Craig Melvin Caught Sneaking Backstage During ‘Today’ Episode to Secretly Eat a Chicken Cutlet

Craig Melvin’s latest antics on Today were too relatable! The morning TV anchor hilariously went backstage for a quick snack during a commercial break from the show.

On Thursday, August 22, Today posted a video on their Instagram account documenting Craig, 45, running off the set. He then ran straight into the kitchen, instructing the person holding the camera to be as quiet as possible. Craig arrived at a tray of chicken cutlets that were sitting on the counter.

The Pops author pointed to the chicken and smiled. He then proceeded to cut off a little piece of the chicken and eat it, with the person behind the camera trying to contain their laughter. Other staff members in the kitchen around them could be seen smiling in the background as the chicken cutlet taste test took place.

The funny video came just days after Craig made a dig at Today cohost Al Roker during the weatherman’s 70th birthday celebration on Tuesday, August 20. Craig performed a poem dedicated to Al in honor of his special day along with Sheinelle Jones. Dylan Dreyer was absent from the news desk that day but appeared later on during the episode.

“You know why Dylan’s not here? She thought this was a retirement celebration,” Craig said in his poem. “When Dylan found out it was a birthday celebration, she was like, ‘Aww, heck nah.'”

The joke was made all in good fun, as Craig and Al are very close friends outside of the show. Craig revealed that he often seeks parenting advice with Al, who is a father to kids Courtney, Leila and Nick.

“I mean, it’s something else. You get to watch him in action, like sometimes in commercial breaks between segments, he’s texting with one of his three kids or he’s putting out a fire,” Craig told TODAY.com in June 2023. “He’s parenting on the job.”

“He talks about how each relationship is different and unique to each kid,” Craig, who shares kids Delano and Sybil with Lindsay Czarniak, added.

Al is also a doting grandfather to granddaughter Sky, who was born to his eldest daughter, Courtney, and her husband, Wesley Laga. Being a grandpa has been one of Al’s most favorite roles yet, and he’s loved getting to share the experience with wife Deborah Roberts.

“I’m going to do everything I didn’t do as a parent with my grandchildren,” he told People of his grandparenting style on Wednesday, August 21. “I am breaking all the rules.”

“This kid’s going to be on sugar overload,” he continued. “She’s going to get whatever she wants. It’s going to be fantastic.”

Al, who recently returned home from the 2024 Paris Olympics, explained that his own mother used to give his kids whatever they wanted.

“It’s funny, too, because I remember my mother — Deborah would come to me and say, ‘You’ve got to talk to your mother. She’s giving the kids Yodels and Ring Dings and all that.’ I said, ‘I’m not talking to her. If you want to talk to her, good luck,’” the meteorologist recalled.

“But she’s a grandparent, that outranks everything,” Al said. “So as long as there’s nothing to do with giving them a car when they can’t drive or anything. I think all bets are off when it comes to grandparents.”