‘Today Show’ Host Craig Melvin Begs Producers to ‘Clean It Up’ After Dakota Johnson Swears Live on Air

It was business as usual on NBC’s Today Show — until Dakota Johnson dropped a not-so-morning-friendly word during a live broadcast, leaving host Craig Melvin scrambling for damage control.

Currently promoting her new romantic comedy Materialists, Johnson appeared on the June 10 episode of Today alongside her co-star Chris Evans. During a lighthearted segment with Melvin, the duo was asked about deal-breakers when it comes to dating. Chris gave a safe, wholesome answer: “must love dogs.” Dakota? Not so much.

With her signature deadpan charm, Johnson replied, “Like, not an a–hole.” The blunt honesty got a few chuckles from Evans, who immediately responded, “That’s concise. There it is! Nail on the head.”

Melvin, clearly amused but aware of the live audience, quickly addressed the slip-up with a nervous smile. “We’re going to actually, probably, have to clean that up for the West Coast feed,” he said, glancing toward the production crew, as laughter rippled through the studio.

A ‘Colorful’ Morning Show Moment

While the moment was hardly the most shocking thing to ever happen on live TV, it’s not every day that profanity sneaks into the typically wholesome Today Show. Viewers online were split between laughing at the spontaneity and questioning whether producers should have prepped the actress better for the live format.

The viral moment added fuel to another fire: speculation about Johnson’s relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. The two have been rumored to be facing a “final split,” although Martin recently made several public shout-outs supporting Materialists during Coldplay concerts in both California and Las Vegas. At the end of his May 31 show in Stanford, Martin told the crowd, “Be kind to yourself, be kind to each other. Don’t forget to go see Materialists.”

Dakota Gets Deep About Her Role

Beyond the offhand profanity, Johnson took time during her appearance to speak sincerely about her character in Materialists. “Lucy is extremely focused, very professional, very good at her job,” she explained. “She’s very focused on other people’s hearts and not her own. So, the journey of her throughout the movie is her realizing what is important in life.”

When asked what she hopes viewers take away from the film, Johnson responded, “I would love for people to consider living authentically and really looking deep within and seeing what they really want for themselves rather than what they think their life should look like.”

What to Expect from Materialists

Directed by Oscar nominee Celine Song (Past Lives), Materialists stars Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal in a love-triangle tale set in New York City. The official synopsis reads: “A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.” It hits theaters on June 13.

While Johnson’s off-the-cuff comment might have caught Craig Melvin and producers off guard, it’s safe to say she gave viewers something to remember — and perhaps even boosted buzz for her upcoming film. As Melvin wisely noted, thank goodness for tape delay.