>> From the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. >> [inaudible] Hoda Kotb is a familiar daily presence to watchers of the fourth hour of Today which she cohosts with Kathie Lee Gifford. She has been a correspondent for the news magazine Dateline since 1998 as well. She has reported on stories from around the world including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the struggle for democracy in Myanmar. She is also the author of the New York Times bestseller, "Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee." [laughter] Her second book is "Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives." I believe she just came from a book signing where she was doing that for people. So it's my honor and my great pleasure to introduce Ms. Hoda Kotb. [ Applause ] >> Well, hello. How's everybody? You guys are here in the rain. I can't believe it and you have terrible hair. Who cares? Anyway, I just want to say thank you for hanging in there during this rainy Saturday. I'm so happy to be here with you and I'm happy to tell you about this book that my friend and I, Jane, have written. And I wanted to be a journalist for as long as I can remember and this book is all about tracking people down, interviewing fascinating people. So I'm just going to tell you a little bit about how I became a journalist. I'm going to tell you a little bit about the book. So when I graduated from college, I knew one thing. I knew I wanted to be a broadcast journalist. So I said to my mom who's sitting here in the audience today, I said, Mom, can I borrow your car because I have one job interview lined up in Richmond, Virginia. My mom lives in Alexandria. And I had a new green suit on; I had my hair all blown out; I had a resume tape. And my mom said, you know, You can do it. You can do it. I drove to Richmond for my job interview at this TV station. I looked around the news room and I'm like this is good. I'm going to sit there and I am going to date him and my whole life is going to snap into focus. The news director puts the tape into the machine; he plays it for a couple minutes; he stops it; he pops it out. And he says, Hoda, I'm sorry. You're not ready for Richmond. And I had no plan B. Like, that was it. And I go, what? Was there something wrong with the tape? He said, No, you're not very good but I want to wish you good luck, you know. Bye-bye like that. So as I'm leaving, he says, Well, wait. Before you go, there's a buddy of mine who's a news director in Roanoke and he's hiring people. He's leaving for a conference tomorrow morning but I bet you if you catch him tonight he'll give you a job. He said, you know, do you want me to call him and tell him that you're coming? I said, Please call him and tell him I'm coming. So I called my mom and I said -- my mom goes, How was Richmond? I go, Mom, I don't want Richmond; I want Roanoke. I'm going to Roanoke. I get to Roanoke. I drive four hours. I look around. I'm like this is okay. I can sit there and oh, I can date him. Like this is good. I'll be fine in Roanoke. The news director in Roanoke put my tape in the machine; he played it for a couple minutes; he popped it out. And he said, Hoda, I'm sorry. You're not ready for Roanoke. I'm like who in the hell's not ready for Roanoke; you know what I mean? Apparently me. I was like okay. I said, Is there something wrong? He said, You're not very good. You're green, you know. He said, you know -- you know, bye-bye like that. And so as I was leaving he said, Well, wait a second. Before you go, he said, a buddy of mine is hiring in Memphis, Tennessee. He's going to the same conference I'm going to but he's leaving in the morning. If I call him, you know, I'll let him know you're coming if you'd like. And I said, Please call him and tell him I'm coming. So I called my mom. How was Roanoke? I go, Mom, I don't want Roanoke. I want Memphis. Like I am going to Memphis. Now Tennessee's the long skinny state and Memphis is all the way at the other end. So I drove all night across the great state of Tennessee. I got to Memphis. I meet the news director; I hand him my tape; he puts it in the machine; he plays it; he ejects it. And he says, Hoda, I'm sorry. You are not ready for Memphis. And I thought, oh, my God. What is wrong with me? The suit, the hair, the tape is terrible. And as I'm leaving he said, Well, wait. Before you go, he says, I have a buddy of mine who's hiring. I drove the entire southeastern United States. I got rejected in Birmingham, Alabama at ABC, NBC, and CBS, three there. I drove to Dothan. Does anyone know where Dothan is? Okay then. I got rejected in map.Dothan. The guy said, No, thank you. I got rejected through the Panhandle. At the end, 27 news directors told me, No. Twenty-seven. And I was done. I was tapped out. It was ten days later. I was depressed. My mom needed the car. It was time to go home. And so I said you know what? I was in the Panhandle. I said I'm just going to drive home to Virginia and I'm not -- you know, I was sad. I put on James Taylor. I didn't have a map. I figure I was going to drive north for a while and then over to Virginia. So you know how