Alix Earle Gets A Reading Reality Check From Jenna Bush Hager

Jenna Bush Hager has a reading assignment for Alix Earle. After the influencer claimed she had never read a book, the “Today” host stepped in with a few suggestions, including a children’s series about young entrepreneurs and a Judy Blume classic.

Bush Hager reminded Earle that she had appeared on the show before, called her smart and offered to help her get started. She also slipped in a joke while recommending “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” Earle’s admission had already sparked criticism online, but her response to the chatter was considerably less serious.

Jenna Bush Hager Tells Alix Earle She Needs A ‘Little Syllabus’

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Jenna Bush Hager addressed Alix Earle’s confession during Thursday’s episode of “Today,” offering the influencer a reading list. “Alix, you’ve been on the show, we know that you’re smart, so you know what we want to do? We want to give you a little syllabus,” she said.

The host’s comments followed Earle’s rapid-fire interview with Interview Magazine, where an answer about her reading habits became the standout moment.

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Bush Hager also discussed the difference between consuming short social media content and spending time with a book. “With social media, you have to use your mind quickly, but when you sit in a book and you’re there for a while it uses a different part of our brain, which is a part that we used a lot back in the day and has been sort of combated with the rise of short videos,” she explained.

She added, “Reading fiction brings about the rise of empathy. Because you’re sitting in the shoes of somebody else.”

‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Made Jenna’s List For A Specific Reason

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Bush Hager suggested Earle begin with Ann M. Martin’s “The Baby-Sitters Club,” drawing a connection between the influencer’s business ventures and the story’s young entrepreneur, Kristy Thomas. “[Character Kristy Thomas] started her own brand. This talks about females getting together, starting a club, empowering each other. Let’s start here, Alix,” she said.

Bush Hager also recommended Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” adding a more pointed joke. “Alix, if you haven’t learned about sex, this might hit the ticket,” she said.

Her suggestions extended beyond those two titles. She included John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men,” Min Jin Lee’s “Pachinko” and Suzanne Collins’s “The Hunger Games,” among other selections.

Alix Earle Claimed She Had ‘Never Read A Book’

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The conversation began with a quick-fire interview filmed while Earle was getting glammed up behind the scenes of a shoot in Milan. In the clip shared to Interview Magazine’s Instagram on Monday, the influencer answered questions about several topics, including her relationship status and whether bringing iced coffee to an interview was acceptable.

Then came a question about books. “What’s the last book you read?” she was asked.

Earle laughed before answering, “I’ve never read a book.”

She followed that up with, “Maybe Dr. Seuss?”

Her answer quickly drew attention beyond the original interview, with viewers sharing the clip and discussing the confession on other platforms.

Earle Reacted To The Backlash With ‘This Is Sending Me’

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Earle did not respond to the criticism by naming a book she had read or explaining the answer further in the material provided. Instead, she reposted a tweet about the controversy and added, “This is sending me.”

Earle’s book confession is the latest headline to follow the debut of “Earle Meets World.” The reality series covers her family life, past relationship with Braxton Berrios, rumored romance with Tom Brady and fractured partnership with Alex Cooper. After joining Cooper’s Unwell Network in 2023, Earle’s “Hot Mess” podcast was dropped in 2025 as falling-out rumors swirled. By April 2026, Cooper had publicly called out the influencer’s “passive-aggressive re-posts and likes.”