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'Today' host Craig Melvin yawns during Rick Springfield interview

Published 10 hours ago3 minute read
Rick Springfield in 2023; Craig Melvin in May. Credit:

Paul Archuleta/Getty; Craig Barritt/Getty 

Rick Springfield isn't afraid of a little confrontation — no matter how sleepy his opponent.

The ʼ80s rocker didn't hold back during an awkward moment on 3rd Hour of Today, which saw him chatting about his iconic track, "Jessie's Girl" with hosts Craig Melvin, Al Roker, and Jill Martin. 

While answering a question about the hit song, Springfield at one point got distracted by Melvin yawning in the middle of his comments. 

"Am I boring you?" he asked the host. Keeping things light, Springfield then mimed getting up to leave before sitting back with a smile.

Craig Melvin laughs after Rick Springfield catches him yawning on 'Today'.

Today Show

Meanwhile, the camera panned to Melvin, who was visibly embarrassed as he assured the singer otherwise. 

"Not at all, Rick," the morning show host replied through a cough. "I apologize."

This also led Roker, Martin, and Springfield to have a good laugh about the interaction while Melvin flushed.

"It’s early, don’t worry about it," Springfield quipped. "I’ll yawn, too."

As his costars chuckled, Melvin insisted, "It was a cough."

Springfield's call out was all in good fun. The rocker continued to crack jokes throughout the episode, much to the hosts' delight. At one point, the trio presented the grandfather-to-be with a Today onesie to give to his future grandchild. 

"It's a free plug," Springfield said dryly.

Rick Springfield and 'Today' hosts crack up during his interview.

Today Show

When asked what his grandpa name will be, Springfield joked, "I'm thinking 'Your Excellency,' 'Caesar,' the 'Right Honorable Mr. Springfield.' Easy stuff for a kid to pronounce."

Towards the end of his appearance, Melvin declared, "Rick Springfield, I had no idea you were so funny, by the way. Come back, come back anytime.”

Roker added, "He has vaulted into the top five of favorite guests."

Watch the interview below:

Springfield also made a few jokes at his own expense. When Melvin at one point pivoted the conversion to the brain injury that the singer sustained in 2000, Springfield put on a blank expression, looked around the room and said, "I’m sorry, what?"

In March, Springfield announced that he'd made a startling discovery about his health after undergoing a Prenuvo whole-body MRI scan. The musician said doctors discovered that he had sustained brain damage after falling off the stage at a Las Vegas concert a quarter century ago.

Rick Springfield performs in 1981.

Paul Natkin/Getty

"I fell 25 feet, hit my head, and then wood came down and hit my head, and then my head hit the stage again," he shared, explaining that the recent body scan uncovered some lingering effects from the incident. "I thought I had just broken my wrist, but on the scan, I found out I have some brain damage from the fall, so I'm working on trying to repair that."

Springfield is currently in the middle of the "I Want My ʼ80s" tour, which runs through August 10.

Origin:
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EW.com
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