Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade viewers took to Twitter to react to Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb butchering the pronunciation of Dragon Ball Z‘s new video game, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, while she and co-anchor Savannah Guthrie described the game’s giant float during the historic annual event. The title of the game had Kotb cracking up, which many anime enthusiasts laughed at, in turn.
Given the job of explaining Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, and how it will give fans the chance to relive Goku’s story in celebration of the anime’s 30th anniversary, Kotb started laughing and was barely able to compose herself long enough to say that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot would be releasing on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in January.
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It’s easy to see how someone’s first reaction to saying an unfamiliar word would be to laugh — especially considering that many of the names in the Dragon Ball Z franchise are actually intended to be funny in a way, since most everyone is named after food or food puns.
Fans took to Twitter to poke fun at Kotb, who worked before and during the parade, for her pronunciation and reaction. One Twitter user wrote that “Hoda kinda [loses] it after she says ‘Kakarot.’”
“Hoda trying, failing, and laughing her way through pronouncing Dragon Ball Super: Kakarot at the parade this year just singlehandedly saved my Thanksgiving,” someone else wrote.
Here’s the Goku balloon! Hoda kinda looses it after she says “Kakarot”. pic.twitter.com/0dIQWpG1fu
— Tanooki Joe (@TanookiKuribo) November 28, 2019
THE MACYS DAY PARADE LADY I THINK HODA PRONOUNCED KAKAROT AS COCKAROT WHEN READING HER DRAGON BALL COMMERCIAL SCRIPT
— Adri Zeppeli (@hello_adrii) November 28, 2019
Also loved Hoda giggling trying to say kakarot
— Dani Fernandez (@msdanifernandez) November 28, 2019
“A highlight of the macy’s thanksgiving day parade was hearing the savannah guthrie describe the goku super saiyan blue balloon deadpan & then hoda kotb losing her s— laughing at ‘kakarot,’” another said.
“This year I’m thankful for all of my family and friends, and for the opportunity to hear Hoda Kotb say ‘Kakarot’ out loud,” one person wrote.
Although some viewers said they “cringed” at the moment, with one person even going so far as to call it “unprofessional,” others took it lightheartedly, understanding that Kotb had dozens of various floats and performances to get through.
Some fans bemoaned those who were angered by the incident: “Wait people are GENUINELY mad at how Hoda … pronounced Kakarot? Y’all be taking it way [too] seriously lmao I thought its as funny but I wasn’t mad,” someone said.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot launches on Jan. 17, 2020 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
