The highlights from her conversation with Savannah Guthrie and more!
The City of Brotherly (and Sisterly) Love got a special treat on Monday night as Katie brought her Going There tour to the home of the cheesesteak and the Liberty Bell.
On stage, Katie was joined by none other than Savannah Guthrie, and the two entertained The Met with plenty of reminiscing.
Couldn’t make this monumental event? We’ve got behind-the-scenes looks at how this ultra-fun night went down. (And there are still some tickets left for Katie’s upcoming show — head here ASAP to snag one!)
Katie preps for the show
First, this way to Philadelphia! Katie set her sights on her fourth tour stop (in her ultra-cozy Tentree fleece, no less):
When she got to the Met, she was greeted backstage by a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, and with a little time to spare, she demonstrated her flower-arranging skills. If you attended the show, you saw the final product on stage with her.
Of course, she set aside some time to sign books for all of you! Do you know anyone who can sign their name as fast as Katie?! Oh, and you can get your hands on one of these signed copies by writing a review on Amazon or Bookshop and texting Katie at 917-540-5778 with your Amazon or Bookshop username. We’ll select a new winner each day through the end of November.
Then she took the stage to prep for the big show.
After getting ready, she was joined backstage by Savannah, and the two had a laugh!
Katie talks about Jay’s death with his former doctor
Katie opened the show regaling her guests with a colorful account of her rise to fame.
The tale had the go-to stories — how she got her start in local news, how her parents inspired her, how she found herself at NBC and made history from there — but she also shared tidbits about her personal life: her battle with bulimia, imposter syndrome, and grief after the deaths of her husband and sister, both to cancer. “I don’t think I’ll ever get over the grief,” she shared with the audience.
She relived some of the highlights of her career — covering historical moments like 9/11 and Katrina, interviewing celebrities and politicians, and other truly awe-inspiring moments — but revealed that the highlight of her work so far has been her work with Stand Up to Cancer. That’s when she brought out her first guests, doctors Mark B. Pochapin and Sophie M. Balzora, both gastroenterologists. You might recognize Dr. Pochapin’s name from the book — he was Katie’s husband Jay’s doctor when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. They had a conversation about the importance of screening and the advancements in early detection since Jay’s death. But Katie and Dr. Pochapin also had a raw and emotional conversation about Jay’s experience, with Katie expressing how she wished she dealt with it differently. Instead of focusing so much on saving him, she wished she’d spent some time preparing for his death. “I wish he could have made Ellie and Carrie a video or written a letter to them,” she said.
Katie and Savannah talk about the TODAY Show
Then, she launched back into her career, which was spiraling upward at that point in her life. She went through her highlights at TODAY and the CBS Evening News. And then she brought out her second guest, current TODAY Show anchor Savannah Guthrie. The two had a candid conversation about the state of journalism, Savannah’s interview with Donald Trump, and, of course, their former TODAY Show co-anchor.
But first, Savannah filled Katie and the audience in on her journalism journey, which took a detour in law. She found her way back to news though, and revealed Katie had been an inspiration to pursue journalism when she was younger. She recalled seeing Katie on TV and saying, “I want to be like her.” Adding, “Katie was my idol.”
Then, Katie switched gears. “I remember so vividly watching you and Hoda that morning and felt so much empathy for you all having to announce this to the world,” Katie said to Savannah, referencing the day the news broke that Matt Lauer had been fired from the TODAY Show after he was accused of sexual harassment in 2017. “I spend a lot of time talking about how I processed the shocking news of what had happened to Matt in my book and trying to square these two people — one side of him that I didn’t really know.” She asked Savannah if she’d been able to wrap her head around the whole thing any better in the years since. Savannah shared that she was heartbroken when she found out and still is, that she will never understand what happened and how. She recalled finding out and having to report the news with very little info and understanding. “And everyone felt like their heart had been ripped out.” She went on to thank Hoda Kotb for stepping up to the plate to break the news with her that morning.
She expressed how happy and proud she was that Hoda became her co-anchor of the show after that because up until then, it was “kind of unheard of” for two women to co-anchor the show. “But then suddenly, it was like, why not? Why shouldn’t it be two women?”
Savannah shared that she feels NBC and broadcast journalism are on a path toward a “better place.” and that while no workplace is perfect, she feels things have changed.
Katie honors a Philly foundation
After a quick rapid-fire game about their experiences on the TODAY Show, Katie closed the show by acknowledging a local non-profit, Mighty Writers.
Missed the show or simply want to relive it? Watch the highlight reel here, a la Rocky:
Want to read all the funny, thoughtful, moving, and ultra-juicy stories in Going There, the book on everyone‘s lips? Get a copy for yourself, then listen to the latest episode of Next Question, where Katie talks about her wild and wonderful career, the sexism she faced in the news business, and the moment she realized she wanted to start a family.
Want to see what Katie packed for her tour? Wonder no more: Check out all the wearable must-haves and accessories she brought along on her journey. Her next show will be in Chicago on 11/6 — pick up your tickets now!
