Quick answer: The TODAY show's 2026 Halloween costumes celebrated 100 years of NBC. On Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, Craig Melvin dressed as Snoop Dogg (real name Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.), Willie Geist played Johnny Carson (born John William Carson), and Dylan Dreyer became Barbara Eden's Jeannie (Eden was born Barbara Jean Morehead). Carson Daly dressed as country singer Ella Langley, and Jenna Bush Hager went as Friends' Phoebe Buffay (Entertainment Weekly via Yahoo).
.jpg){kind=link}
Why "Today show" is trending
The Halloween recap is still drawing searches on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. The reveal took over the plaza at Rockefeller Center in New York, with Savannah Guthrie narrating as an NBC Page in a real page uniform borrowed from the program. Actor Jack McBrayer, who played NBC Page Kenneth Parcell on 30 Rock, joined her at the end of the "studio tour" (Entertainment Weekly; TODAY.com recap).
Every costume, and the real name behind it
- Craig Melvin as Snoop Dogg, with a cameo from the real Martha Stewart. Snoop, an NBC Olympics correspondent, was born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.
- Willie Geist as Johnny Carson, host of The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992, in the cape and turban of Carson's "Carnac the Magnificent" bit. "Johnny" was a nickname for John William Carson.
- Dylan Dreyer as Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie (NBC, 1965 to 1970). Barbara Eden was born Barbara Jean Morehead and later used her stepfather's surname, Huffman, before taking the stage name Eden.
- Al Roker as Gumby from Saturday Night Live, cigar and Emmy in hand. The cranky "I'm Gumby, dammit" character was made famous by Eddie Murphy (Edward Regan Murphy).
- Jenna Bush Hager as Phoebe Buffay, Lisa Kudrow's Friends character, complete with "Smelly Cat" and her real cat, Maisie. Guthrie also appeared as Jennifer Aniston's Rachel Green.
- Carson Daly as Ella Langley, performing "Choosin' Texas."
- Laura Jarrett as gymnast Simone Biles. Biles reacted on Instagram with one word: "PERFECT."
- Sheinelle Jones as a Radio City Rockette, dancing in the kickline with the real Rockettes.
After the reveal, the anchors tested their NBC knowledge in a trivia game with McBrayer (TODAY.com).
FAQ
What was the TODAY show's Halloween 2026 theme?
The anchors celebrated 100 years of NBC, which launched on Nov. 15, 1926, with costumes based on the network's famous shows and stars.
Who did Carson Daly dress as for Halloween 2026?
Country singer Ella Langley. He performed her No. 1 hit "Choosin' Texas."
What is Snoop Dogg's real name?
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.
Was Johnny Carson his real name?
Mostly. He was born John William Carson, and "Johnny" was a nickname.
What is Barbara Eden's real name?
She was born Barbara Jean Morehead. Eden is a stage name.
Related on RealNameOf
- Barbara Eden's real name
- Eddie Murphy's real name
- Lisa Kudrow's real name
- Simone Biles's real name
- More news and real-name stories
Names in this article: Snoop Dogg (Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.) · Johnny Carson (John William Carson) · Barbara Eden (Barbara Jean Morehead) · Eddie Murphy (Edward Regan Murphy) · Lisa Kudrow · Ella Langley · Simone Biles · Carson Daly · Jenna Bush Hager · Craig Melvin · Willie Geist · Dylan Dreyer · Al Roker · Savannah Guthrie · Laura Jarrett · Sheinelle Jones · Jack McBrayer · Jennifer Aniston · Martha Stewart