Today's Carson Daly teases unexpected career move involving 'alcohol' after break from show
Christopher Harper
Published Sep 13, 2026
TODAY host Carson Daly has teased an unexpected career move that may involve a bit of booze - opening a McDonald's with a liquor license.
On Thursday, hosts Craig Melvin, 44, Savannah Gutherie, 51, Hoda Kobt, 58, and Carson welcomed TikTok sensation Kevin McGinnis from Nashville, Tennessee to the show.
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McGinnis had eaten nothing but McDonald's for the past 100 days as a means of cutting the pounds.
His goal was to lose weight by eating the fast food restaurant's offerings three times a day, the only caveat was that he only allowed himself to eat half of each meal.
And after 100 days it turns out that the TikToker's calorie deficit meal challenge worked as planned and the hosts were eager to ask him questions about his unorthodox weight loss journey.
After questioning him about working out — which he claims he didn't — and his overall health, Craig asked Kevin about the sustainability of the diet.
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Kevin responded: "Half a plate to lose the weight, three-quarters of a plate to maintain the weight. Any food, including McDonald's."
After sharing that he never counted his calories, and emphasizing that he never worked out, Carson asked: "No alcohol?"
The show guest joked that he "couldn't find a McDonald's that serves."
Carson pretended to write on his notes as he announced: "Must start one."
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He then stated: "Liquor license, Mickey D's."
The TikTok star also revealed that while he was pre-diabetic before the experiment he's now in the healthy range.
Hoda asked about how he felt after eating fast food three times a day.
Kevin replied that "Because it's a half meal, great."
"Because 'you seek the heat before you eat' your body is actually pulling from the fat reserves in between so you're not eating, snacking, so you have this energy from burning the fuel on your body."
PROPER SENDOFF
Carson, 49, missed Monday’s episode of the Today Show to help give his buddy Blake Shelton, 46, an emotional sendoff from The Voice.
Carson took off the first few days from the morning show in order to be in Los Angeles to host the finale episodes of The Voice.
The season finale of the singing competition was extra emotional for the TV star as it doubled as his friend Blake’s final episodes as a coach.
After celebrating the country superstar during his last moments on the reality series, Carson returned to Today on Thursday.
However, he was gone from the morning show on Memorial Day.
Along with Carson, his co-stars Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie were also absent.
Hosts Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones took the day off as well, though they had pre-recorded a new episode of Today Third Hour that aired instead of a live broadcast.
As the spinoff edition of the morning show aired a pre-taped episode, no fill-in hosts were needed.
For the flagship series, though, Peter Alexander, Kristen Welker, and Jacob took over the anchor desk to temporarily replace the missing hosts.
Jacob did the honors of hosting Carson’s usual pop culture segment, POPSTART.
Kristen, meanwhile, filled in for Hoda when it came time for her Morning Boost segment.
Carson's absence on Monday comes after his emotional week last week which he opened up about on Thursday.
SWEET FAREWELL
Upon his return to the morning show following The Voice finale, he shared a sweet clip from the singing show, surprising Blake with a hilarious gift.
He said: "And just like any other coach, when it's time to walk away from the game, throw in the towel, pack it in and call it a day, we commemorate this big moment like any other great American athlete.
"Buddy, it is time to retire the Blake Shelton Jean Jacket."
The camera then panned to his jacket hanging up on the wall, with his name, The Voice, and the seasons he'd won all written on it.
After the clip played, Carson came back with some more brutal digs, saying: “He’s so old he kept telling me in that moment, he’s like, ‘What? Where is it? I can’t see it.’ He couldn’t see it!”
Hoda told Carson that she knows he likes to “joke” about Blake but that she also knows the two share such a great friendship.
She mentioned her co-star’s touching Instagram tribute for the retired Voice coach.
Alongside a slew of photos with Blake, Carson wrote the morning of the finale: "Today’s just gonna be weird! No other way to put it.
"For over 12 years I’ve watched the cowboy do his thing on The Voice & we have laughed & had fun, literally the entire time.
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"Thank you buddy! Enjoy your big red chair retirement, you’ve earned it!"
"Now let’s go make a drink! (Bring some ice over from your room, they never gave me any!" he concluded.
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