Hoda Kotb abruptly interrupted “Today with Hoda & Jenna” to alert everyone that she needed help getting two contacts out of her eye.
“I think I have a contact stuck in my eye way up here. I don’t think I took it out last night, and I can’t find it,” Kotb said mid-broadcast on Thursday’s show.
Kotb futzed with her eye while her co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, jokingly declared it was a “medical emergency.”
“Well, it feels like it’s in there,” Kotb said while touching her left eye. “I’m not kidding! I was gonna go to the eye doctor, but I didn’t have time.”
Bush Hager appeared stunned and emphasized that the situation was “not good,” while Kotb said she was “trying” to get it out but asked viewers to share suggestions on X.
“Can we help our girl get her contact out?” Bush Hager asked before turning to her co-host and asking, “What are you gonna do?!”
The show cut to a commercial break, but when it returned, Kotb, 59, was still struggling with her contacts and held a mirror trying to find the misplaced contact.
“We have breaking news: Hoda has now lost all eyesight because her other contact fell out,” Bush Hager, 42, said upon returning to the broadcast.
Kotb clarified that she still had “two” contacts lost somewhere in her “eye cavity.”
Bush Hager began to read the teleprompter for their next segment, but Kotb continued picking at her eye and laughing.
Kotb quickly interrupted and read the advice a viewer gave while pulling her eyelid down. Luckily, one of her contacts flew out, and the “Today” show crew roared with applause.
“Oh my God, it worked! That was so crazy!” she exclaimed while holding the contact on her finger.
Kotb attempted to put it on the table, but Bush Hager went to grab it and joked that it was “gross” and had “a lot of makeup” on it. Kotb, for her part, couldn’t stop laughing.
Bush Hager tried her best to continue doing the segment, but Kotb could no longer see their teleprompter.
“We’re moving on,” Bush Hager ultimately said with a sigh. “Let’s hope that a doctor arrives in the next couple minutes and Hoda will be able to see.”
Kotb kept giggling and explained that she “just needs one more contact” to get her eyesight back.
Bush Hager began to read the preview for their next interview with Ariana DeBose when she excitedly declared that the actress had a contact for Kotb.
DeBose ran on the set and handed Kotb a case of contacts, and Kotb was back to normal for their interview with the “Hamilton” star.
Thursday’s “Today” show caused quite a commotion online, as previous guest Larry David made headlines for attacking Elmo mid-broadcast.
