Tracy Morgan has spent decades making us burst with laughter on TV through dozens of stand-up specials.
In the midst of concerns and fears around the coronavirus, the 51-year-old brought his humor to Today on Tuesday, raising a few eyebrows with his hilarious, but decidedly inappropriate, set of jokes.
It's never a dull moment when @TracyMorgan is on! Watch the full interview with the comedy star who talks about coronavirus and dealing with the unknown, "We all got to pull together as people," he says. pic.twitter.com/nVG8DjAxg2
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 7, 2020
Morgan was on the show to promote the premiere of the third season of his hit TV show The Last O.G., which aired Tuesday evening.
"Me and my wife been quarantining it for like three weeks, so she's pregnant three times. Every week she got pregnant. We're role-playing a lot now. She's playing a young maiden whose grandfather was infected with coronavirus and I'm the scientist who discovered the cure and she'll do anything to save her grandfather's life. And I mean anything," he told host Hoda Kotb.
The legendary comic went on to joke about getting his pets tested because of the recent news about a tiger in the Bronx Zoo who tested positive for COVID-19.
He lauded doctors for their work on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic and defended President Donald Trump, saying it was "difficult for him" because "imagine if you're the leader of a country and the country got sick."
"We all got to pull together as people. Now is not the time for blame and all these other things like anger. It's here now so we have to be together," he told Kotb.
People flocked to Twitter to share their opinion on his oversharing, with some saying the interview was funny and many others writing that it was inappropriate and strange.
He was awful. _’ embarrassment
— Tricia Scarlata (@529mom) April 7, 2020
Worst interview yet. Really? Families home and this is what you pump out at breakfast time?
— Chelsea Smith (@chechie89) April 7, 2020
I hope Tracy’s manager or PR rep comes out with a statement that he was highly medicated during this interview. #trainwreck
— Michael J. Ashton (@6degreefloat) April 7, 2020
I think it was awesome! He’s a comedian, people. I laughed the whole time and even rewatched it. I agree with him that this is not a time for blame. We should all come together and look toward the future
— Connie Rachal (@CcrachalConnie) April 7, 2020
This interview was EXACTLY what I needed this morning. Tracy Morgan is a genius surrealist. @TracyMorgan
— lorianne (@r_lorianne) April 7, 2020
I don’t think the @TODAYshow viewers were ready for Tracy Morgan this morning ???? pic.twitter.com/OQeKxqCJXD
— Icculus The Brave (@FirenzeMike) April 7, 2020
The interview was hailed by Trump supporters who thanked the comedian for his kind words about the president.
But some people online said at best the interview was uncomfortable and at worst offensive because of how he made light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tracy Morgan said he impregnated his wife 3 times in 3 weeks, wants to get his gorilla tested for ‘rona, has a N95 mask, and said we shouldn’t place blame on Trump for how he’s handled the pandemic. Hoda gracefully got through that interview, but I know she was like… pic.twitter.com/Bcrvrj6WTM
— Jennifer D. Laws (@jenniferdlaws) April 7, 2020
Watching Tracy Morgan on the @TODAYshow like… pic.twitter.com/J0Brh2Ekkh
— Maurice Corbett (@Maleco_BC) April 7, 2020
I love Tracy Morgan but even i know you don’t put him on live TV when the church folks are eating breakfast https://t.co/E2UvLjqEBr
— Danny Gold (@DGisSERIOUS) April 7, 2020
Morgan has been at the center of a number of controversies over the years due to his comedic content.
In 2011, he called vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin "good masturbation material." That same year he said he would "pull out a knife and stab" his son if he was gay.
Just days later, during a stand-up set, he called a woman a "cripple" and told an audience to never date women who had "retarded kids," TMZ reported.
"Them young retarded males is strong. They're strong like chimps," he said during his set in New York City.
