KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, co-host:
And the birthday celebrations around here are over, thank the Lord!
HODA KOTB, co-host:
Thank you for that.
GIFFORD:
Oh!
KOTB:
We -- it's been...
GIFFORD:
Frank
and I are 137 now, it's enough!
KOTB:
It's exhausting. And you -- not only did we have a nice lunch with...
GIFFORD:
Oh, please.
KOTB:
...with you guys at
Michael
's...
GIFFORD:
Yes.
KOTB:
...you know, your 12th lunch I think we had, you guys -- it went on into the evening hours, the birthday.
GIFFORD:
Well, yes, it was the opening night of "
Monday Night Football
," which is now on
ESPN
. And there's --
let's see
, there's
Frank
and myself and
Cody
and
Cass
up there. We were in the
ESPN
box,
thank you very much
.
KOTB:
Because...
GIFFORD:
The new stadium is fabulous,
what do you want
for a billion-six?
KOTB:
Who are -- who are all these people?
GIFFORD:
That's
extended family
...
KOTB:
OK.
GIFFORD:
...that are all on their...
KOTB:
OK.
GIFFORD:
...today's the last day, everybody's
heading home
.
KOTB:
OK.
GIFFORD:
But they honored -- that's why it's -- yeah,
Frank's
hot dogs, barbecue and snacks. We just thought that was sort of ironic.
KOTB:
I like that.
GIFFORD:
And then he was interviewed by the new team at "
Monday Night Football
." And of course he spent 27 years there.
KOTB:
Mm.
GIFFORD:
And the guys were -- there they are. They gave him -- there's Frank...
KOTB:
Wow.
GIFFORD:
...when he had lots of hair.
KOTB:
Uh-huh
.
GIFFORD:
He still looks darn good for his age, though, doesn't he?
KOTB:
He looks gorgeous.
GIFFORD:
So they gave him this -- a new jacket, it said "
Monday Night Football
."
Frank
was so funny, he takes it over, sniffs it and goes, 'Smells like
Howard
.'
Couldn't
have been better. Howard Cosell. So anyway, it was fun, it was fun.
KOTB:
You had -- you had a nice night?
GIFFORD:
But I'm glad it's over. But the new stadium is gorgeous.
KOTB:
Is it gorgeous? And half-time didn't hit until late, right? It was -- you were there late into the evening.
GIFFORD:
It was about quarter to 12, yeah, that I got home last night. But
I had a chance
to talk to
Ann Mara
, who is the matriarch of the family there.
KOTB:
Yes, of course.
GIFFORD:
And she was talking about the fact that her granddaughter might become the new -- the girl with the golden tattoo.
KOTB:
The dragon tattoo.
GIFFORD:
That too.
KOTB:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
GIFFORD:
And it's golden, it's dragon, it's doing a lot of things. And it's like the most coveted role in
Hollywood
.
KOTB:
Congrats.
GIFFORD:
And darn if it wasn't announced this morning.
KOTB:
Can I tell you about that book? Because...
GIFFORD:
Rooney
Mara
.
KOTB:
Let me tell you,
everybody loves
the book, so of course...
GIFFORD:
I never read the book.
KOTB:
...well, hold on, I went to get it because I said, '
Everybody loves
this book, I've
got to get it
, everyone's reading it.' They -- the first 100 pages...
GIFFORD:
Yes.
KOTB:
...of "
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
," it's torture. You -- they keep saying if you can get past the first 100, it's a
home run
.
GIFFORD:
That's the way "Bambi" was with me.
KOTB:
I still -- I still haven't been able to get through the first 100 pages because they keep saying, 'Just -- we promise, once you get through it, you're going to want all the sequels.'
GIFFORD:
Oh, boy.
KOTB:
But it's hard when you have to -- when you have to slog through that beginning part.
GIFFORD:
Well, you know, we're going to have the brilliant director
Rob Reiner
on with us in a little bit and he'll probably have something to say about it. But
Ann
was telling me that her granddaughter...
