Willie Geist Accidentally Spills the Beans About Wife’s Secret Mahjong Nights

What Happened on the Show

Willie Geist, a co-host on the Today show, made a funny mistake while filling in for a day on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle. He casually mentioned that his wife, Christina, hosts a weekly mahjong night at their house with a group of friends.

Mahjong is a traditional Chinese tile game that’s a bit like rummy but played with beautiful tiles instead of cards. It’s very social and often played in groups of four.

Jenna Bush Hager—Willie’s good friend and co-host—was totally shocked. Her reaction was basically: “Wait… what? Excuse me?!”

Important Point
Jenna wasn’t just surprised—she felt a little left out. She reminded Willie that she was the one who introduced Christina to mahjong in the first place and even taught her how to play (including a special move called "the Charleston").

The Backstory: How It All Started

Here’s the timeline of the mahjong friendship:

1. Jenna teaches Christina: Jenna Bush Hager introduces her longtime friend Christina Geist to the game of mahjong.
2. Christina starts a weekly game: Christina loves it so much she starts a regular weekly game night at her house.
3. Willie lets it slip: On live TV, Willie mentions the weekly game, not realizing Jenna didn’t know about it—or that she wasn’t invited.
4. The "Girl Code" moment: Jenna jokes that Willie broke "girl code" (an unwritten rule among friends to not share secrets or leave friends out) by announcing the private party to the whole world.

The Funny Back-and-Forth

Willie tried to fix his mistake, but it only got funnier:

• Willie: "It’s local, so far. We haven’t expanded out."
• Jenna: "Uh, I live within a 20-minute radius!"
• Willie: "You’re invited if you want to come!"
• Jenna (talking to Christina through the camera): "Teeny? Who introduced you to mahjong? It was me! Call me!"
• Willie (admitting defeat): "Yeah, I couldn’t get it back."

Willie then joked that there were "hundreds of women" and Christina "doesn’t even know most of them," which made Jenna widen her eyes even more.

Savannah Guthrie’s Mahjong Connection

The mahjong fun doesn’t stop with Willie and Jenna. Savannah Guthrie, another Today show anchor, is also a big fan.

• In August 2025, Savannah and Jenna did a special TV segment about the game.
• Savannah’s mom, Nancy Guthrie, joined in and showed off her original mahjong set. Her late husband, Charles, brought it back from Singapore years ago.
• Savannah shared that playing mahjong became a special way to bond with her mom. They played together with Nancy’s friends in Arizona, and Nancy even started teaching younger women in her community how to play.

Important Point: A Difficult Time for the Guthrie Family
Sadly, Nancy Guthrie (age 84) has been missing for six months. The investigation is still active. Savannah has publicly asked for help finding her mother. If you have any information, you can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.

Summary

• Willie Geist accidentally revealed on live TV that his wife Christina hosts a weekly mahjong night.
• Jenna Bush Hager was surprised and teased him because she taught Christina how to play and wasn’t invited.
• The moment highlighted the close friendship between the Today show hosts.
• Savannah Guthrie also loves mahjong and shared a sweet bonding story with her mother, Nancy, on the show previously.
• The article ends with a serious note about Nancy Guthrie’s ongoing disappearance and how to help.

FAQ

1. What is mahjong?
Mahjong is a tile-based game that originated in China. It’s usually played by four people. Think of it like a mix between rummy and a puzzle—you match tiles to make sets. It’s very popular as a social activity.

2. Who is "Teeny"?
"Teeny" is the nickname for Christina Geist, Willie Geist’s wife. She and Jenna Bush Hager have been friends for a long time.

3. What is "Girl Code"?
"Girl code" is a slang term for the unwritten rules of friendship between women. It includes things like: don’t date a friend’s ex, don’t share their secrets, and don’t leave them out of fun plans.

4. Why was Jenna Bush Hager so shocked?
She was shocked because she introduced Christina to the game, considers her a close friend, lives nearby, but had no idea a weekly game night was happening—until Willie announced it on national television.

5. What happened to Savannah Guthrie’s mother?
Nancy Guthrie has been missing for six months. The police and FBI are actively investigating. Savannah and her family are desperately looking for answers and have asked the public for help.