Jenna Bush Hager Curses on Today Show, Breaking NBC Rules: ‘I Feel Worried, Like I’m Going to Get a Call From the Boss’

Bush Hager was talking with co-host Willie Geist when the moment occurred

Jenna Bush Hager reacts to cursing on ‘Today.’.Credit : Jenna & Friends

Jenna Bush Hager is still cringing after an on-air accident on the Thursday, July 24, episode of her show Today with Jenna & Friends.

The moment came while the 43-year-old was co-hosting with pal Willie Geist. The Today show staples were discussing their extensive history together when things went off the rails.

Bush Hager recalled the first time she met Geist’s wife, Christina, whom she calls “Tini,” in 2012 when their son George was just 3 years old.

“Christina goes — I don’t know if you can say this — but he was like, ‘God, George is acting like an a——,’“ Bush Hager recalled as Geist and seemingly the rest of the crew shared shocked expressions. “You can’t say that. You can’t say it.”

Jenna Bush Hager and Willie Geist on ‘Today’ on July 24.Jenna & Friends

While Bush Hager attempted to continue with her story, the show’s producers informed her that she couldn’t say the expletive on NBC.

“Can you say it one time?” she asked.

“No,” Geist, who hosts Sunday Today, informed her. “You can say it zero times.”

“Oh, sorry, sorry, everybody’s looking at me like ‘why did you say that?’“ Bush Hager said, covering her face with her hands.

“I’m looking at you like ‘why did you say that?’“ Geist teased his longtime pal. “I’d like to go on the record that my wife never said such a thing about my precious 3-year-old son.”

“She did!” Bush Hager insisted. “Now I’m blushing and I never blush. Was it the tequila? I thought you were allowed to say it one time.”

Jenna Bush Hager and Willie Geist on ‘Today with Jenna & Friends’ on July 24.Jenna & Friends

Despite producers being audibly heard telling Bush Hager that “no” she could not, in fact, curse one time, she then asked, “That’s just Schitt’s Creek?” referencing the hit comedy with the tongue and cheek title.

“That’s just the title of the show spelled differently. Don’t keep going down the line of expletives,” Geist told her. “This stops here. And we are live on NBC this morning!”

As the show went on, Bush Hager became more and more flustered, saying, “I feel worried like I’m going to get a call from the boss or something,” while Geist reassured her, “No, you’re fine. You’re good.”

Willie Geist and Jenna Bush Hager on ‘Today’ on July 23.James Devaney/GC

And while they attempted to continue the morning show talk, the subject kept returning. NBC correspondent Peter Alexander, who had filled in for Craig Melvin on the first two hours of the Today show, was seen coming onto the studio set, giving Bush Hager a hard time.

“I’m still stuck in a moment and I’m trying to get out of it,” Bush Hager admitted. “I’m still stuck in a moment, and here’s Peter Alexander from the White House coming over to shame me. I was told you could say it one time!”

Geist shut down the notion, saying, “You were not told! No, you were not told. Peter, you’re making it worse, just…”

“I feel bad! Peter, please go,” Bush Hager said. “The shame is all-encompassing. I’m sorry. I apologize to everybody. I apologize.”

Later in the show, Bush Hager referenced “ruining my job, ruining my career,” before admitting to Geist, “I want to be in a shame ball and go eat some Smashburger tacos … why did I do it? Why did I do it? Where did it come from?”

Bush Hager isn’t alone in accidentally breaking FCC broadcast rules on Today. In 2018, Savannah Guthrie was caught saying, “Oh s—,” on camera, later apologizing for the snafu. And in April, Bush Hager’s guest co-host Tyra Banks said “bitch” on air, immediately realizing that she was not allowed to use the expletive.

“I don’t think you can say that. But I love you so much,” Bush Hager told Banks at the time, laughing before Banks asked, “Did you guys do the beep? Beep me!”