What To Know
- Craig Melvin surprised his Today co-hosts by accidentally using a British expletive phrase live on air.
- Melvin said he learned the phrase while working with NBC Sports host Rebecca Lowe.
- Lowe appeared on the show live from London to chat about the return of the Premier League on NBC.
Craig Melvin left his Today co-hosts in a fit of laughter over his surprising on-air comment.
During the morning show’s Friday, August 21, episode, NBC Sports host Rebecca Lowe reported live from London to chat about the return of the Premier League in the U.K. Savannah Guthrie joked that she and the Today hosts are “neutral” when it comes to picking a team to root for, but highlighted a crew member sporting an Arsenal F.C. T-shirt.
“Craig, are you still a Liverpool fan? ‘Cause Craig told me during the Olympics he was Liverpool. But I don’t know. He’s a bit flaky on that one,” Lowe asked Melvin. He replied, “That’s because, Rebecca, you told me I had to pick a team, and I said, ‘Which team should I pick?’ And you gave me, like, five choices that I liked. I knew The Beatles, so yes, I’m still Liverpool.”
Melvin went on to share that Lowe previously taught him a bunch of “British phrases” while they worked together during the Olympics in years past. “One phrase that she taught me, my favorite that I still use from time to time, she was like, ‘You’ve got to go give ‘em the piss. Give ‘em the piss,’” he stated, prompting laughter from his co-hosts and Lowe.
“Oh, no, no, no, Craig,” a surprised Lowe said. “It’s not quite that, Craig. It’s not quite that phraseology, and I think at this time in the morning, I’d rather not.”
NBC
Melvin corrected himself, clarifying that the phrase is to “take the piss.” (The phrase means to make fun of or tease someone.)
Guthrie joked, “You know what, Rebecca? There’s a reason we have a seven-second delay on this show now, and it’s Craig.” Melvin retorted, “It’s a British phrase!”
Carson Daly continued poking fun at Melvin by stating, “That doesn’t make it OK. I could say some American phrases, but we can’t say them on the air. Give ‘em the pee pee! Give ‘em the tinkle!” Guthrie hilariously added, “What we’re doing right now is taking the tinkle out of Craig.”
Daly ended the segment by joking, “Thank you, Rebecca. If we’re still on the air, in moments, stick around, everybody.”
Earlier in the segment, Guthrie praised Lowe for her work covering the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Fox. “I have to say, of all the breakout stars of the World Cup, I put Rebecca Lowe at the top of the list. You did such an incredible job with that. You’ve made us all super fans,” she gushed before asking, “And do you think the World Cup and the fact that it was here in North America, do you think that that will translate now to the Premier League, more fans?”
Lowe thanked Guthrie before stating, “I really do [think so]. I think it captured [the] imagination of people I never maybe thought that this sport would reach. And I know that just anecdotally, people have fallen in love with this game. And I think people miss the joy. People miss the joy of football.”
Coverage of the Premier League begins with a match between Arsenal v. Coventry City on Friday at 3/2c on USA Network.
Today, Weekdays, 7 am/6c, NBC