NEWSOlympian Mikaela Shiffrin Drops F-Bomb on 'Today' Show as Hoda Kotb Insists 'We’ll Pay the Fine'
Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin dropped an F-bomb on the 'Today Show,' prompting Hoda Kotb to offer to 'pay the fine.'
Feb. 19 2026, Updated 5:27 p.m. ET
Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin had a major slip-up on live TV.
During a Today show interview from Milan, Italy, on Thursday, February 19, the slalom star, 30, accidentally dropped the F-bomb.
Shiffrin — who won gold at the Olympics on Wednesday, February 18 — was discussing how she’s been on a “spiritual journey” since her father’s death when she blurted out an expletive.
Mikaela Shiffrin guest-starred on 'TODAY.'
“S---!” she exclaimed after accidentally saying the F-word.
The athlete covered her mouth with her hand and shyly turned away from the camera.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” she apologized.
'Today' Anchors React to Mikaela Shiffrin Cursing on Live TV
Mikaela Shiffrin just won an Olympic gold medal.
Today anchors Carson Daly, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin seemed unfazed and laughed off the mishap.
“We got you. We’ll pay the fine. Don’t worry,” Kotb insisted, referring to the FCC’s rules against profane language.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay. That was worth it…” Melvin consoled the Olympian. “She’s just like us.”
“I was thinking it. You’re not alone,” Daly said.
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The 'Today' co-hosts laughed off Mikaela Shiffrin's mistake.
The Voice host then made an effort to move on by discussing Shiffrin’s post-win festivities.
“While we’re on the topic of swearing like a sailor, let’s talk about the celebration, Mikaela,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had an espresso martini. I read you hadn’t either but that’s how you chose to celebrate. Tell us about the celebration after gold.”
Mikaela Shiffrin apologized several times for the error.
Shiffrin interrupted Daly mid-sentence to apologize again before detailing her victory bash.
“I did have an espresso martini. I also have not been drinking for probably two years now, at least, so everybody kept handing me espresso martinis because I said it was my destiny to have one last night,” she explained. “Everybody kept bringing them to me, but then they would also say, which may be some of the reason for the swearing…so sorry again. But yeah, no, they just kept handing them to me, and they’re like, ‘Pace yourself. Here’s another, but pace yourself.’ Through the course of the evening, I probably had a total of just one, so I felt actually great this morning. But it’s a delicious thing.”
Mikaela Shiffrin used profane language during an interview.
The Today hosts continued to crack up and had no ill will toward the star for her on-air error.
“Mikaela, if it was possible to love you any more than we already did, today is the day,” Kotb gushed as Shiffrin winced.
“I’m an even bigger fan now,” Daly added, while Melvin called the skier “America’s golden girl.”
Fans praised Shiffrin for her authenticity in the comments section of the interview on YouTube.
“She's the goat and a real cool human being. No rehearsed standard athlete jargon,” one person wrote, while another said, “I watched this live and there was no bleeping! So funny!”