KOTB:
Mm.
GIFFORD:
...studied for two months now -- there she is,
Rooney Mara
.
KOTB:
Mm-hmm.
GIFFORD:
And studied with a dialect coach because this girl is Swedish. So I mean, you got to -- you got to work now...
KOTB:
I...
GIFFORD:
...and everybody wants that role, you got to go for it.
KOTB:
And you have to think about who was -- who was up -- they were saying
Angelina
...
GIFFORD:
Scarlett Johansson.
KOTB:
...yeah,
Angelina Jolie
was up...
GIFFORD:
I think
Angelina
's too old for it.
KOTB:
Yeah. They had like three women and they were all big names and then -- and this girl we don't know yet, but we will obviously.
GIFFORD:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So congratulations to them.
KOTB:
But congratulations.
GIFFORD:
This -- those are the
young women
that are actually accomplishing something wonderful in their life, and then there are the others that we're about to speak about.
KOTB:
This is the most...
GIFFORD:
This is troubling,
Hoda
woman.
KOTB:
This -- when we were talking about this in the -- in the makeup room, it was completely shocking. All right, there are young girls, and we're talking about girls eight years old...
GIFFORD:
Eight years old.
KOTB:
...who are getting bikini waxes.
GIFFORD:
Yes.
KOTB:
That's what
's happening.
GIFFORD:
Yes.
KOTB:
No, it...
GIFFORD:
Now let's go to the
International Spa Association
. Somebody said this. Can we roll down a little bit? This is their statement. Salon owners tell todayshow.com...
KOTB:
And here it is -- here it is.
GIFFORD:
OK. Can you read it?
KOTB:
"I call it the virgin waxing for children eight years old and up who've never shaved before.
Virgin
hair can be waxed so successfully that growth can be permanently stopped in just two to six sessions. Save your child a lifetime of waxing and put the
money in the bank
for her college education instead," exclamation point, "Ask about your special children's prices."
GIFFORD:
I am
-- I'm really outraged by this.
KOTB:
Are you -- is that horrifying?
GIFFORD:
I -- is anybody else as horrified as I am by this?
KOTB:
Yeah. It's...
GIFFORD:
What are we teaching our
young women
to be?
KOTB:
First of all, why would an eight-year-old need to...
GIFFORD:
Even
know about it
?
KOTB:
And why would anyone be noticing? I mean, it's one thing -- OK...
GIFFORD:
Yeah.
KOTB:
...there are kids who get to a certain age, 13 -- whatever -- 12, 13, 14, you have a bathing suit on, you're with friends and you may...
GIFFORD:
It might be an issue.
KOTB:
...be one of those girls that it's an issue.
GIFFORD:
It might be an issue.
KOTB:
That I get. If you're eight, no one should be paying attention.
GIFFORD:
I just think -- that kind of message from a mother to a child or -- is just outrageous to me.
KOTB:
Well -- and they also say the number of girls who are getting -- young girls who are getting lip waxes and all the different stuff...
GIFFORD:
That I understand.
KOTB:
But...
GIFFORD:
At any age.
KOTB:
...but there is an uncomfortable thing that does happen when you're growing up when you are trying -- when that becomes an issue. Eight is ridiculous. Let's put that off the table already.
GIFFORD:
Well, I've just finished watching
Rob Reiner
's new movie called "
Flipped
."
KOTB:
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
GIFFORD:
And I
was like blown away by this movie. And it is -- it's -- what I wish most movies would be about.
KOTB:
Mm-hmm.
GIFFORD:
So about life and the real stuff of life.
KOTB:
Mm-hmm.
GIFFORD:
And when there was an innocence to childhood.
KOTB:
Right.
GIFFORD:
It's an examination of your first love.
KOTB:
Mm-hmm.
GIFFORD:
And it goes
on and on and on
. And the agony of that love...
KOTB:
Right.
GIFFORD:
...and the unrequitedness and it's just -- oh, Rob...
