Carson Daly seemed utterly bewildered by pal Blake Shelton’s unusual gift to his daughter, as they both shared the story of how the Today show anchor’s daughter came to own a taxidermied raccoon.
Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, Blake explained that when Carson’s family came to stay with him for a week, the anchor’s middle daughter, London, became enamored with the raccoon figure.
“His middle daughter just fell in love with this thing, like what is wrong with your kid?” The country singer told Jimmy, clearly confused. “She was up on the counter holding it and petting it.”
“By the time they were going to leave, I was like, she’s got to take this thing. It’s going to break her heart”, he added.
Carson confirmed Blake’s story on the Today show with a photo of the stuffed raccoon.
“Blake had a pet raccoon when he was a kid in Ada, Oklahoma and they were talking about that,” the anchor explained. “London, my daughter took [it] from his ranch.”
Savannah Guthrie asked: “What’s his name?” which Carson said was ‘Raccoonie’, naturally.
“That’s in your house?” exclaimed Craig Melvin and Al Roker, similarly confused and laughing.
“So, a dead racoon gets stuffed, London falls in love with it, and Blake gives it to you?” Craig recounted, hoping to get the order of events right.
“It wasn’t actually his pet raccoon I guess, but nonetheless Blake gave us the raccoon and it’s still in our house today”, Carson responded, adding “he’s an idiot. Officially an idiot.”
Savannah brought the conversation back to an important point: what about London? Or LoLo as she affectionately nicknamed her. Carson told them that London is actually scared of dogs, so she gravitates towards raccoons instead.
Carson has four children with wife Siri; Jackson, 14, Etta, 11, London, 9, and Goldie, 3. Meanwhile, through his marriage to Gwen Stefani, Blake has three stepsons. He shared in 2022 that: "Every day I've fallen in love with the boys as much as I do with Gwen."
Blake and Carson have been firm friends since their days on The Voice, which the latter hosts. Now, the duo host Barmageddon, a celebrity game show which sees stars entering the country singer’s bar, Ole Red, and competing in bar games against each other.
Carson is behind the bar and Blake takes to the stage for live music sing-alongs, while celebrities are partnered with a viral internet sensation looking for redemption.