they say God gives you a sign? So there was this huge physical sign that said Greenville, Mississippi which shows you where I was. "Our eye is on you. CBS." I said you know what? I'm going to go into that television station and get a map. I am so lost. And then I'm just going to go home and it will be over. So I get to the station and there's this short little man named Stan. He's like, Hey, I'm Stan Sandroni. I'm the news director. I was like, Hi. He's like, I was sports director yesterday and I got promoted. I was like, Oh, good for you. He said, What is your name? I said, My name is Hoda. He said, Come on in, Hilda. Let's look at that tape. I was -- you know what? Who cares what your name is when you're getting rejected. I didn't even care. So he takes the tape; he puts it in the machine; he plays it. And something amazing happened. He watched that tape. He watched the whole horrible, terrible 30-minute tape to the end. I was suddenly standing up taller. I was watching him watch it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. When it was done, he stopped the tape; he looked at me and I'll never forget what he said. He said, Hoda -- no, sorry. Hilda, I like what I see. I said, You do? I was just sobbing because I was so tired and I couldn't believe this guy hired me. So it reminded me that you just need one person to believe in you. You don't need 27. You need one. So if you love something enough, find the one person who's going to allow you to go down that road. And to show you how much this guy believed in me, I was in the news room one day working on a story, something breaking like how Girl Scouts needed more leaders or whatever it was. And as I was writing the story, he walks in and he goes, Who has a blazer? I go, What? He goes a jacket. Who has a jacket? I go, Oh, I have a blazer. It's hanging up on that hanger. I thought someone needed it for a standup. He goes, "Oh, good. You need to anchor the news because Ann is sick." I was like, Okay. So the litmus test for who anchors the news in Greenville is who shows up to work with a blazer. I was like always show up to work with a blazer. That's what I told myself. So that day I'd never done it before. I was like, come on, this is like a big day for me. I put me in the blazer, we're sitting in the studio and it was a single anchor show. I was all by myself. I was praying. I was like, please, God, come on. I need to do this. This is a big deal. And the teleprompter was really big and the woman who was ill was Ann Martin who was like the main big popular anchor in Greenville. So the prompter said, "Good evening. I am Hoda Kotb. Ann Martin is out sick." I'm like, you can do it; you can do it; you can do it. So I looked up at the prompter and I said, "Good evening. I'm Ann Martin." I was like, oh, my God. Have you ever done that? You're like -- they know I'm not Ann Martin. They love Ann Martin. I'm like the other one. And I wanted to start all over. You know when you just want to -- can I -- but I had already blurted that out and I don't know about you but when I mess up, I keep on messing up. And it was one of those news casts that I just kept fumbling and stumbling. It was like I was on a toboggan going down a mountain, screaming. That's what it felt like in my head. Thirty minutes was over. And it was long and when it was done, the guy on the floor who tells you when to start talking goes like this, ewww, good try. Let me get that mike off you. And he like sort of shook off the cooties. And I walked into the news room to get canned and I looked around for Stan and he wasn't there. And I thought oh, my God. I have to wait till tomorrow to get fired. And I got in the car and I was depressed. And so I said let me go to the grocery store because everyone has their thing. And mine is I like to have junk food or ice cream or something and so I said, you know, I'm going to go get something to eat. I feel terrible. So I get to the grocery store and I'm looking around at the ice cream aisle. And this lady comes up to me and she looked crazy. You know, her hair was nuts, just a few teeth. And she goes, oh, my God. I just seen you on TV. I felt so sorry for you. I was like, oh, God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. So I thought it was over. And so I went -- I went back to work the next day to get fired and Stan was like, Well, I seen what happened. It wasn't good but Ann's sick again so why don't you try it one -- he gave me another go. And I -- and this guy -- they asked us to bring to Studio 1A in Rockefeller Center somebody who changed the course of your life and I brought Stan Sandroni and he walked in there -- you guys, it was such a big day for me to have him there. He looked around. He's like, is that Matt Lauer? Is that Al Roker? Hey, Al, you know. But he said I knew that you could do it. I said you know what? You were the only one. And again remember in your life, if you're ever -- if you love something enough -- just, you know, a lot of people are going to tell you no along the way and sometimes you just need one person who tells you yes. And I think part of what we are doing -- thank you. Part of