Call up Ryan Murphy, because the next season of Feud should be Kelly Rowland vs. the Today show. This dustup is both funny and confusing — dressing rooms that aren’t up to par, on-air apologies, Rita Ora — so let’s start at the beginning, and I’ll do my best to explain the whole situation.
Last week, Kelly Rowland appeared on the Today show to promote her new Netflix movie, Mea Culpa. She did an interview with Savannah Guthrie, at which some people bristled when the Today host tried to get Rowland to talk about Beyoncé, which the singer politely sidestepped. Afterwards, Rowland was set to be a guest host on the show’s fourth hour alongside Hoda Kotb. However, come the fourth hour, Kotb was joined by Rita Ora and the two were discussing Ora’s new bob. Where was Rowland? Well, she had dipped.
“Kelly and her team were not happy,” a source told “Page Six.” “They did not like the dressing room, so they decided to pull her off the show, leaving [Kotb] without a guest host for the 10 a.m. hour.” The accommodations at the Today show are somewhat notorious for being tiny, and even hosts of the show are expected to make do with what could be generously described as a large closet.
According to “Page Six,” Rowland’s team asked for a different greenroom because they “didn’t like the one she was in.” After requesting one on a different level, they were told it was being occupied by Jennifer Lopez, who was on the show promoting the musical experience This Is Me … Now: A Love Story.
On Monday, Rowland appeared on Sherri Shepherd’s show in much better spirits. Before the interview even began, Rowland thanked Shepherd for bringing “light, positive energy in this space.”
“We needed you, and I thank you so much for your light,” the singer said.
What the heck happened at the Today show that made Rowland come to Sherri Shepherd as if she’s water in the desert? I agree that she is a treasure, but many people would say the same of Hoda Kotb. Speaking of Kotb, she offered a mea culpa of her own on Tuesday’s episode of Today.
“I just wanna say this, I have great love and admiration for Kelly Rowland. I adore her. And I want her to come back on our show, and I want her to host again,” Kotb said. “She can share my dressing room — we’ll be in it together!”
On Tuesday, Rowland’s rep, Yvette Noel-Schure chimed in, telling ET, “After 28 years of knowing her, Kelly Rowland remains one of the kindest, most amiable humans I have ever met and have had the blessing to represent.” Noel-Schure didn’t offer much else, leaving us wondering: Is all of this really about a tiny dressing room?
It turns out that’s up for debate. On Wednesday, the Wrap reported that Rowland left the Today show not because of the dressing rooms, but because of Guthrie’s questions.
“The story was spun that Kelly didn’t like her dressing room, but she has been on the Today show numerous times, she and her team know the dressing room setup,” a source told the blog. “Kelly was upset about Savannah’s aggressive questioning about Beyoncé. She and her team were not happy and felt disrespected.” According to the source, Rowland makes people agree to not bring up Beyoncé or Destiny’s Child if they are going to interview her.
That would be an upsetting but understandable end to this saga. But hold the phone: TMZ is now reporting that none of that is true at all. Its “well-placed” sources insist that this whole debacle was, in fact, about dressing-room size.
Of course, Rowland’s Mea Culpa press tour has now become mostly about the Today show. On Thursday, Rowland went on Chicago’s WGN News to promote the film, and instead had to dodge questions about the morning show. Reporter Dean Richards asked if she would like to explain why she left the show so abruptly.
“No, because I’m so excited and delighted to be here to talk about the movie and nothing else,” Rowland answered. “I love the Today show, love Hoda, and that is it.” Thankfully, Kelly and Hoda’s relationship seems to be weathering the storm.
Unfortunately for all us nosey people, we are not getting any definitive answers about this any time soon. One thing we do know? Well, a source told People that everyone was “impressed” with how well Rita Ora did as a co-host. So at least we have closure on that front.
This post has been updated.