Jamie Lee Curtis Makes Hoda Kotb Cry on ‘Today’ Ahead of Exit From the Show: ‘I Can’t Deal With It’

Jamie Lee Curtis stopped by Today to promote her new show, Sticky, but what she said left host Hoda Kotb in tears.

Jamie Lee, 66, appeared on Today on Thursday, December 12, wearing a purple pantsuit. Hoda, 60, was also wearing a purple outfit during the segment. A clip from Sticky, a series about the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist, played on the screen, and Hoda said, “OK, I don’t even know where to begin with all of the things we just said.”

“Here’s how we’re going to begin. Say it ain’t so, Hoda,” Jamie Lee chimed in. “I can’t deal with it. I just can’t deal with it. I just cannot believe this is the last time I’m going to be here with you.”

Just then, tears began welling in Hoda’s eyes as she sat on the couch with Jamie Lee. The host previously announced she will be leaving Today on January 10.

“But it’s appropriate we’re wearing purple, and I’m going to tell you why. We’ll talk about Sticky, which is really funny,” the Halloween actress continued. “It’s a true story. It’s a really weird dark comedy like Fargo, and it’s funny, and great, and Margo Martindale is great. It’s on Prime now and people love it.”

Jamie Lee said that when she was filming the Christmas episode on The Bear, Ayo Edebiri came up to her because she was shadowing the director.

“I told her that I like direction that’s really simple: hotter, colder, faster, slower; I even like colors,” Jamie Lee said, adding that she did two takes of a scene and then Ayo, 29, came up to her and whispered the word “purple” in her ear.

“What she meant was she’s wounded; purple is a wound. So, I have a wound today too. We are both wearing purple. I’m a little sad, and yet I love you,” Jamie Lee said. “I heard you on the phone with your daughters this morning, as I’ve heard you on the phone every time I come here. At 7:22, you FaceTime your children. You are an absolute treasure, and we are all going to miss you here. I can’t imagine this place without you. So that’s what I needed to say.”

Jamie Lee then jokingly said she was going to plug Sticky and encouraged viewers to watch it.

“First of all, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Hoda replied. “Thank you for my note that you just gave me.”

Jamie said that she initially sent the note to Hoda’s house on September 28, but it never got to her. Hoda told Jamie to read the note out loud.

“It says, ‘Hoda, the long and winding road, where you go, my hand in yours, bravo.’ It was when you had announced that you were leaving,” the Oscar winner explained.

Hoda wiped tears from her eyes as she told Jamie they should talk about Sticky. “Thank you by the way. What you just did here with me is what you do always, and you did it in Sticky too,” the NBC broadcaster said.

Jamie explained she was going to play the lead role in the show and then she ended up being unavailable. She suggested Margot to play the part instead. At the end of the segment, Jamie had more sweet words for Hoda.

“I want to say thank you. You have truly changed this place, this house, this group of people that love you, and you are going off for all of the right reasons, and you are going to take all of us with you, and whatever you do, know that you have this family with you, but you are a beautiful human being, and this show is better for you being here. God bless you,” Jamie concluded.