Olympic skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin turned a heartfelt live interview into an awkward (and instantly viral) moment when she accidentally unleashed an F-bomb — and then an “Oh s–t” — right on the Today Show while discussing her emotional gold-medal win and her late father.
The 30-year-old American legend appeared alongside hosts Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, and Carson Daly to celebrate her dominant slalom victory at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics — her third career Olympic gold and a record-breaking triumph for U.S. Alpine skiing. But the conversation quickly shifted to the deeply personal side of her success.
Recounting a quiet, “spiritual” moment in the hospitality tent before her winning run, Shiffrin described lying down to nap but instead being overwhelmed by thoughts of her father, Jeff Shiffrin, who passed away in 2020.
“I want to be able to have some communication with him, and I can’t have that,” she explained. “But I thought, ‘What the heck, maybe it’s okay if you talk to him even if you don’t hear him respond in the normal way.’”
Then came the slip: “There’s definitely been a spiritual journey I’ve been on over the last years. I took a moment, and I said… F–k.” She immediately caught herself, gasped “Oh s–t,” slapped her hand over her mouth, and blurted, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry!”
The hosts burst into laughter to break the tension. Craig Melvin, 46, quickly reassured her: “That’s okay. We know what you meant. You’re wearing gold, it’s okay.” Hoda Kotb, 61, jumped in with a grin: “We got you, we’ll pay the fine. Don’t worry about it.”
Shiffrin, still embarrassed, muttered, “That’s so bad,” before the group pivoted to lighter ground. Carson Daly steered the chat to her post-race celebration: “While we’re on the topic of swearing like a sailor, let’s talk about the celebration.”
Shiffrin revealed she toasted the win with Espresso martinis — her first drinks in two years — after delivering the largest margin of victory in an Olympic Alpine event in nearly three decades (1.50 seconds ahead in slalom).
The interview circled back to the profound meaning of the gold. Shiffrin tearfully honored her father: “For my dad, who didn’t get to see this. This was a moment I had dreamed about. I have also been very scared of this moment… I don’t want to be in life without my dad, and maybe today was the first time that I could actually accept this reality.”
The raw honesty — mixed with the unexpected profanity — has fans buzzing online, turning the clip into an instant viral sensation. Shiffrin’s vulnerability, combined with the lighthearted host reaction, perfectly captures why she remains one of the most beloved figures in sports.
From record-breaking runs on the mountain to real, unfiltered moments on live TV — Mikaela Shiffrin keeps proving she’s as human as she is historic. 🇺🇸🥇