what we are doing [applause] when we wrote this book too is we -- you know, you realize sometimes you really have to pull things out from your heart and sometimes you reach a fork in the road. And this book that my cowriter and I, Jane Lorenzini, wrote is called Ten Years Later. And I don't know if you've ever been in a funk and I know we all have at some point in our lives. And you wonder like how am I going to make it ten minutes, let alone ten days, let alone ten years. And you sort of wish you could fast forward through life and see what happens at the other end. Well, we thought it would be a cool concept to find six incredibly fascinating people who went through a moment in life and see what happened after ten years. And one of the things we learned is it's hard to get through something difficult for yourself. It's much easier when you do it for your children, for your spouse, for God, for someone bigger than you. And I remember a long, long time ago I was running the Boston marathon, and a very misguided thing, and I was way in the back, you know. And everyone in the back -- I was with like I was probably in the 5, 6 hour, 7 hour, you know, what I mean, back of the bus. And as I'm going the last stretch -- the last half a mile, everybody runs. No matter how tired you are at the end of 26 miles, people are running. One guy had a T-shirt that said, This is my -- this is for my friends in Vietnam, and he was running. Another woman had something that said, This is for -- it looked like her child who had passed away, and she was running. Another guy was running for his mom, you could see the dates. And there was one woman walking at the end and on her shirt it said, This one's for me. It's hard to do something for yourself. And what we found in this book are all these people who overcame obstacles did it for someone else. There's a woman in our book named Amy Barnes who was -- who weighed 500 pounds and she was in a very abusive relationship. She sort of thought that was all she deserved, you know. And this guy was terrible to her and she had a couple kids and she just felt trapped. And sometimes you're in a terrible situation but you think to yourself maybe what I have here is better than what's out there. And that's what she thought. And at one point her significant other beat her so badly that she was bloody, laying on the floor of the bathroom and her young son walked in and wiped her face. She had blood on her and he said, Mommy, I want you to be pretty again. And she had ultimately this incredible epiphany that I hope you guys read about. But she changed everything because she looked at her kids and thought I'm not going to live this way anymore. If you look at her before and after photos, she looks like a different person. She weighed 500 pounds. Now, she does this -- she has like a beautiful body. She does bodybuilding. She instructs other people. She inspires women and she just will -- she changed my life meeting her. So I think in this book if you're going through a terrible time, you think to yourself, you know what? If they can get through that, I can get through this, whatever your this is. There's one other women in the book I want to tell you about and then we'll talk about Kathie Lee's drinking problem is -- I'm kidding. I'm kidding. She doesn't have a very bad one but anyway -- oh, this is taped; okay. Anyway -- [laughter] Kath, I didn't mean that. Anyway so there's a woman in the book and her name is Roxanne Quimby; okay. She comes from a family of brainiacs. Everyone went to Harvard and Ivy League schools and she started to go to college and then she didn't like it anymore. So she was kind of the black sheep of the family and her parents were like what is wrong with you. And she went off and married a guy and lived in the woods and wanted to live off the land and drink the water from the creek and make her own clothes and grow her own food. She was like that and so her parents were like, well, if this is -- you know -- they almost disowned her. So her husband ended up leaving her. She had two children and no way to make money. So she got fired from two waitressing jobs and she was at the end of her rope. You know, when you don't know what you're going to do. This just shows you that life can change when you meet a stranger. So she's driving down the road in some crummy car and she sees a guy sitting on the roadside in a lawn chair. He has like a Ted Kaczynski beard. He looks kind of crazy, really. And he had a big pickle jar full of honey sitting on a table. And she walks -- she pulls over and she goes, What are you doing? He says, I'm selling honey. And she says, who's buying honey like that? It's in a pickle jar and it looks unappetizing. He said, look, I don't care. I live in that little house; it's paid for; I just do this for fun. She said, Can I ask a favor? She said, If I can help you package it, will you give me a cut of it because I really need a job. He said, Well, have at it. So she starts making little jars and honey. And people start pulling over and buying it. She says, Well, what do you do with the wax? He says, Oh, I put some in that shed. She