KOTB:
Well, the good thing...
GIFFORD:
...I can't wait to talk to you. Mazel tov.
KOTB:
Yeah.
GIFFORD:
It is such a beautiful, beautiful movie.
KOTB:
And the good thing about this is there's no nudity, there's no crash scenes, it's something that the whole...
GIFFORD:
No special effects.
KOTB:
...wait, the whole family...
GIFFORD:
Yes.
KOTB:
...it's a movie that the whole family can watch. Hello.
GIFFORD:
It's -- and the performances these young kids give are just terrific.
KOTB:
It's going to be fun. We have some breaking...
GIFFORD:
So
Rob
, you can go home now, I've given you the review and...
KOTB:
It's...
Mr. ROB REINER:
Thank you,
Kathie
.
KOTB:
...two thumbs up. Congratulations.
Mr. REINER:
Thank you very much
.
KOTB:
We have some breaking news that you may or may not know about.
If...
GIFFORD:
How can life go on,
Hoda
?
KOTB:
No. Stop the presses. If you are a fan of "The
Real Housewives
of
New Jersey
," buckle up...
GIFFORD:
Not.
KOTB:
...buckle up...
GIFFORD:
Not.
KOTB:
...
Danielle Staub
, according to
Life Style
magazine, has been fired. She's out. She's the one who usually is at the center of every storm.
GIFFORD:
Well...
KOTB:
They say she's been fired. Now
Bravo
doesn't comment on this business, but here is
Danielle
's quote, "Actually, I'm not even thinking about season three right now as I'm considering many incredible options that have been presented to me." She adds, "Don't worry, next year I'll still be one you either love to hate or hate to love."
GIFFORD:
Maybe she'll do the reality series with
Steven Slater
. They can both go down the tube together, you know?
KOTB:
I know. He is getting a reality show. That's the
JetBlue
guy.
GIFFORD:
When are we going to stop...
KOTB:
No, because...
GIFFORD:
...rewarding bad behavior?
KOTB:
You know why? People like watching that stuff.
GIFFORD:
No, no, no. I think...
KOTB:
That's why they're getting ratings.
GIFFORD:
If you're loving watching that, you got to sort of examine why in your own life you love to watch human beings degraded so much. Come on.
KOTB:
No --
I like to watch
some of it.
GIFFORD:
And I
think you need to...
KOTB:
I know! A little!
GIFFORD:
...self-examination...
KOTB:
A little.
GIFFORD:
...that does not require a
bikini wax
.
KOTB:
Stop. All right.
HODA KOTB, co-host:
OK, so we have some good news for one lucky individual because apartment.com was scouring the country trying to find the best roommate in the country. And a bunch of people sent in lots of videos.
KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, co-host:
Yes.
KOTB:
And here is a video of 21-year-old
Andrew Prestler
. Let's listen.
KOTB:
So apparently
Andrew Prestler
cleans, he cooks.
GIFFORD:
He...
KOTB:
And we didn't hear the whole rap deal, but he tells the story...
GIFFORD:
Look how nice that apartment is. Look how -- yeah.
KOTB:
He keeps it nice. So the winner who -- we actually have
Andrew
with us.
Andrew
.
GIFFORD:
But he doesn't know he's the winner!
KOTB:
Andrew
, congratulations.
GIFFORD:
It's you
,
Andrew
. Congratulations.
Mr. ANDREW PRESTLER:
Oh,
thank you very much
. I just -- I -- like I'm literally and completely surprised, like this is like literally news to me right now.
KOTB:
Well, the good news is,
Andrew
, what you win is $10,000 a year plus you get a rent-free apartment.
GIFFORD:
I...
KOTB:
So you're doing really well.
Mr. PRESTLER:
Yeah, like -- yeah, that's incredible. I can't believe, like, free rent for a year and $10,000. Wow.
GIFFORD:
And apparently you're going to pay the rent for the other two roommates. You are a good guy.
