How do you change up the clichéd small-talk of Today segments? Well, you get Jenna Bush Hager, Natalie Morales, and Hoda Kotb to awkwardly oil down Tongan Olympian Pita Taufatofua.
Taufatofua, who will compete for Tonga in taekwondo, made headlines during the Opening Ceremony, when he walked into the Olympic stadium bearing the Tongan flag—and a gleaming chest.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIxOppIAcV2/
But Taufatofua’s journey to the Olympics hasn’t been easy, something he tried to explain to Al Roker while the three women rubbed oil on his body. Looking very uncomfortable, Taufatofua kept trying to tell Roker about his 20-year journey to compete in the Olympics, which has included six broken bones, three torn ligaments, three months in a wheelchair, and using crutches for a year and a half. He even had a crowdfunding campaign that helped get him to Rio.
But he was interrupted by all the giggling and grabbing.
.@hodakotb living the dream this morning with #Tonga flag bearer Pita Taufatofua! #RioTODAY pic.twitter.com/UDZYlnE1Vo
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 8, 2016
Not everyone thought this was so fun, however.
– I’m actually a bit disgusted by it all. Would never have done that to a woman, shouldn’t to a man!
— AlexandriaVAmom ☮️ ✡️ ⚛️ 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️ (@AlexandriaVAMom) August 8, 2016
@NMoralesNBC @hodakotb @JennaBushHager @alroker This was gross and embarrassing to watch. I felt horrible for him.
— Tessa the RedNosed Rein-Dare (@TessaDare) August 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/gregkb/status/762666983519313920
Just a reminder that a man is more than his oily chest.