said, Can I make some candles? He said, Have at it. She goes to a store and she watches how people buy candles. They pick up the candle and look at the bottom. She didn't know why they did that but she said, you know what; I'm going to make the bottom look as pretty as the top. So she made beautiful candles. People started buying them. Then it started happening more and more and she was like, wow, we have something here. So maybe we can use this and make some chapstick or something. She starts doing all kinds of stuff. She said we need a name for this thing. So he has all of his weird hives somewhere and there's like barbed wire and then there's a sign that he has written himself and it says, Burt's bees. She goes, Burt's bees. Why don't we call it Burt's Bees? And you remember the weird guy on all the Burt's Bees products? The guy with the Ted Kaczynski beard? That's him. She ended up selling that company, you guys, for 320 million dollars. 320. She sold the company. Her dad was paging through the Harvard Review, Business Review and there she was. He looked. And I said, what happened? Did you call your dad? Did he call you? And she said you know what happened? She said I called my dad and we talked and it was sweet. And I said did you feel re-bonded? She said, We never re-bonded but I think he respected me. And I just asked her, I said, well, does that make you frustrated? She said, No, no. She said because with her dad, she said because he didn't show her the love that she needed, she kept pushing herself and pushing herself and pushing herself. And she said if her dad would have said to her, you know what? You're good just the way you are, she probably wouldn't have continued this pursuit. So in a weird way she found the silver lining in that, you know, in that relationship. And I think sometimes we need to look for that. You know when you feel like oh, you know, this relationship isn't working; sometimes it propels you to be bigger, better, you know, than others would have expected. Anyway, I hope you guys like the book. It's got -- it's six fascinating people, great people. So I hope that you guys get a chance to read it if you haven't and I'd love to take some questions if you have any. [applause] Thank you. [ Applause ] Thank you. [ Applause ] Why don't you just go right ahead since you're first. Oops. Hang on one second. Yeah. There you go. You're good. >> Hi, Hoda. >> Hi. >> I'm a really big fan. I watch you and Kathie Lee and laugh my butt off with my family. >> Thank you. >> But I have a question. You touched a little bit about your broadcast journalism career. I'm a current college student. And I was interested in finding if you have any tips or anything for students who are interested in pursuing a career and trying to be as successful as you. >> Yeah. I think -- you know what? If you love something and I think you guys know this, if you really love something, there's nothing you won't do. When I first started in that small station in Greenville, you didn't really make enough money to pay your bills. You had to sort of juggle. I'll pay this one now and this one later and you worked it out. But if you really, really love it -- because I think what happens is people quit because it's hard, because you don't get paid enough to do this, because they make you travel, because you have to move a lot because you bond and sever. And I think it weeds the field out and what you'll find is if you love it enough and you hang in there enough, you end up making it. And it's weird because you're going to end up making it because other people will drop out. And I think that's the case with almost everybody who works at NBC now. They're in there because a lot of other people quit and they're just sort of I think stronger inside. We have that with a lot of great correspondents there. I wish you good luck. >> Thank you. >> I'll see you at 30 Rock. Yes? Hi. >> Hi, Hoda. >> Hi. >> I just wanted to let you know that I was home schooled. Everything I know is from watching you guys -- >> Oh, my God. [ Laughter ] >> So I love you so much. >> I'd like to say I'm so sorry. But go on. Oh, my God. >> That's my mom too. >> We are from Florida. We are really your fans, number one. And let me tell you something. This girl, yes, when I home school her, she always said, Mom, can we do a break when it's the Hoda and Kathie Lee show? >> Oh. >> And let me tell you something. That makes her so smart, prepared for everything. We didn't have the money to pay her college but she apply and she got from Florida -- she's here studying for free. Bill Gates paid this college here. >> Wow. Congratulations. I'm so happy for you. You have a loving mom. We can tell. Congratulations. >> Thank you. Well, my question was, as she said now I'm in college. I just wanted to ask you what sort of things did you do in college to keep your head sane? >> You know what? I think, here's the thing. There's a saying that says, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Choose your friends wisely. If you hang around with people who never exercise, who drink, you know what I mean, who have other issues, you've got to -- make sure you choose your five closest people very well because I think that's really going to influence how you end up. And I got involved in everything when I was in college. I went to Virginia Tech, who by the way just won in double overtime, triple? Exactly. And I was a Tri Delta; I was in a sorority; I did some stuff with student government. I was -- I made sure I filled my time because you have that experience once. And I think you get involved with everything, you learn all kinds of things like time management. The less I had to do, the worse I did in school; the more I had to do, the better I did because you end up managing your time better. But I can already tell you're going to be a success. I can tell by your mom and by you. So I wish you good luck; okay. