EXCLUSIVE: HODA KOTB & KELLY CLARKSON’S FRIENDSHIP OVER – TRUST GONE
PLUS: DON LEMON PLOTS CONGRESS RUN, TAYLOR SWIFT & TRAVIS KELCE SLOW-WALK WEDDING
EXCLUSIVE: HODA KOTB & KELLY CLARKSON FEUD
The daytime sisterhood has cracked wide open. #ShuterScoop can reveal Kelly Clarkson and Hoda Kotb’s once-close bond has gone ice cold — after NBC quietly floated Hoda as a replacement for The Kelly Clarkson Show.
“Kelly was exhausted, drowning in family heartbreak, and executives got nervous,” whispers one network insider. “That’s when Hoda’s name came up. Suddenly the friend she leaned on became the woman who might take her job.”
For Kelly, the sting was personal. “She thought Hoda was her sister,” another source sighs. “Then she hears whispers that Hoda might be circling her seat? That’s betrayal.”
NBC brass thought Kotb would be a safer, cheaper replacement — and while she never campaigned for the job, friends admit she didn’t exactly shut it down. “She liked the thought of her own talk show,” dishes a network pal. “And Kelly noticed.”
“The trust is gone,” says a staffer. “Kelly will never forgive Hoda for this.”
EXCLUSIVE: DON LEMON EYES CONGRESS — CASHED-UP AND CRAVING POWER
First CNN, now Capitol Hill? #ShuterScoop can exclusively reveal Don Lemon is seriously weighing a run for Rep. Jerry Nadler’s New York congressional seat.
“Don’s ambitious as hell,” a political insider dishes. “He’s got the name, the ego, and thanks to his CNN exit package, plenty of money. He thinks he can buy himself right into Congress.”
After his 2023 ouster, Lemon pocketed a $24.5 million settlement — cash he’s now ready to funnel into politics. Recently spotted huddling with consultants, Lemon is eyeing the Democratic-strong 12th District, where Chelsea Clinton bowed out and JFK heir Jack Schlossberg is only “considering” a run.
“He thinks he’s perfect,” another source explains. “New York roots, TV polish, loves a fight. He sees Congress as his new stage.”
But critics warn his baggage could be deadly. “Don isn’t used to losing,” says one strategist. “Politics chews up egos like his. A fat checkbook doesn’t guarantee survival.”
Still, Lemon is energized. “Cable news moved on without him,” says a former colleague. “Now he wants relevance again — and he’s ready to spend millions to get it.”
EXCLUSIVE: TAYLOR & TRAVIS TAKING THEIR TIME TO SAY “I DO”
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce might be the world’s most-watched couple — but don’t expect a wedding sprint. Insiders tell #ShuterScoop the newly engaged pair are deliberately slowing things down.
“They’re in no rush,” a close friend dishes. “The focus is on enjoying being engaged, not racing down the aisle. They’re savoring this chapter.”
Rhode Island has been rumored, but sources say Taylor’s Watch Hill mansion — once her Fourth of July party palace — won’t host the vows. “Taylor wants a fresh start,” explains an insider. “This marriage is about the future, not old backdrops.”
As for kids? Both want them — but not right away. “They’ve got time,” says the source. “Right now, it’s about building a foundation before babies.”
Their Aug. 26 engagement post joked, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” sending fans into meltdown. Kelce later admitted he felt “giddy” popping the question.
For now, the couple is soaking in the love — no deadlines, no rush, no pressure. “Forever isn’t going anywhere,” laughs a friend.
#ShuterScoop