Tom Hanks delivered a playful but pointed jab at MS NOW’s ratings during a live interview Thursday at the opening celebration of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
The Oscar-winning actor was approached by MS NOW correspondent Jacob Soboroff, who asked whether Hanks had a moment to chat while attending the festivities surrounding the new presidential center.
Hanks responded with a line that quickly spread across social media.
“What can I do for the 800 people watching MS NOW?” the actor quipped.
Soboroff appeared surprised by the remark but laughed along as Hanks continued the joke.
“All right, add a zero if you need to,” Hanks added.
The correspondent fired back with his own response.
“I would say millions now that you’re on our air,” Soboroff said.
The two then shifted to discussing the opening of former President Barack Obama’s presidential center before Soboroff circled back to the joke as the interview wrapped up.
“Thanks for adding the zero to our ratings today,” he told the actor.
Hanks wasn’t done.
“I gotta tell ya, I can hear the clicks happening before my very eyes,” he replied before walking away.
Back in the studio, anchor Katy Tur appeared amused by the exchange.
“All right, thanks, Tom. Appreciate that,” Tur said with a smile.
“He has been very supportive of the press, at least in the past,” she added.
Tur was referencing Hanks’ well-known gesture toward the White House press corps. In 2017, the actor donated a new espresso machine to reporters covering the White House, continuing a tradition of gifts he had made to the press corps over the years.
Watch the clip below:
Hell has officially frozen over.
Hollywood Actor Tom Hanks just delivered a blow to MSNBC that I don’t think they will ever recover from…
He basically tells them they are irrelevant and nobody watches them.
BRUTAL.
"What can I do for the 800 people watching… All right… pic.twitter.com/BZ9rx1OsaC
— Jack (@jackunheard) June 18, 2026