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thanks. Hi. >> Hi, Hoda. >> Hi, hon. >> I want to thank you. I'm the father of three daughters. I'm here with my eldest daughter today. She graduated from college about a year ago and kind of struggling to find what she wants to do with her life; doesn't really know. And hearing you speak, the inspiration that you give to young women is very, very refreshing and very inspiring to -- especially to a father -- I'm going to try to get through this. Because when she hears how somebody like you failed 27 times -- >> Yep. >> Right? Because we all fail. You don't think that everybody does. You think -- you see successful people and you think, you know, they're pretty and they're -- and they can just do anything they want to do -- >> Right. They had it easy. >> They don't know the struggle that they go through. So, Kristin, honey, -- >> Kristin's dying right now by the way. >> I know she is but you know what? >> She's like, please, Dad. >> You're right. She is. But she needs to know first of all how proud of her that I am. And I wanted -- I'm so glad that we came to see you speak today. >> Oh, wow. >> Because I want her to know that all she has to do is keep trying, keep trying, keep trying. I believe in her. And hearing you speak and the inspiration that you give to people is so refreshing that I hope you do this for years to come. >> Oh, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. You're really sweet. Thank you and thank you, Kristin, wherever you are. Thank you. >> Hi. >> That is so nice. >> I know. That's a tough act to follow. As I'm watching you and I've watched you on TV many times, I was thinking she seems like somebody really fun to have dinner with or go out and have a drink with. Who have you never met that you would like to meet, somebody -- or somebody that you have met that you'd love to spend more time with because you just think they seem like a fabulous person. >> We met some really cool, interesting people. I mean you never know when you sit down with a celeb or somebody what they're, you know, you never know. They come and they sit -- you know someone like a Judi Dench, the more sort of legendary actress are so down to earth. They show up with no entourage. They're like, hey, where should I sit. Sometimes the smaller the celeb or like a reality star type, they come with a big entourage and want to -- you know what I'm saying? And yeah. I think -- I like people who tell the truth. It's funny when I do interviews, whoever it is, whether it's a mom or whether it's a celeb or a politician, it doesn't matter. If they're telling you the truth, it's always so compelling. And I think sometimes you talk to people who have something they want to sell or package or whatever and when they try to do that, it's not -- it isn't great. Kathie Lee and I sat down with Beyonce a while ago and, you know, you never know. She was so soft spoken and sweet. You know, you see her on stage and she's crazy and her hair's getting stuck in the fan and she's, you know, she's got it all going on. And in person she was like, Hi, guys. You know you just see another side of her that she has a stage presence and a real life presence. And I like when they sort of pull down their facade and you can have a real conversation. I'd love to chat with Kate Middleton; right? I wonder what she's like. I think she's probably cool with the baby and the whole thing and what it's like to be a royal. I'd be very interested in chatting with her, having dinner with her. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Oh, there you are. Hey, girl. >> Hi. I saw you here two years ago and you made me laugh so much I went straight to the [inaudible] and bought your book and give it to my mom who was suffering from cancer at the time. >> I'm sorry. >> And you made her howl at just so much. She thanked me so much for buying your book for her. So I just wanted to thank you for that. Both times I've seen you here, you've had the audience in stitches and I was wondering do you ever have the want or need to do some writing in the fictional world or comedic world because I think you're just such a great personality -- >> You're nice. Thank you. >> I would buy it in a second. >> You know we're working on another book and the other book we're working on is called Where You Belong. And I think we've all felt this like