If there was ever a moment to hit the delay button, Hoda Kotb might have wished she had it handy during a fiery and unexpected exchange with Cher on live TV.
The music and Hollywood legend made a special appearance on the Today show Tuesday morning to promote her highly anticipated new memoir, Cher: The Memoir, Part One. But while fans tuned in to hear tales from Cher’s remarkable six-decade career, what they got was an unfiltered—and completely unforgettable—moment of television history.
During the sit-down interview, Kotb asked the “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer about a particularly pivotal time in her life: the mid-1970s, when Cher had just ended her marriage and creative partnership with Sonny Bono. The split was not only personal, but deeply professional—Bono had allegedly taken control of all the earnings from The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, leaving Cher reeling and unsure about her next move.
Feeling isolated and desperate for guidance, Cher revealed she turned to one of television’s most legendary women for advice: Lucille Ball, star and co-creator of I Love Lucy, who had herself weathered a stormy divorce from co-star and business partner Desi Arnaz.
“I called Lucy because, to my knowledge, there had never been a situation like mine—except hers,” Cher told Kotb.
Kotb, leaning in, asked, “And what did she tell you to do?”
Cher hesitated, grinning. “I can’t say it on TV.”
“Well, we’ll bleep it,” Kotb encouraged, clearly intrigued. “But what did she say?”
Without missing a beat, Cher dropped the bombshell—quite literally.
“She said, ‘F*** him. You’re the one with the talent,’” she recounted.
The moment instantly sent Kotb into full-on shock. The live broadcast aired the profanity without censorship, causing the host to gasp, throw her hand over her mouth, and nervously laugh as the studio scrambled to recover. While NBC later uploaded a version with the word bleeped, TikTok users were quick to share the unedited clip, which has since gone viral—earning praise from fans who applauded Cher’s honesty and boldness.
“Cher just saying it like it is—iconic,” one fan commented on the viral clip.
But Cher didn’t stop at just one story. Her memoir—and the conversation—delved into more of the deeply personal moments that shaped her life and her relationships with other iconic women in the entertainment world.
One of the most poignant recollections she shared involved her close friend Tina Turner. Cher explained that, years ago, Turner had appeared as a guest on the solo variety show Cher hosted following her divorce from Bono. During a taping day, Turner came to her dressing room before filming and made a quiet but heartbreaking request.
“She came in asking if I had some cover-up,” Cher said. “She had a bruise on her arm she didn’t want showing on camera.”
As Cher looked for the makeup, Turner sat beside her and softly asked, “Tell me how you left him.”
Cher paused, and then recalled giving her the most direct advice she could offer: “I just walked out and kept going.”
It was a moment of vulnerability and strength between two powerhouse performers—both survivors of turbulent, controlling relationships. Cher’s revelations in both her memoir and interview showcase not only her resilience but also the quiet sisterhood that existed between some of Hollywood’s most celebrated women, even when the cameras weren’t rolling.
Lucille Ball, Tina Turner, and Cher—three women from different eras and backgrounds, yet all trailblazers in a male-dominated industry—are forever linked by these behind-the-scenes moments of honesty, pain, and empowerment.
Cher’s memoir, which is already topping preorder charts, promises to offer even more of these raw and powerful stories, spanning her rise from teenage backup singer to one of the most influential artists in pop culture. From film and fashion to activism and heartbreak, Cher: The Memoir, Part One is not just a recounting of a life—it’s a declaration of survival, reinvention, and speaking one’s truth, no matter the setting.
And if this Today show moment is any indication, Cher still does it all on her own terms—with fearless candor, zero regrets, and maybe just a little bit of colorful language.
