What’s going on over on the Today set lately? Richard Gere flashed his middle finger to Savannah Guthrie during an episode of the morning talk show on Wednesday, November 20.
Viewers tuning in at home may have been confused by the gesture during the interview.
“You just did an obscene gesture on this family morning show!” Savannah, 52, told Richard, 75, after it happened.
It seems the Pretty Woman actor was acting out a clip from his new series, The Agency. Today showed a clip from the series, but conveniently cut the clip at the part where Richard’s character flips the bird. So, he took it upon himself to complete the scene in real life in front of Savannah.
“You didn’t show but that’s what I did in the piece!” Richard told the broadcaster. “That’s what the clip was!”
“That’s what the clip was but we cut that part out. But then you did it live!” Savannah told the Chicago actor.
“I could see that but it didn’t make any sense without that!” he explained of his reason for making the gesture. “My hand did that, I have no control!”
Savannah referenced another celebrity snafu that happened on Today earlier this week.
“I’m bleeping you!” she added. “You know, Cher was on here doing an f-bomb yesterday so I don’t know what’s happening!”
On Tuesday, November 19, Cher joined Hoda Kotb on Today where she said the f-word during a live segment as she discussed her new memoir.
Hoda, 60, asked Cher, 78, about the advice that celebrity friend Lucille Ball once gave her about ending her marriage to Sonny Bono.
“I can’t say it on TV,” the “Believe” singer said before asking if producers were “going to bleep it” if she cursed. Hoda told her that producers would definitely bleep it if she cursed. However, she was wrong.
“I said, ‘Lucy, I’m calling you because to my knowledge, there’s never been a situation besides mine except yours,’” Cher said, referencing the I Love Lucy actress’ very public divorce from Desi Arnaz. “And she said, ‘F–k him. You’re the one with the talent!’”
Hoda looked like she was in total shock over the fact that Cher’s f-bomb was not ultimately bleeped right away. Several other people could be heard behind the camera in the Today studio reacting to the on-air blunder.
“Oh!” Hoda exclaimed after it happened. “OK … we didn’t have the seven-second [delay]! But we will get for the next feed!”
“Well you said I could!” Cher told Hoda, prompting her to respond, “I should have bleeped it myself! Bleep!”
All obscene gestures aside, it seems like Richard is very excited for his new show to air. The Agency is inspired by the French series The Bureau, which he became a fan of.
“It’s very well-written … it’s terrific,” he said during his Today appearance. “I mean, they’re all wonderful. and we shot it like a movie. We do it the same way. Movie directors, movie actors, the schedule is like a movie schedule. It feels the same to me.”
The Agency streams on Friday, November 29, on Paramount+ and Showtime.
