In a morning surprise for viewers, Richard Gere flipped Savannah Guthrie the bird on 'Today'—but it was all in the name of promoting his new show, 'The Agency,' which premieres November 29.

In a bid to drum up excitement for his upcoming premiere, Richard Gere's unexpected middle finger to Savannah Guthrie turned heads and raised eyebrows this morning. While Guthrie chastised him for the 'obscene gesture' on a family-friendly show, Gere insisted that the salute was essential to understanding a cut clip from 'The Agency,' proving once again that promoting a new series might just require a little finger-pointing—literally.

During the segment, which was designed to showcase Gere in his upcoming role, the show played a clip from 'The Agency.' However, much to the outrage of both viewers and Guthrie alike, the clip cut off just moments before the actor's infamous gesture could be seen. This left Guthrie, and presumably millions of viewers, wondering what to make of a seemingly random middle finger from the actor who once charmed the world in 'Pretty Woman.'

Gere's gesture elicited a playful scolding from Guthrie, who remarked, "You just did an obscene gesture on this family morning show!" It seems that morning TV just hit a new low, or perhaps a new high, depending on your interpretation of mid-morning entertainment. If there’s one thing daytime television has taught us, it’s that the line between wholesome and wildly inappropriate can be drawn in the sand, yet frequently washed away by the tide of increasingly audacious guest behavior.

In response to the critical eye of Guthrie, Gere staunchly defended his behavior, stating, "It didn’t make any sense without that!" This declaration raises the question: just how much context does an actor really need when demonstrating what could be perceived as a spontaneous act of rebellion against morning-show mundanity? Perhaps he believed that the intended witty banter and glove-slap of the scene couldn’t quite land without his dramatic flourish—understandable, really, if you've ever tried to recreate a classic 'I’m distraught' hand gesture during a heartfelt discussion over coffee.

Savannah Guthrie seemed to find herself in the peculiar position of mediator between massive media blunders, referencing a similarly scandalous moment just the day before when Cher dropped an F-bomb during her own 'Today' appearance. "I don’t know what’s happening," Guthrie jokingly lamented, perhaps hoping for a return to a simpler time when early morning television consisted solely of cooking segments and cat videos. Yet, isn’t it delightful to think that just one day could hold both Gere's middle finger and Cher’s faux pas? A true testament to the strange and unpredictable world of live television.

In light of the unfolding chaos, Gere chuckled and added, "My hand did that, I have no control!" Whether he was declaring himself a mere puppet of his own expressive appendages or subtly hinting at a far more complicated persona remains to be seen. Ironically, his light-heartedness may turn out to be the perfect marketing strategy for a show likely brimming with unexpected twists and dramatic gestures—of both the finger and the heart.

As the segment wrapped, viewers were left with more questions than answers. Does 'The Agency' promise more middle fingers or merely more moments of neglect and misunderstanding? With the premiere date of November 29 fast approaching, audiences can only hope that Gere's upcoming scenes will offer not just the graphic anticipation of a finger flick, but perhaps enough context to justify such unusual early-morning displays.

In the end, one can only wonder if Richard Gere's future on morning shows will consist solely of promotional campaigns filled with gestures that might land him on a watch list of family-friendly offenders. Or, could this middle finger incident elevate 'The Agency' into the realm of must-watch television for audiences craving something just a bit audacious—after all, nothing says 'tune in' quite like a celebrity flipping the bird under the auspices of artistic expression.