sometimes, you know, you go to college because it's near your house. You study computer science because your dad said there are more jobs there. You meet a guy who lives next door and you love him and so you marry him. And then suddenly you're in your 40s and you go, okay, well, I guess this is my life. And then one day you go to Paris and your heart feels like there's a warm hand on it or you hold a baby for the first time and you go oh, my God. I'm home. Or you start painting and you go oh, my God and hours go by and you don't notice it. And we're trying to find people who made a turn and ended up where they belonged in the sweet spot. So I think often -- it's like we're swimming upstream, you know, you're doing something and you're fighting, fighting, fighting and one day you do something and you feel like you're riding a wave. Like time passes and you go I can't believe it's been two hours. I'm so happy doing this thing. Like whatever that thing is. So we're now in the process of interviewing people and talking to people. We have like a Gordon Gekko type who became a priest, someone who did a 180 that way. And we're on the hunt for others but that's our next pursuit because I think we all have a little of that, you know. I think some -- there's a part of us that wants to be doing something else and wonders what would have happened or what would happen if I pursued that. So we're kind of in the process of trying that out. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, though. Thanks. Hi. >> Hi. >> How are you? >> Yeah. My name is Eric Brasten [assumed spelling]. I run a nonprofit called The Space Age Freedom Fighters. And what's your view on the lack of the media to properly do its job to the point that it's affecting our national security economically? See we stepped in on this Syrian issue and kept them from using Tomahawks. I used to be quality control on nuclear Tomahawk cruise missiles. And what they did was they threatened Assad with death. We have an outer space weapon system right now. It is the most awesome thing mankind has ever developed. >> Okay. >> It uses subatomic particles, bounces them off satellites, and they can target Assad with a drone and kill him. So that's why he folded and decided to get rid of his chemical weapons. >> Okay. >> I tried to get some media coverage. I even met with Ted Koppel in Starbucks. We talked about my brother's jet and I tried to call him, couldn't get through. >> Okay. All right. >> So you know -- >> All right. Well, thank you for your comment. You're on -- it was all recorded on TV so someone's going to watch it. It was just all recorded so you got your thing. All right. Let's go over here. Hey. >> Hey. I'm going to follow this up. I also run a nonprofit; it's very different. [ Laughter ] >> So recently you had a segment on kids who did amazing things with things that they loved. >> Yes. Yes. >> It was a few months ago and I thought that was really cool. >> Yes. >> I'm an actress. I live in Arlington. My nonprofit is actually in Alexandria. And it's a children's theater company for kids who may not have the opportunity to get to pursue theater in the way they want to and maybe they're not as talented or they're afraid to audition. So being an actress and kind of finding my niche on the education side because I -- you know, it's so hard to work in DC at least as an actress. >> Right. Right. >> But I was just wondering if broadcast wasn't totally in the cards for you is there something else that you would have wanted to pursue or start? >> I think -- by the way, hats off for what you're doing. I think anything that gives kids confidence like that is so great because I mean look when it's not accessible. I get it. I worked in New Orleans for many years and it used to break my heart because I would see kids who had so much potential but happened to live on a bad block next to a bad school and a bad this and you could almost see their path and it was frustrating. I remember once we went on one of these swat rolls in New Orleans and these cops broke down the door. And they raided the place and we went along with them and they started throwing things out of the apartment and a little, like, six-year-old or seven-year-old kid came out and he -- you know, they didn't realize there was a young child in there. So he came over and stood next to me and they threw out mattresses. And the kid got up, went in between the mattresses and got his pants because he wanted his pants for school the next day. And he stood there with me with his pants in his hand and I said to the police officer, like, these kids are getting lost in everything. And they said, well, child services will be here. We didn't know there was a kid here and it turned into chaos and I couldn't -- I mean I thought about that kid a thousand times. Like what happens to kids who fall through the cracks. So if there are any opportunities like you guys are giving for young kids to have an opportunity, that's great. And for me personally I mean I think if I wasn't doing broadcasting, I've always thought I wanted to teach second grade, like little kids. I would love that. You know