Richard Gere’s Surprising Gesture on NBC’s ‘Today’ Show

Richard Gere made headlines on November 20, 2024, during an appearance on NBC‘s ‘Today’ show when he unexpectedly flipped the bird at host Savannah Guthrie. The incident occurred during an interview to promote his new espionage thriller, ‘The Agency.’

«You just did an obscene gesture on this family morning show!» a shocked Guthrie exclaimed, covering Gere’s hand with a stack of papers. «I’m bleeping you!» she added.

The display drew parallels with a previous segment featuring the singer Cher, who had dropped the F-word during a live chat on the same show just a day earlier. Guthrie lightheartedly remarked on the continuation of surprising moments on the program, saying, «You know, Cher was on here doing an F-bomb yesterday, so I don’t know what’s happening!»

Gere’s gesture, however, was not a spontaneous act but rather connected to his role in ‘The Agency.’ The show had aired a clip from the Paramount+/Showtime series, which ended just before Gere’s character makes the gesture. When asked about the incident, Gere explained, «You didn’t show, but that’s what I did in the piece! That’s what the clip was!» He further commented that the action was involuntary, stating, «My hand did that, I have no control!»

‘The Agency,’ an American adaptation of the French series ‘The Bureau,’ is set within the London office of the CIA and follows an agent who is compelled to face reality after being forced to abandon his undercover life. The series features an ensemble cast, including Richard Gere in his first television series role.

Gere shared with Guthrie that he had watched ‘The Bureau’ with his wife and was thrilled to be a part of its American adaptation. «It’s very well-written… it’s terrific,» Gere praised. He noted the filming process was akin to shooting a movie, complete with film actors and directors, stating, «It feels the same to me.»

‘The Agency’ is set to premiere on November 29, 2024, on Paramount+/Showtime, while ‘Today’ continues to air weekdays on NBC starting at 7 a.m. ET.