The hosts of NBC’s Today show gave viewers a pair of cringe-worthy moments while welcoming beloved ’80s rocker Rick Springfield to the set on Thursday morning.
After host Al Roker had talked up the star’s forthcoming appearance, co-hosts Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager and Kaylee Hartung began belting out a song not written by the musician at all.
‘Rick Springfield is going to be in our third hour chatting about his latest tour, TV series and the story behind Jesse’s Girl,’ Roker said of the legendary ’80s earworm.
Guthrie, Hager and Hartung – who has been filling in for Carson Daly – responded by singing the chorus of another ’80s hit, ‘867-5309/Jenny’ by Tommy Tutone.
Roker and co-host Craig Melvin pointed out the embarrassing oversight before exchanging a look. ‘Very close,’ Roker, 70, quipped.
When Springfield arrived later in the show, he sat down with Roker, Melvin, and Jill Martin to discuss the smash hit that propelled his career.
That’s when Melvin let out a yawn as Springfield spoke, prompting the musician to turn his way.
‘Am I boring you?’ the Grammy winner asked, before cracking a smile.
During the show’s second hour, Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager belted out a song not written by Springfield at all, earning a reprimand from Roker and Melvin
Earlier on, another oversight that seemingly came at Springfield’s expense also occurred
Roker and Martin buried their heads in their hands in response.
Amid stifled laughs, a red-faced Melvin stammered through an explanation.
‘No, no – you’re not, man. It was a cough!’ he insisted.
Springfield, playing the good sport, cracked back: ‘It’s early. Don’t worry about it. I’ll probably yawn too.’
It wasn’t the first embarrassing moment for Melvin, who succeeding longtime Today host Hoda Kotb in January.
Days after being tapped for the role, he accidentally introduced the show’s fourth hour as Today With Hoda & Jenna rather than Today With Jenna & Friends.
In April, he issued an apology for getting his son’s age wrong while welcoming him onto the show for Bring Your Kid To Work Day.
‘So earlier, I referred to him as a 10-year-old. My son is…’ Melvin told viewers before handing his mic to son Delano Melvin, who finished his father’s sentence. ‘Eleven,’ he said proudly.
The result was another awkward moment that the group looked to laugh off
Springfield he first rose to fame in 1972 with the song Speak to the Sky, which was a top 10 hit in Australia.
He found success in the States with Jessie’s Girl, released in 1980, earning him a Grammy award for Best Male Rock Vocal performance. It has remained a jukebox staple ever since.
Today recorded double-digit gains in total viewers and in the 25-54 demographic for the week of June 30, new Nielsen numbers released this week revealed.
It trails only ABC’s Good Morning America, which posted declines in both categories during during the same week.
The gap is a close, with GMA earning 2.602 million total viewers to Today’s 2.534 million for the week of June 30.
The Daily Mail has reached out to NBC for comment.
