Lena Dunham Flusters Maria Shriver on ‘Today' With Anatomy Question

Dunham threw up her hands in mock defeat and jokingly told Maria Shriver, "I won't be coming back!"

Lena Dunham makes provocative TV.

The creator and star of HBO's "Girls" stopped by "Today" to promote the show's sixth and final season. At the end of the interview, fill-in host Maria Shriver said, "Thank you so much for stopping by. I had a chance to look at three shows for this new season, and it looks terrific."

"You saw a penis, right?" Dunham deadpanned.

Clearly unnerved, Shriver responded, "Yeah. Well, I saw more than that! You caught me there for a second. I am not sure if you are allowed to say that on television—but you did!"

Dunham threw up her hands in mock defeat and jokingly told Shriver, "I won't be coming back!"

The actress then joked that she's "going out with a bang!"

"Going out with a bang," Shriver repeated. "We're just going out."

Matt Lauer, who was standing off-camera, merely shook his head and asked, "What?"

"Matt, help!" Shriver pleaded. "She threw me off!"

"I'm so sorry!" Dunham apologized. "I'm so sorry!"

Shriver accepted Dunham's apology. "That's OK," the journalist told her. "That's the difference between generations: I wasn't brought up talking like that." Dunham apologized to Shriver again, though she balked at the idea that she had never uttered the word "penis" in her youth.

As she began to stand up, Dunham said, "Thank you so much for having me."

"Wait a minute! You're still on the air!" Shriver informed her. "Sit down!"

"I am?" Dunham asked.

"Yes, you are. You're still on the air. Sit down," Shriver said. "Matt, are you supposed to be saying something?" Lauer replied, "No. We aren't still on the air, but you are. No, I'm kidding." The entire exchange tickled Dunham. "I'm thrilled by what's just happened here," she laughed.

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