Hoda's New Job Could Leave Kathie to Drink Alone

While most people in their right mind would never leave a day job that not only allowed them, but encouraged them, to drink wine before noon for an arguably more prestigious gig, Hoda Kotb may be faced with that very dilemma soon. The woman who spends her boozy mornings during the fourth hour of NBC's Today with Kathie Lee Gifford is being eyed by rival network ABC to take a seat alongside the ladies on its morning gab-fest. According to the New York Post, Hoda Kotb might join The View.

An unnamed source told the paper, Kotb "has been mentioned by ABC chiefs as a possible replacement for longtime View host Joy Behar, who’s exiting the show after 16 years." Said source also claimed that the folks at The View are “very interested” in her. Another insider told the Post, "Hoda addresses several of their needs. She has news experience, which is something The View has not had since Meredith Vieira left. She also adds some diversity to the panel.”

They're not wrong, particularly about the real news experience (she is a former Dateline correspondent and news anchor), which will also go out the window when Barbara Walters exits the show in 2014 and is replaced by Jenny McCarthy. Plus, Kotb knows how to find the right balance of serious journalist and silly morning show talking head. And she wouldn't have to give up the bragging rights of being portrayed by someone on Saturday Night Live, either, as the show has skewered both morning shows.

For now, both NBC and ABC (who have been long embroiled in a morning show battle of the ratings, not to mention those controversial co-host shake-ups for NBC with Ann Curry) are denying Kotb will be making the leap from Kathie Lee & Hoda to The View. An NBC source told them that "Hoda loves her job at Today and she’s very happy laughing and scratching with Kathie Lee every day", while an ABC rep plainly stated, "There’s absolutely zero truth to this whatsoever."

Well, alright then, so it doesn't seem like there's a reason for Kotb to put down the wine just yet.