Savannah Guthrie, the co-host of the adored “Today” Show, stunned viewers this morning by missing the show. She was on a book tour for her most recent book, “Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere,” so don’t worry, she had a very excellent explanation for her absence.
Her book tour even stopped in Texas the day before, to the encouragement of former First Lady Laura Bush and President George W. Bush. Not a bad way to start a book tour, don’t you think?
But not every “Today” Show viewer was excited about Guthrie’s book tour. Before she went for her trip, an interview that aired caused some fans to get furious. Kelly Rowland, an actress and singer, was interviewed by Guthrie regarding her new Netflix movie, “Mea Cupla.” However, things didn’t go as planned.
Guthrie brought up Rowland’s close friend and gifted Beyoncé, who was once a part of the girl group Destiny’s Child with Rowland, during their talk. Some thought it was inappropriate for Guthrie to highlight Beyoncé rather than allowing Rowland to talk about her own work. One irate viewer even went so far as to post on social media, saying, “It’s very disrespectful to ask Kelly about Beyoncé every time she’s on your show.”
Guthrie’s persistence in attempting to learn more about Beyoncé infuriated fans even more. Many people felt that instead of concentrating on Rowland’s job and the movie she was promoting, Guthrie was snooping around in her personal life during the interview.
It is debatable now whether or not Guthrie’s inquiries were actually offensive. However, it’s evident that a large number of devoted “Today” Show fans were not pleased with the way the interview was handled. Discussions around proper interview technique and the significance of honoring an interviewee’s limits have been spurred by this instance.
Even if Guthrie’s departure from the program may not have anything to do with the negative feedback from the interview, it is clear that her actions have affected the “Today” Show’s loyal audience. We’re curious to see how the program will handle the topic going forward, as fans eagerly await her return.