James Van Der Beek delays "Today Show" appearance because of pink eye: How to subtly reveal you have kids

Actor James Van Der Beek was scheduled to appear on the Today show on Friday, December 5, but he announced on Instagram that he had to reschedule due to pink eye.

The Dawson's Creek star, who has been open about his health, shared that he had to postpone his appearance while continuing to manage his recovery from stage 3 colorectal cancer, which he publicly revealed in November 2024.

Van Der Beek, a father of six, shared a candid moment on Instagram featuring himself and one of his children, humorously captioning it, "Tell me you have kids without telling me you have kids. Having to postpone a @today show appearance because of pink eye ."

He also issued an apology to the Today show and anchor Craig Melvin, writing, "Sorry @today @craigmelvinnbc for having to push. Pink eye(s) almost cleared up. See you Dec. 17 ."

According to the CDC, pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is a common and treatable condition, though it is highly contagious.

Van Der Beek has previously had to miss public appearances due to health issues. In September, he skipped a Dawson's Creek reunion event after battling stomach viruses, expressing disappointment on Instagram about missing a long-anticipated evening.

Despite these setbacks, Van Der Beek is set to return to television, having been cast as a recurring guest star in the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle.

Author: Lucas Grant