Tom Hanks jokingly swipes MS NOW's viewership while appearing live on-air with reporter

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks took a swing out of left field Thursday to poke fun at MS NOW while appearing live on the network.

MS NOW correspondent Jacob Soboroff was reporting live from the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, where some of the the biggest names in politics and entertainment gathered to launch the opening of former President Barack Obama's library and museum.

Soboroff eyed the "Forrest Gump" star, who was busy hobnobbing with other attendees but eventually offered his time to the reporter.

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"What can I do for the 800 people watching MSNOW?" Hanks asked Soboroff.

"Alright, add a zero if you need to," Hanks then quipped.

Soboroff took the joke in stride, responding, "I would say millions now that you're on our air."

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After the two discussed the Obama Presidential Center, Soboroff thanked Hanks for "adding the zero to our ratings today."

"I gotta tell ya, I can hear the clicks happening before my very eyes," Hanks joked before walking away.

Soboroff then turned to MS NOW anchor Katy Tur, appearing amused by the exchange.

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"Alright, thanks Tom. Appreciate that," Tur reacted with a grin.

"He has been very supportive of the press, at least in the past," Tur jokingly added before referencing Hanks' donated coffee machine to White House reporters in 2017.

A representative for MS NOW declined to comment.

Hanks cheekily undercounted MS NOW's viewership, which averaged 691,000 total day viewers and 1.1 million primetime viewers in the first quarter of 2026. The liberal network, however, trailed behind Fox News Channel's 1.7 million average total day viewers and 2.6 million primetime viewers during the same period.