Scoop
Hoda Kotb is counting down
the days until her beach wed-
ding to fiancé Joel Schiffman,
but the Today
cohost, 55, is far
from stressed about
it. “I’m putting the
planning in the
hands of profession-
als,” says Kotb. “All I
want is Joel, [daugh-
ters] Haley and Hope, and
my closest inner circle. I can
picture Joel at the end of
the aisle and Haley and Hope
‘I WANT IT TO
BE FUN AND
HAPPY AND
EVERYBODY
TO FEEL
EASY-BREEZY’
—HODA KOTB
Hoda
Kotb
Getting
Ready
to Wed!
wondering what’s
going on.” Schiffman,
61, proposed to Kotb
while on vacation in
Mexico Nov. 23 (the
two dated for six years). The
TV host, who adopted Haley
Joy, 3, in 2017 and Hope
Catherine in April 2019, adds
that “sand and drinks
and a great deejay”
will be part of her
nuptials. For Kotb’s
cohost Jenna Bush
Hager—with whom
she recently debuted
a revamped version of
Today’s fourth hour named
Hoda & Jenna & Friends, fea-
turing a live studio audience—
tissues will also be a must.
The Young and the Restless’s Eric Braeden
“We’ll all be in tears,” says
Hager. Still, Kotb is feeling
serene about her big day.
“Everything’s just the back-
drop for a beautiful moment.
And that’s all I want—just one
beautiful moment. The rest of
it’s just drunk dancing.”
—EMILY STROHM and
CHARLOTTE TRIGGS
Joyful Family
Kotb with
Schiffman and
daughters Hope
Catherine (left)
and Haley Joy
on Dec. 26.
“I was not particularly inter-
ested. I didn’t know what a
soap opera was or that there
was television during the
day,” says Braeden. “It was
the farthest thing from my
mind.” Four decades later,
Braeden’s villainous character
remains a cornerstone of the daytime
drama. “It is really stunning,” he
says. “When I do a public
appearance, four gener-
ations of fans come up
to me: grandmothers
who have watched the show for 40 years
and their daughters and their grand-
daughters. It’s very touching.” While the
former competitive soccer
player says he feels “privi-
leged” to be able to entertain
people (he also starred as
John Jacob Astor IV in 1997’s
Titanic), his family is what
brings him the most joy. He
and his wife, actress Dale Rus-
sell, 77—married since 1966—
have a son, screenwriter Christian
Gudegast, 50, and three granddaugh-
ters. “I adore them,” says Braeden.
“Nothing makes me more happy than
seeing them.” —EMILY STROHM
and NATALIE STONE
A Soap Star Celebrates 40 Years
then
& now!
28
Job of a
Lifetime
“Daytime is
medium of all
in Hollywood,”
Braeden says.
“The rest is a
‘WHEN YOU DO
A SOAP, YOU
ENTERTAIN.
IT’S GRATIFYING
TO MAKE THAT
CONNECTION
WITH AN
AUDIENCE’
With Melody
Thomas
Scott on The
Young and
the Restless.
CLOCKW
ISE FROM TOP RIGHT: NATHAN CONGLETON/NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY IMAGES; CBS; CBS PHOTO ARCHIVE
