Why Jenna Bush Hager Didn't Invite Twin Sister Barbara to Her Birthday Party
Old wounds were cheekily reopened during the fourth hour of TODAY.
A question posed by a viewer "hit close to home" for Jenna Bush Hager during the March 24 episode of TODAY with Jenna & Friends. Specifically, it may have drummed up some sour memories in her twin sister, Barbara Bush, who's co-hosting with Hager this week.
As part of Hager's recurring "Social Dilemmas" segment, a young fan named Trish asked a simple question: "Kacey and I are twin sisters turning 18 this year. Every year since we were babies, we would have a joint party, but this year I want to do my own themed party. How do I tell Kacey this without hurting her feelings?"
As soon as the longtime TODAY star finished reading the question, her sister chimed in.
"Well, do you have some advice, sissy?" Bush asked.
"This one hits a little close to home," Hager responded. "Go ahead, sissy."
As it turns out, Bush was once on the wrong end of a twin sister having a party, not only without her in attendance but without her knowledge at all! Bush claimed that if Hager had simply told her about the party, she would have been "very supportive."
However, Hager maintained that due to her sister's pregnancy at the time, she had an excuse for never letting her know about the get-together.
"You had a baby and the baby was supposed to come right around the time the party happened, so I didn't wanna stir your mind with thoughts as petty as–" she explained before she was cut off.
(By this time, viewers realized Barbara wasn't really upset; this was all in good fun.)
"Well, we have all the same friends — word gets out," Bush quipped, prompting laughter from the crew. "So I would say, for this sister, you say, 'I love you, I'm thinking about having my own party, I'd love for you to come, and let's celebrate me.'"
Hager smiled before having a sudden realization.
"Now, did you put this question into the 'Social Dilemmas?'" she asked.
"I wrote it under an alias," said Bush.
Jenna Bush Hager's husband Henry set for co-host role on March 27 and 28
Hager will undoubtedly have her fill of family this week on TODAY with Jenna & Friends! On Thursday and Friday of this week (March 27 and 28), she'll be joined by special guest co-host Henry Hager, her husband of 17 years.
RELATED: Jenna Bush Hager's Husband and Her Twin Barbara to Co-Host Jenna & Friends (DETAILS)
Back in 2020, Hager told Hoda Kotb how she knew that Hager was the one for her: "I do think one of the reasons why I knew really soon Henry was the one is I was completely myself, and he loved it."
RELATED: A Guide to the Bush Family Tree, From Jenna Bush Hager's "Gampy" to Her Cousins
The couple now has three adorable children: Poppy, Mila, and Hal.
Over the past few months since Kotb's departure from TODAY, Hager has welcomed an endless stream of celebrity guest co-hosts for the show's fourth hour. That means Henry has some mighty big shoes to fill!
