Jenna Bush Hager revealed how hard she’s had to work because of the label “nepo baby,” becoming a “workaholic” to separate herself from her famous father and grandfather, who were both U.S. presidents.
The discussion came about when Jenna, 43, and guest cohost Justin Sylvester, discussed actor Patrick Schwarzenegger being called the breakout star of The White Lotus season 3 during Today With Jenna & Friends on Wednesday, February 19.
“People talk about nepo babies in Hollywood. I think nepo babies have to work twice as hard,” the E! News personality, 38, said referring to the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver. Jenna confessed her own kids were already familiar with the term.
“Sometimes my children say ‘nepo babies’ and I’m like, ‘I mean, I kind of am one, kids,’” she admitted. Jenna and her twin sister, Barbara Bush, were 7 years old when their late grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, took office. Jenna’s profile was heightened even more when her dad, George W. Bush, 78, became president in 2001.
“But I also think it’s hard. People want [nepo babies] to fail,” she continued. “Barbara and I are serious workaholics, and I’ve tried to figure out why, and I think it’s because we want to prove to people that it isn’t always easy. We work really hard.”
“I think if you ask people around here, they’ll say that,” Jenna revealed about her workplace. “And I’m glad I work really hard and I’m glad I have the family that I have. But I also need to, at some point, be like, ‘OK, I did it. I proved it.’ And I can also be happy with my kids at home.”
“I think it’s a double-edged sword,” the Today personality added, saying the topic of nepo babies “struck a chord” with her.
Jenna joined Today as a correspondent in 2009, one year after her dad left office. She previously worked as an elementary school teacher in the Washington, D.C. area.
After 10 years with the network, NBC announced on February 26, 2019, that Jenna would be taking over for the departing Kathie Lee Gifford on the fourth hour of Today. She joined cohost Hoda Kotb, and the pair’s chemistry became a hit with viewers.
The Texas native revealed how the network initially told her to take a certain Southern word out of her daily usage during a December 2, 2024, episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna.
“[They were like], ‘Hey, y’all,’ isn’t for the whole country,’” she claimed. “And I was like, ‘Well, but it’s who I am.’ It’s so weird, and this happens in life too. If you have friends and then, all of a sudden, you’re acting not who you are, and you’re like, ‘Wait,’ something in your gut feels wrong.”
“When they said, ‘You can’t say y’all,’ in my gut, I was like, ‘But why? We have to pretend to be news people?’” Jenna continued. “Because whenever you pretend to be a news person, I felt like I was acting. And we all know, I’m not a great actor. When you try to pretend you’re somebody else, it feels crazy.”
