Richard Gere shocked viewers of NBC’s Today show Wednesday morning when he raised his middle finger during a live interview with co-host Savannah Guthrie.
The unexpected gesture sent ripples across the internet, leaving Guthrie scrambling for composure and fans debating whether the move was a stunt or a simple misunderstanding.
“You just made an obscene gesture on this family morning show!” Guthrie exclaimed, her reaction a mix of surprise and playful reprimand. Holding up a stack of papers to block the camera, she quipped, “I’m bleeping you!”
Watch below:
The incident came just a day after legendary singer Cher dropped an F-bomb during her own Today appearance, prompting Guthrie to joke, “First Cher, now you. What is happening on this show?”
The reason behind Gere’s gesture turned out to be a case of art imitating life—or at least live TV imitating a movie scene. Guthrie had just introduced a clip from Gere’s new espionage thriller The Agency, streaming soon on Paramount+ and Showtime. However, the show’s producers cut the clip just before Gere’s character delivered the obscene gesture in the scene.
“You didn’t show it, but that’s what I did in the piece!” Gere explained. “It doesn’t make sense without that context, so my hand just… did it! I have no control!”
Guthrie fired back in good humor: “Well, it definitely made sense to you!”
The slip-up has already drawn comparisons to other famous live TV blunders, including moments from celebrities like Jack Nicholson, Madonna, and more recently, Cher herself.
The Agency marks Gere’s first foray into television, a significant milestone for the acclaimed actor whose career has spanned decades in Hollywood. Based on the French hit The Bureau, the show dives into the high-stakes world of CIA covert operations. Gere plays a veteran operative alongside a star-studded cast, including Michael Fassbender, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Jeffrey Wright.
“I watched The Bureau with my wife [Alejandra Silva], and we loved it,” Gere revealed. “When they approached me for the adaptation, I couldn’t say no. It’s very well-written and shot like a movie. It didn’t feel like television to me.”
Gere’s moment of spontaneity is the latest in a growing string of awkward or controversial live TV moments on Today. Just one day prior, Cher inadvertently let an expletive slip while recounting advice she’d received from Lucille Ball.
The incident adds fuel to an ongoing conversation about the challenges of live broadcasting in the age of social media, where any misstep is instantly amplified.
While Guthrie handled the situation with her signature blend of charm and quick wit, viewers online have been divided. Some praised the unscripted authenticity, while others questioned whether celebrities are taking live TV decorum seriously.
Richard Gere’s new series, The Agency, premieres on Nov. 29 on Paramount+ and Showtime. Fans can also catch Today weekdays on NBC starting at 7 a.m. ET—if they’re brave enough to see what unscripted moment might happen next.
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