Cher leaves Hoda Kotb baffled by blaming her for accidentally dropping F-bomb live on 'Today' show

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: During a live broadcast on the 'Today' show on November 19, 2024, Cher accidentally dropped an F-bomb, leaving host Hoda Kotb and viewers stunned.

The moment occurred while Cher, 78, was promoting her new book, 'Cher: The Memoir', during an interview with Kotb, 60. Cher shared details of her turbulent marriage to Sonny Bono, including a conversation she had with Lucille Ball about handling her divorce in the public eye.

Cher drops F-bomb live on 'Today' while recalling Lucille Ball's divorce advice

As Cher described the advice she received from the iconic comedian, she explained that she asked Lucille, who had also gone through a public divorce, for guidance. “I can’t say it on TV,” Cher warned, asking if producers would “bleep it” if she cursed.

Kotb reassured her, “We’ll bleep it!” However, Cher's candid retelling led to an unbleeped moment.

“I said, ‘Lucy, I’m calling you because to my knowledge, there’s never been a situation besides mine except yours,'” Cher recalled, referring to Lucille’s divorce from Desi Arnaz. “And she said, ‘F**k him. You’re the one with the talent!’”

The surprise F-bomb went unnoticed by the show's live broadcast team, and a few people behind the camera could be heard reacting to the uncensored curse.

Kotb, taken aback by the slip, quickly reacted, “Oh! OK … we didn’t have the seven-second [delay]! But we will get for the next feed!”

Cher, seemingly unfazed, responded, “Well, you said I could!” Kotb jokingly replied, “I should have bleeped it myself! Bleep!”

Despite the on-air slip, Kotb shifts focus back to Cher’s memoir and Lucille Ball’s advice

The brief snafu aside, Kotb skillfully steered the conversation back to Cher’s memoir, where the singer elaborated on the advice Lucille gave her.

In the book, Cher writes, "I called Lucille Ball to ask for her advice. I told her, ‘Lucy, I want to leave Sonny and you’re the only one I know that’s ever been in this same situation. What should I do?’"

Cher recalled Lucille's response, “F–k him, you’re the one with the talent.” The two women shared a common bond in navigating high-profile relationships and their impact on their careers.

Cher has opened up more about her personal life in the memoir, sharing her childhood experiences, rise to fame, and struggles in her relationships, particularly her marriage to Sonny Bono. The two were married from 1964 to 1975. Cher also discussed her second marriage to Gregg Allman, which lasted from 1975 to 1979.

Cher reflects on her relationship with Sonny Bono, recalling early struggles and growing independence

Reflecting on her time with Sonny, Cher said, "After I left Sonny, I started to kind of grow. I was like 27 but I was 16 so I was making mistakes in public constantly."

She also recounted meeting Sonny at a restaurant, where he offered her a place to stay, remarking, “‘You can move in with me,’” he told her. “‘To be honest, Cher I don’t find you particularly attractive.’”

Despite this initial comment, Cher and Sonny’s relationship blossomed into romance, and they went on to co-host the popular TV show 'Sonny & Cher'.

However, Cher eventually felt that Sonny’s attitude towards her had changed. “He just didn’t care about me,” she noted. “I’m not so sure how much he cared for a little while … I didn’t have any kind of freedom.”