Savannah Guthrie had a playful moment with legendary actor Tom Hanks when she eagerly asked him to step in as her co-anchor on The Today Show. 

While it was all in good fun, Hanks had a quick and witty response that left everyone laughing.

The Hollywood star, 68, made a visit to Today’s NBC Studios in New York City to discuss his latest project, but Savannah couldn’t resist seizing the opportunity to extend an offer. 

What followed was a hilarious exchange between the two.

Tom Hanks’ Perfectly Witty Response

During their lighthearted conversation, Savannah posed the big question: “Are you going to co-anchor with me ever?” 

The suggestion clearly caught Hanks off guard, but he was ready with a quip.

“I’m not getting up that early, lady,” he shot back with a smirk.

Not willing to let it go, Guthrie kept pushing. “Come on!” she encouraged. But Hanks had another excuse ready. “And I am not reading all that research,” he added, making it clear that a career in morning news wasn’t in the cards for him.

Still, Savannah wasn’t done negotiating. She made a counteroffer, suggesting, “We’ll do it as a gag.”

However, Hanks stood firm, saying, “No, I’m sorry. It would have to be for the full week.”

The playful banter continued as Guthrie excitedly responded, “Twist my arm!” Hanks then joked about how cranky he would be by Friday morning, to which Savannah reassured him, “Your cranky is like everyone else’s best day.”

“I will say when I’m cranky, I’m pretty damn hilarious,” Hanks added, showing off his signature charm.

Tom Hanks’ Visit to ‘Today’

Hanks appeared on the morning show to discuss his new nature documentary series, The Americas. The project, which took five years to complete, features stunning footage from 180 different expeditions across the continent.

While narrating such a massive project was a new challenge for him, Hanks admitted that it was just as much about reacting to the breathtaking visuals as it was about reading scripted lines.

“Yeah, they wrote great copy … but a ton of it is also just me reacting to this footage,” he explained.

His appearance on Today was met with enthusiasm from both Savannah and the rest of the team, and it didn’t take long for the show’s official Instagram page to extend another warm invitation.

“Tom Hanks, our couch is always open for you,” the post read. “Come co-anchor with @savannahguthrie and @craigmelvinnbc whenever you want!”

Craig Melvin Settles Into His New Role

Meanwhile, Today has been going through a transitional period following Hoda Kotb’s departure. Craig Melvin officially stepped in to replace her, taking on the co-anchor role alongside Savannah Guthrie.

Melvin, 45, has embraced his new position, though he admitted in a recent interview that the early morning schedule has been a major adjustment.

“[My alarm] used to go off at 4:15 a.m. if there was something big happening that morning, 4:30 a.m. if it was a slow morning,” he revealed.

Now, with his new responsibilities, that wake-up time has changed.

“I have to get up at 3:45 a.m.,” he said. “Which, when you say it out loud, it’s like, ‘Ooh, that stinks. That stinks.’”

To make sure he’s never late, Melvin has developed what he calls a “triple alarm system.”

“I’ve got my radio alarm clock that’s on my nightstand,” he explained. “Then I set two alarms on my phone, as well, just in case I oversleep one. It’s hard to oversleep all three.”

Beyond the alarms, Melvin has also established a strict morning routine to keep himself on track.

“That’s the thing about the shift, you really have to commit to a regimen to make it work,” he shared. “I take my multivitamin, I’ve got this electrolyte mix that I use. I take my allergy meds and I shave every morning. That’s it. That’s the end of the routine.”

A Fun and Exciting Future for ‘Today’

While The Today Show has been through some major changes recently, the energy and humor between Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin, and their guests continue to make the show a must-watch.

Though Tom Hanks might not be ready to take on the early mornings, his exchange with Savannah proved he’d bring plenty of laughs if he ever did decide to give it a try. And with Today keeping its doors open for him, who knows? Maybe one day, Hanks will surprise everyone and give the news desk a shot—at least for a week!

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