Talk about eyewitness news.
Hoda Kotb suffered a minor “medical emergency” Thursday on “Today with Hoda and Jenna” when she had two contacts stuck in one eye.
“I think I have a contact stuck in my eye way up here,” Kotb, 59, told Jenna Bush Hager at the end of the show’s first segment. “I don’t think I took it out last night and I can’t find it. It feels like it’s in there.”
“I’m not kidding,” she said as she rubbed her eye. “I was going to go to the eye doctor but I didn’t have time.”
Hager, 42, briefly panicked for her co-host, asking if this was a “medical emergency,” but Kotb assured her that viewers might be able to offer up tips on how to get the lens out.
“Maybe people have tricks on how to get it out, because I’m sure people have had contacts that have rolled up,” she said. “How do I get it out? I’ve tried? If you guys know, will you post on X [formerly known as Twitter]? I just want to get it out!”
After a commercial break, Hager revealed that Kotb had an additional problem.
“We have breaking news: Hoda has now lost all eyesight because her other contact fell out,” Hager said of the previously properly-placed lens. “I’m going to go ahead and read and hopefully when the health person comes, we can resolve this issue.”
Kotb picked up a large hand-held mirror and messed with her eye some more as Hager attempted reading off the teleprompter.
“There are two in there, I’m not kidding,” she again claimed.
Finally, Kotb successfully got the lens with the help of a fan-submitted tip to look down while she pulled on her lid.
“That was so crazy, that was the best advice,” a thankful Kotb said.
The mom of two was still unable to read the prompter because everything looked “super fuzzy” and “like a bunch of mushed up colors.”
“I just need one more contact,” Kotb said.
Thursday was an eventful day on the “Today” show. Elsewhere on the program, Larry David attacked Elmo, who was there to discuss his viral tweet about emotions.