when you ask them to, like, put their arms in the air like a tree and they do it. They don't go, I'm not doing it; that's stupid. Like, before they think it's stupid. I think second grade would be good. >> Cool. Thank you. >> Thank you. Yes? Hi. >> Hi. Thanks for coming down. I know Kathie Lee also has ties to this region. >> Yes. >> And so -- >> Bowie, Maryland. Yeah, that's her area. >> I wanted to ask you about if you would care to comment about competition in the morning television wars. I know there's another network that's sort of gotten rid of the music and some of the entertainment side and then there's sort of the breakfast bar approach -- >> Yeah. >> Do you just keep tinkering with it or which -- would you comment on that? >> You know I think morning TV is a weird thing because mainly it's about loyalty. It's about what you've watched most of your life. I mean most kids watch the Today show because their parents watched it. And I think that that's -- there's something about tradition I think that matters. And I also think the world's heavy. You know, there's a lot of bad scary news and I think sometimes people want to lighten the load. And I think the magic of morning TV is you have to be able to flip from Syria to something light like you would with a friend having a conversation. And it's not an easy thing to do so I think it is more of an art than a science. And I think we all struggle to find the right spot. I mean, you know, it's tough. I mean, look, I did hard news for many, many years and now I'm laughing and scratching with Kathie Lee. I mean what is that about. But I have to tell you it's so fun to work that muscle. And I think we're all multifaceted. Like, I like to watch 60 Minutes but I don't mind watching one of the Real Housewives shows or I like to read People magazine but I read the New York Times. Like, I think we all are the sum of our parts. I don't think we're all one way or all another. I think we have a little bit of all of -- each of it in us. Yes? Hi. >> Hi. I'm a writer and I chose journalism myself so I like your message of self confidence and you have to remind yourself of that, find somebody that believes in you. I like your -- I really like that message. >> Thank you. >> Is there something about journalism that you really like or what do you really like about journalism as a career and what do you maybe not like so much? >> I've loved every single thing about it. I love every single thing about it. You get a front row seat to history. I mean how often does that happen in your life, you know. Sometimes I mean they send us to Baghdad after the statue fell and you're right there when that is happening and you can't believe you're standing there. Or you go to the Olympics and you get to actually see and report on people who do incredible things. I was in New Orleans, you know, during those terrible times and I love New Orleans because I lived there for many years and it was so heartbreaking to be there during it. And I think -- you know, it wears on your heart. I think if you -- you know, I think it wears on you. I think there -- I don't know how people go from war zone to tragedy and back again. Like, I don't think I could do it forever. I think it's one of those things that wears you down but I think you -- whenever I'm in terrible places, you meet someone every single time who lifts you up and that person reminds you that in like the bleakest world there's a light. You know, the worst in mother nature brings out the best in human nature. Like you go, wow, I can't believe this person just said that. We were in Thailand during the horrible tsunami and we're sitting there and this little boy walks up to me with a paper bag in it and he said in his language "for you" and I didn't know what it was and I opened it up and there was an orange. Just an orange. This kid lost everything and he gave me an orange. Like -- it's like the smallest thing can change your whole mood and everything. So I think it's maybe I like it the most because it's been a real education for me and to be able to let other people see that kind of stuff is important too. Thank you. Thanks. One more? Hi. >> Hi there. I'm wondering if I should change my question. Because it's a little bit serious and I don't want to be the last one. >> Anything you want. That's okay. >> How has your experience in hardship areas and covering war zones influenced your dealing with hardship in America and these books -- this book that you just put out? >> Yeah. I think covering war zones and stuff like that is -- it's difficult. I mean I -- when we were getting ready to go to Iraq, they sent us to a boot camp in Virginia, in the mountains of Virginia. And they gave us gas masks and they put us through drills about can you see a booby trap and what would you do if X, Y and Z happened and I was totally freaking out. I'll be honest because I was, you know, I was shoe shopping at Saks. I mean the idea of putting on the gear and going into a war zone was very frightening to me. And at one point they had us all on a bus and we were driving through the mountains of Virginia as a prep thing. And these guys