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Deidre Hall Slaps Craig Melvin, Marks 50-Year Soap Milestone

6/20/2026

Summary

Deidre Hall Slaps

Deidre Hall playfully slapped anchor Craig Melvin on NBC’s Today show on June 19, 2026, celebrating her 50-year run as Dr. Marlena Evans.
Hall said she drew back, snapped his head, and the faux slap earned audience applause.
Hall, who joined Days of Our Lives in 1976 after almost declining the role, says she will stay while her key card works and notes that Ryan Gosling earlier named her his first acting inspiration.

Summary

Hall Honored

Hall was honored at the Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame Awards 33rd Anniversary Gala in New York City’s Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 30, 2025.
Earlier, she appeared at the 2023 NBCUniversal TCA Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, California on January 15, 2023, where she discussed her career and an upcoming “Today” segment.
In a subsequent interview, Hall praised a colleague’s “impeccable, honest and clean” work and said she was “beyond flattered” by the gesture.

Summary

Deidre Hall Slaps

Deidre Hall, 78, became the oldest television legend to deliver a live slap on NBC’s “Today” program.
The segment opened with a montage of Hall’s most memorable on-screen slaps, framing the stunt within soap-opera tradition.
Craig Melvin warned Hall to be careful, prompting her to reply “Forget it” and announce she would draw her hand back and snap his head before performing the choreographed move.

History

Historical Context

In 1952 NBC launched Today with Dave Garroway, whose relaxed, conversational style replaced the formal announcer tone and defined morning TV. Its early popularity helped NBC expand a morning news block that already featured Meet the Press (1947) and later added Dateline NBC (1992). The 2026 staged slap on Today by Deidre Hall, alongside Craig Melvin, recalls Garroway’s surprise moments that keep the show resonant.

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Deidre Hall Slaps

Deidre Hall playfully slapped anchor Craig Melvin on NBC’s Today show on June 19, 2026, celebrating her 50-year run as Dr. Marlena Evans.
Hall said she drew back, snapped his head, and the faux slap earned audience applause.
Hall, who joined Days of Our Lives in 1976 after almost declining the role, says she will stay while her key card works and notes that Ryan Gosling earlier named her his first acting inspiration.

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