The Today show continued its nearly two-decade-long tradition of celebrating Halloween live on the air on Tuesday in an episode that saw Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager dress up as the iconic duo Sonny and Cher! As part of the show’s crossover with The Kelly Clarkson Show‘s Kellyoke, Kotb and Hager even gave a lip-sync performance as the former spouses. Kotb kicked it off as Cher before Hager was revealed as Sonny Bono, singing their famous song “I Got You Babe.”
Kotb stunned in a long black wig and pink dress, while Hager donned a short black wig, mustache and gold suit with the era-appropriate flared collar shirt. The Today With Hoda and Jenna hosts clearly enjoyed their time on stage as the iconic musical duo.
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“I happened to find a tan 1970s tuxedo,” Today costume designer Staci Greenbaum said of Hager’s suit. From there, the designer embellished the costume to add tons of sparkle. “I had a custom shirt made for (Jenna) with that great ’70s collar.” Hager told Today.com, “I love that I have a full warm suit with lapels and I think my wig and mustache are going to be a showstopper.”
For Kotb’s look, Greenbaum said she paid tribute to Cher’s longtime costume designer, Bob Mackie, who created some of her best-known looks, including the dress Kotb wore for Halloween. As far as Kotb’s thoughts on the matter, she did not hold back her excitement. “Please. Oh my God. I’ve been watching just Jack from Will and Grace, that’s how I’m getting my impression,” she told Today.com.
It wasn’t just Kotb and Hager who dressed up! The entire Today show cast took part in the festivities, with everyone dressing up as a recording artist in order to fit the Kellyoke theme. Meteorologist Al Roker dressed as Lionel Richie; Carson Daly as Neil Diamond; Craig Melvin as MC Hammer; Dylan Dreyer as Pink; Willie Geist as Harry Styles; Peter Alexander and Laura Jarrett as Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani; Shienelle Jones as Diana Ross; and Savannah Guthrie as Taylor Swift.
In years past, the Today around themes like Broadway, Las Vegas, the Super Bowl and the ’80s. Greenbaum says that the days leading up to the big costume reveal include a lot of “shifts, shuffles and changes” to get the costumes right. “I have six or eight different costume-builders overall, building custom stuff for everyone,” she said. “It’s not like you can go into a store and find this stuff.”