figure steering everything, it's more like friends sharing the space.”
NBC pushed back against that narrative, stating, “Season-to-date, TODAY is posting its best ratings in 14 years. Savannah Guthrie has been at the helm of the show for almost that entire time and she is one of the keys to its ratings success.”
As Hoda Kotb continues to chart her own path, the reaction from inside NBC suggests her departure has left unresolved tensions.
What was meant to be a fresh start has instead exposed lingering strains, shifting loyalties, and an industry that moves on faster than its former stars might expect.
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