Jenna Bush-Hager was so excited to introduce Dwyane Wade as her cohost for the week on Today With Jenna & Friends – that she made a silly on-air blunder, which she quickly corrected before she became a meme.
“Look who’s here! I am so excited!” Jenna, 43, said while she and Dwyane, 43, got cozy in their seats. While the former NBA star pulled out Jenna’s chair for her, he reminded the TV host that she gets to speak in front of the camera to her audience every day.
“I know but I’ve never gotten to do it with an NBA super …” Jenna said, before quipping, “That sounds weird!”
The journalist continued to poke fun at her hiccup, noting that she “didn’t mean it like that” while pointing out that Dwyane’s wife, Gabrielle Union, was in the audience.
“I’ve never gotten to host with someone like you and I’m just so thrilled,” Jenna continued.
Jenna and Dwyane’s easygoing banter continued later in the segment when it was revealed that the professional athlete is friends with Jenna’s twin sister, Barbara Bush. Dwyane and Barbara, 43, became friendly with each other as she is also connected in the NBA world and serves as the head of the organization’s social responsibility department.
“We became besties but it was all about you. It was really to make you jealous,” Dwyane joked of his closeness with Barbara.
However, Jenna shared just how much her sister “loves” Dwyane and revealed that she sent Jenna a text asking to confirm if the former Miami Heat shooting guard and point guard was going to cohost on Jenna & Friends this week.
“I’m part of the family now,” Dwyane joked before giggling after Jenna responded, “Dwyane Bush!”
Speaking of family, Dwyane was presented with a surprise video message from his youngest child, daughter Kaavia James Union Wade, who wished him good luck on his first day on the temporary new job.
In the video, 6-year-old Kaavia referred to her dad as her “favorite friend ever,” which immediately touched Jenna.
“But I love that she just said you’re my favorite friend,” Jenna told Dwyane, who gushed, “Yeah, we’re friends, you know what I mean. And then I have to be daddy. Sometimes she gets to see that side.”
“Her eyes get big when I get strict and also, too, I’m her coach [and] trainer. We’re starting basketball a little bit – and so, she gets a different side of me, but I’m glad to see.”
Needless to say, viewers at home enjoyed Dwyane in front of the camera and next to Jenna, giving him a virtual round of applause in the comments section of a post shared to the official Jenna & Friends Instagram account.
“Love Today’s episode … cohost Dwyane Wade is my favorite cohost so far! Wish he could be on all week! He’s a ray of sunshine!” one fan wrote.
A second person touched on Dwyane’s bond with his daughter, commenting, “The best part of being a dad is that they are the best part of us, in living form.”
