The "Today" show's Hoda Kotb (HOE-dah KAHT-bee) believes the program's audience bonded with her and co-host Savannah Guthrie over how they dealt with Matt Lauer's firing last November on sexual misconduct charges.
She says they didn't pretend that nothing was wrong, like parents who insisted everything was fine when it wasn't.
The NBC morning show weathered the storm better than anyone expected.