A Scary Moment at the “Today” Show: What Happened and What’s Next

What Happened on Thursday Morning?

On Thursday morning, something scary happened at the "Today" show, a popular morning TV program. Here’s the simple version:

• A man snuck past security at the "Today" show set, which is located at a building called 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City.
• He was arrested after he suddenly jumped toward Craig Melvin (one of the show’s main hosts) and shouted a very mean and hurtful racist word at him.
• This all happened around 9 a.m. Eastern Time.
• The scary moment was NOT shown on the TV broadcast of "Today."
• The website TMZ was the first to report the story, using information from police sources.

Important: Nobody was physically hurt during this incident. The man was arrested quickly.

Why Did the Man Come There?

According to law enforcement sources cited by TMZ:

• The man was trying to find Al Roker, a famous weatherman who has been on "Today" for a long time.
• When he couldn’t find Al Roker, he went up to Craig Melvin instead.
• He lunged at Melvin and yelled the N-word (a racist slur) at him.
• Police arrested the man, and no one got injured.

What Craig Melvin Said

On Friday morning’s "Today" show, Craig Melvin spoke briefly to the viewers about what happened:

• He said an intruder (a person who shouldn’t be there) got into a place he wasn’t allowed to be at Studio 1A (the studio where they film).
• He said the man was caught quickly and arrested.
• Melvin said they are working with the NYPD (New York City police) on the investigation.
• He ended by saying everyone is safe, which is the most important thing.

Later on Thursday, Melvin posted on X (a social media site formerly called Twitter):

• He said he was doing just fine and thanked people for checking on him.
• He said he looked forward to seeing everyone on the show Friday.
• He also shared NBC’s official statement.

NBC’s Official Statement

NBC News released a statement on Thursday confirming the event:

• They called it "a security incident this morning" at the "Today" show studio.
• They said they are fully cooperating with police.
• An individual went into a restricted area near Studio 1A.
• The person approached Craig Melvin, who told security right away.
• The person was detained (held) and arrested by police without any further problems.
• There was no fight, and no one was injured.

NBC also said:

Important: "NBC and ‘Today’ take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously. We are reviewing the incident and our security protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at and visits our studios."

This means they are checking their safety rules to make sure everyone stays safe.

How the Police Described the Arrest

Here is the step-by-step of what sources and the NYPD said happened:

1. The suspect entered the lobby of Studio 1A.
2. He walked through the first-floor gold doors.
3. He had a short verbal (spoken) exchange with Melvin in the building’s staircase.
4. Melvin followed him back into the lobby.
5. Security from 30 Rockefeller Center held the man temporarily.
6. An NYPD officer came in and put handcuffs on him.

The NYPD told Variety (a news outlet):

• On Thursday, July 16, at about 8:57 a.m., a police officer at the building was told about a disruptive person inside.
• The officer went in and arrested the person without trouble.
• No injuries were reported.
• The investigation is still happening, and charges (official accusations) are pending (not decided yet).

Who Is Craig Melvin?

Craig Melvin is a big deal at "Today"! Here’s his simple backstory:

• He became a co-anchor of "Today" in 2018.
• In January 2025, he took over for Hoda Kotb as Savannah Guthrie’s co-anchor for the first two hours of the show.
• He also co-hosts the third hour of "Today" and hosts "Dateline NBC" episodes.
• He joined NBC’s Washington, D.C. station in 2008.
• He started at MSNBC (another NBC channel) in 2011.

A Different News: Savannah Guthrie’s Break

On Thursday’s show, Savannah Guthrie (Craig’s co-host) shared different news:

• She will be away from "Today" for several weeks.
• She is filming a new game show called "Wordle" that she is hosting.
• She told viewers: "We’re super excited. Cannot wait for everyone to see it."

About the "Wordle" show:

• NBC approved the show in May.
• It will start in 2027.
• It is made by Jimmy Fallon and the New York Times (the company that bought the Wordle game in 2022).

Summary

To wrap it up in a nutshell:

• A man bypassed security at the "Today" show at 30 Rockefeller Center on Thursday around 9 a.m.
• He was looking for Al Roker but confronted Craig Melvin, lunging at him and shouting a racist slur.
• He was arrested with no injuries; the incident was not on TV.
• Melvin and NBC confirmed everyone is safe and cooperating with police.
• Security is being reviewed, and the police investigation continues.
• Separately, Savannah Guthrie will be gone for weeks to film the "Wordle" game show.

FAQ

Q1: Was anyone hurt in the "Today" show incident?
No, nobody was physically injured. The man was arrested without any fight or altercation.

Q2: Was the scary moment shown on TV?
No, it happened around 9 a.m. ET but was not captured on the "Today" broadcast.

Q3: Why did the intruder go to the "Today" show?
Police sources said he was trying to find Al Roker, the longtime weatherman, but couldn’t, so he approached Craig Melvin instead.

Q4: What is the "Wordle" show Savannah Guthrie mentioned?
It’s a new game show hosted by Guthrie, based on the popular Wordle game, set to premiere in 2027 and produced by Jimmy Fallon and the New York Times.

Q5: Is Craig Melvin okay?
Yes! He said on TV and on X that he is fine and thanked everyone for their support.