Jenna Bush Hager reveals the phrase NBC banned her from using on the Today show
- Jenna discussed the changes people have to make for their jobs with Hoda Kotb
- She revealed that she cut a certain term from her vocabulary when she joined NBC
- The TV star, 43, said her bosses felt it wasn't a word that the 'whole country' liked
Jenna Bush Hager has revealed the one word that NBC banned her from using on the Today show.
The TV star, 43, made the confession while discussing the 'changes' that people have to make for their careers with co-host Hoda Kotb on Monday morning.
During their chat, Hoda, 60, admitted that being on national television every morning comes with an understanding that you have to look and speak a 'certain way.'
Jenna then revealed that she was told she would have to cut the word 'y'all' from her vocabulary when she first joined NBC in 2009, because her bosses felt it wasn't something the 'whole country' would find appealing.
'They want you to wear something a certain way, cut your hair a certain way, speak a certain way,' Hoda explained.
She then said to Jenna, 'I know when you came to the network they were like, "Welcome in but you have to change."'
Jenna, who grew up in Texas, explained that NBC wanted her to stop using the term 'y'all' but it felt wrong 'in her gut' because it was a big part of 'who she was.'
'They said, "Y'all isn't for the whole country." But I was like, "It's who I am,"' she said.
Jenna Bush Hager has revealed the one word that NBC banned her from using on the Today show
The TV star, 43, (right) made the confession while discussing the 'changes' that people have to make for their careers with her co-host Hoda Kotb (left) on Monday morning
Jenna revealed that she was told she would have to cut the word 'y'all' from her vocabulary when she first joined NBC in 2009
'It's so weird. This happens in life too, like, if you have friends and all of a sudden you're acting different [around them], and something in your gut feels wrong.'
Jenna added that she doesn't like to 'pretend' to be something she's not on air.
'When they said, "You can't say y'all," in my gut, I was like, "But why?" [Why do] we have to pretend to be news people?' she questioned.
'Whenever I would try to pretend to be a news person I felt like I was acting, and we all know I'm not a great actor. If you try to pretend to be someone else it feels crazy.'
Hoda interjected and pointed out that sometimes, people have to do or change certain things to 'fit into a work environment.'
But she added that it's never good to 'stop being yourself' because you want to 'fit in,' which left Jenna wondering, 'How can we teach our kids to be perfectly happy the way they are?'
'I think you know when you're pretending deep down, no matter what it is, and you start losing who you are,' she concluded.