jumped on the bus with masks on and they were running up to every person putting bags on our heads and pulling the drawstring. It was part of a drill put when you're -- when that's happening, you don't feel the drill; right? They're pushing your head down and they're onion sacks so you can breathe but you're freaking. So they starting throwing people off the bus. I'll never forget it. And they pulled the guys' pants down because when you're in that kind of situation, sometimes what they do so people don't run is they pull their pants down so they're locked around their ankles. And they would say a few things and it got quiet and someone on our team from the bus said is everybody okay. And you heard the bad guys screaming, I said shut up, and they'd throw the guy down again. And I remember I was -- you can feel yourself almost hyperventilating wondering how you would react in that kind of situation. And it was all part of the drill but you realize what that life is, you know. When they say oh, someone got kidnapped but they're okay. Well, they're okay physically but I don't know how they're ever okay. You know what I mean? And you learn a lot when you're out there but, by the way, if anyone puts an onion sack over your head and you're trying to breathe, let me give you a tip because this was like my takeaway. If they put a bag over your head, sometimes you try to put space between your mouth and the bag. They say that's the wrong thing to do because you breathe in carbon dioxide. They say bite the bag. Bite it so your mouth is pressed up against the onion sack and you can breathe in and out straight into the air. I know. I don't think it will ever come in handy but I'm just letting you know in case. [laughter] But I think seeing that stuff close up, it reminds you of how privileged we are here. And you forget -- when you go and you come back and you know -- we complain about things and this doesn't work and that doesn't work. I know a lot of things don't work but it's not like it is over there. And it's not like it is over there or over there or all those other places we've been. And every time I come home I'm reminded like I live on the best place on the planet and I never forget it. This job reminds me of that every day. Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Yes? >> Hi. >> Hi. >> I am a former second grade teacher, just moved to kindergarten. >> Wow. Excellent. >> And you're absolutely right. You can do the craziest things and the kids think you're hilarious. So what are some of your favorite places to visit when you come back to the area? >> Well, my mom lives in Old Town so we walk the streets of Old Town. We like that market. You know the great market in Old Town. I ran by it today; it was beautiful. Where do we go, Mom? I don't know. Where do we go? Usually my mom cooks and my brother comes over with the kids and his wife and everything. So we usually end up hanging out in Old Town. We go by the river. We hang out right down there where the ducks are. I just, you know, I went to Fort Hunt high school and went to Virginia Tech so this whole area is home but we sort of -- you know, how you shrink it down. And we're big mall people so we go to Tysons Corner, Tysons too. We're like we could live in those places but thanks. I think we have time for one more. Yes? >> I don't have a question. I just want to tell you about my sister. She did broadcast news in the morning before there was any such thing on TV. >> Oh, she did? >> Yeah. She -- her husband worked in construction, building horse barns and stuff up in New Hampshire. And she was home alone with the children on the beach, at Hampton Beach, right across from the beach on the second floor and she had a great big picture window. Every morning she would listen to the news on the radio and she had make these big, big signs with big letters and tell the news and hold them up at that picture window for everybody going to work to see what was going on. >> I like that. >> And I was just so proud of her that she was -- she took that initiative. >> I love it. I love it. Wow. That's a great story. Thank you so much. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Well, just one last story before I go. Real quick. I interviewed Steve Harvey a couple months ago and I never forgot what he said. I love Steve Harvey. I'm sorry but I do. And he said, Hoda, I'm sick of having fun. And I said, What? He said, I'm tired of having fun. And I go, What does that mean? And he goes, You know, fun. He said, It's like going to the bar or going to the festival, going to the club, going to the movies. He said -- I go -- he goes, Fun is temporary. You know, when the movie's over it's over. When the festival is over it's over. He said I want joy. I said, okay. What's joy? And he said, Joy is when you open your eyes in the morning, you look around and you're happy with where you are, who you're with, and who you are. And I thought joy because joy lasts forever. Joy is such a great thing so I just want to end by saying. I wish you joy. Thank you, guys. [applause] >> Thank you. [ Pause ] >> This has been a presentation of the Library of Congress.