A CBS News anchor sparked widespread attention on social media on Wednesday, May 7, with an unexpected use of slang during the network’s coverage of the papal conclave in Vatican City. This coverage took a historic turn on Thursday, May 8, when American Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the new pope.
During a live broadcast on May 7, CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil created an awkward moment by describing the cardinals at the conclave as “raw-dogging it” due to having their electronic devices confiscated during the proceedings.
This incident occurred as Vatican contributor John Allen was explaining the process of selecting a new pope following the death of Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88. Allen was detailing the ritual nature of the balloting process inside the Sistine Chapel.
“Most of them will tell you that while [voting is] going on, they’re sitting reading their breviary, that’s a book of prayers that clergy have, or praying a rosary,” Allen explained on the broadcast. “The one thing we know they’re not doing is checking Instagram because their devices have all been confiscated.”
That’s when Dokoupil interjected with the comment that quickly went viral: “I believe the kids call it raw-dogging it if you’re gonna go through a long period of time with no electronic device.”
According to the American Dialect Society, the term “rawdog” means “to undertake without usual protection, preparation, or comfort.” While it originated as crude slang referring to unprotected intercourse, the term has recently crossed over into mainstream usage for various activities, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok, where it’s used to describe experiencing things without modern comforts or distractions.
The panel of journalists, including Vatican analyst Delia Gallagher and co-anchors Norah O’Donnell, Maurice DuBois, Seth Doane, and Chris Livesay, immediately began snickering at Dokoupil’s remark. Gallagher attempted to steer the conversation back on track, noting that since the youngest of the cardinals is 44 years old, time away from screens shouldn’t be too difficult for them.
“They’re of a certain age, so they might be used to it,” she said.
Clips of the exchange quickly spread across social media platforms, garnering millions of views and generating a range of reactions from viewers. Many found the comment inappropriate given the solemn religious context of the conclave, while others were amused by the unexpected collision of internet slang and Vatican coverage.
One social media user commented, “This phrase and the conclave do not go together,” while another wrote, “I’m cryin…We just witnessed the exact moment CBS stopped pretending they had standards. Rawdoggin the conclave is WILD.”
The viral moment stands in contrast to the historic significance of what unfolded in the days that followed. On Thursday, May 8, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 6:07 p.m. local time, signaling that the 133 cardinal-electors had successfully chosen a new pope after two days of deliberations.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old American, was elected as the 267th pope, taking the name Leo XIV. This marks a historic milestone as Prevost becomes the first American pontiff in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history.
Prevost, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, had been serving as the head of the Vatican’s powerful Dicastery for Bishops, which oversees the selection of new bishops around the world. The late Pope Francis brought him to the Vatican in 2023 for this role after Prevost had spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru.
The election started on Wednesday with 133 cardinal-electors – the largest number in Church history. Cardinals from outside Europe outnumbered their European counterparts for the first time, with more than 20 from Asia and 18 from Africa participating in the election process.
When the white smoke appeared, crowds in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers as bells rang from the towering basilica.
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica shortly after his election was announced by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti with the traditional Latin phrase “Habemus Papam” (“We have a pope”).
The election of an American pope represents a significant shift for the Catholic Church, which has traditionally seen European or, more recently, Latin American leadership. Prevost’s selection also reflects the changing demographics of the global Catholic population, with growth concentrated in regions outside of Europe.
Meanwhile, Dokoupil’s viral moment during the conclave coverage adds to his growing list of awkward on-air exchanges. Earlier this month, he conducted a widely discussed interview with football coach Bill Belichick and his decades-younger girlfriend Jordon Hudson that became uncomfortable when Hudson refused to discuss how they met. In another recent incident, Dokoupil had an awkward exchange with actor Jason Isaacs, who became irritated when asked about prosthetics in a nude scene.