Mr. PRESTLER:
Oh, yeah, absolutely. Like in order to be the best roommate, that's what you have to do, like you got to pay the rent.
KOTB:
So you're at
Ball
-- you're at Ball State. So what do you -- what makes you a great roommate? What do you do, you clean, you cook, what?
Mr. PRESTLER:
Well, yeah. I mean, like I clean, I'll cook, I'll clean out your creepy basement.
And I
mean, if you have a small dog, I'll teach him tricks. So I mean it's...
GIFFORD:
And I
hear you help with homework as well.
Mr. PRESTLER:
Oh, yeah, absolutely. I mean, I'll do your homework for you.
KOTB:
'I'll do it for you.'
GIFFORD:
Well, forget that, come to live with us.
KOTB:
Yeah.
Andrew
, congratulations.
Good for you
.
GIFFORD:
Yeah, you seem like a sweetheart.
Mr. PRESTLER:
Thank you very much
.
GIFFORD:
Spend it well.
Mr. PRESTLER:
Oh, yeah.
GIFFORD:
Call your mom and dad on occasion, all right?
Mr. PRESTLER:
Oh, I will, I will.
GIFFORD:
All right. He's the perfect kid.
KOTB:
He is.
GIFFORD:
And I
thought I was the only one that had...
KOTB:
Yes, you do. Wait, we should -- we -- real quick before we go to
Sara
...
GIFFORD:
What -- yes -- what...
KOTB:
These are the ultimate
grilled cheese
sandwiches.
GIFFORD:
Now that I've given up bread and cheese, they bring me this.
KOTB:
OK. OK, this is the
Denny's
fried cheese melt.
GIFFORD:
That looks like bananas, but it's not.
KOTB:
Those are -- it's mozzarella, melted
American cheese
, two slices of sourdough. It's got 790 calories, 38 grams of fat.
SARA HAINES reporting:
Oh.
GIFFORD:
Dave
, want a bite, baby?
KOTB:
Get involved.
GIFFORD:
Because where's
Jerry
when we need him? We got
Dave
over here.
KOTB:
I know.
GIFFORD:
I can't have -- you have my bite.
DAVE:
I'll try.
GIFFORD:
And I
'll live vicariously through you.
KOTB:
How is that? Nice?
DAVE:
It -- it's good.
GIFFORD:
Cheesy?
DAVE:
Is it the best -- the best -- huh?
KOTB:
Davy
, you're on
TV
, OK? I'm just letting you know.
DAVE
; I know.
KOTB:
OK.
Let's go
over to
Sara
. Hey,
Sara
.
HAINES:
Hi
, guys.
GIFFORD:
Thank you,
Dave
.
KOTB:
Thanks,
Dave
.
HAINES:
We were talking about...
GIFFORD:
Just made 100 bucks, he doesn't care.
HAINES:
...we were talking about the waxing on the wall. And it's actually started quite a discussion. We were talking about waxing treatments in general, and -- but in regard to the bikini
Kristen
said that whenever they start wearing bathing suits because some girls are maturing so fast that if they're embarrassed...
KOTB:
Yeah.
HAINES:
...kids can be so mean.
KOTB:
It's a good point.
HAINES:
Yeah.
GIFFORD:
Yes, but eight? Are people...
HAINES:
Well, I don't -- I don't...
KOTB:
No, they say they're hitting puberty -- remember we did that story about all the hormones? Yeah.
HAINES:
There was a -- there was a mom on here that said her...
GIFFORD:
That's a different thing, if it's puberty...
HAINES:
...her seven-year-old is getting hair and she goes, 'I'll let her when it gets to the point she's embarrassed,' you know?
KOTB:
Embarrassed.
GIFFORD:
Oh, we're not talking about that, the thing was they are virgin...
KOTB:
Hair.
GIFFORD:
...hair they call it.
HAINES:
Right.
GIFFORD:
Before it becomes anything else. And to keep it -- I mean that's what we're talking about.
HAINES:
Well, I think she was insinuating it may be a problem early.
“ ”