Emmelyn Roettger, 3-Year-Old Mensa Member Has To Poop During TODAY Show Appearance (VIDEO)

Emmelyn Roettger is a genius. The 3-year-old, with an IQ of 135, is currently the youngest member ever admitted to Mensa, and that feat led Emme and her parents to the TODAY Show this morning, where she was expected to be adorable and brilliant for the audience.

She was both. But mostly she was 3 years old. And she taught Natalie Morales something about live television and toddlers.

First, Emme was far more interested in waving to herself on camera (and, once or twice, sticking out her tongue) than answering Morales' questions about the solar system. Then, in a minute of live TV that was uncomfortable for any viewer who has potty trained a child, she announced that "my tummy hurts," and "I have to poop." Becoming increasingly distressed, she tried to remove her portable microphone, saying "take this off me, I have to poop."

What should the three parents have done? (That's counting Morales, who herself has a 3-year-old.) They could have A) gone to a commercial break. If that was technically impossible, they could have B) unhooked the poor girl and had one of her parents escort her to the bathroom while the other continued to answer questions. Or, they could have C) kept on with the interview, looking embarrassed every time poor Emme mentioned the word "poop", and trying to get her to shush.

You can watch what they did above. And use the comments to discuss what they SHOULD have done. Because we're sure many of you have had your own less-than-convenient "Mommy, I have to poop" moments with your own children.

WATCH:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From our partners

• Mother's Day Starts Out Great And Then ... - NickMom
• I'm Not Doing Squat For My Son's Birthday - Mommyish
• 5 Ways To Nurture Little Yogis - LilSugar

Comments

[fem56]

11:02 PM on 06/11/2012

What in the world are these parents trying to do to this 3 year old girl. She ought to be at the park playing.

[Swifty41267]

05:36 PM on 05/15/2012

Just watching that little Mensa girl on the Today show this morning had a laxative effect on me.

[Raejeanowl]

02:41 PM on 05/15/2012

Her I.Q. is not that high in Mensa terms. And the best thing they can do for her is raise her without fuss and give up the media appearances-which is all about THEM

[Crystal Berry Rapinchuk]

01:59 PM on 05/17/2012

I COMPLETELY agree. At 2 years old my son had that IQ - it really isn't that high. My son by 3 years old had taught himself how to read, add, subtract - all without our tutelage but I would never bother parading him into a news station or Mensa society. It doesn't benefit him in any way and after all, they still are just children no matter how intelligent they are. Poor girl.

[sis14slf]

03:35 PM on 06/04/2012

@ Raejean you hit the nail on the head!

[barly clack]

09:39 PM on 05/14/2012

the parents are just sitting there too proud their lil tyke got them on tv. geez louise! home girl had to poop. she may be a genius, but she's still a baby.

[SharonB]

08:48 PM on 05/14/2012

The only things I have in common with this child is we are both female and I too say inaproriate things sometimes.

[sis14slf]

02:31 PM on 06/04/2012

@ SharonB You made me smile. :-))

[kctlaw]

02:29 PM on 05/14/2012

Tooo funny. I've read multiple comments and it's pretty funny to see how many people feel the need to comment on their own kids/grandkids and how smart they are. Usually followed by the standard "I would never" comments. And the posters who feel the need to refer to their own intelligence. I mean, sheesh, we have super smart posters and posters who've carrier 4.0's and even people who claim to be part of mensa. Wow. Just wow.

[bridge to somewhere]

03:38 PM on 05/14/2012

I'm one of those people, and the point is...there are plenty of smart kids out there, for these people to make theirs into a side show is ridiculous.

[ipleathe5thh]

01:19 PM on 05/14/2012

Eᴠᴇɴ ʜᴇʀ ɴᴀᴍᴇ Eᴍᴍᴇʟʏɴ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ʜᴇʀ sᴏᴜɴᴅ sᴍᴀʀᴛ!

[ipleathe5thh]

01:10 PM on 05/14/2012

Wᴇ'ᴠᴇ ᴀʟʟ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴜʀ ᴋɪᴅs ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏᴛᴛᴀ ɢᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏᴛᴛᴀ ɢᴏ.

[bridge to somewhere]

11:48 AM on 05/14/2012

My 2 year old can tell you all the planets in the solar system, if they're big or small, hot or cold, and if they have moons or not (and in some cases how many). At 18 months he was searching the sky and pointing out Mars, Venus, and Jupiter. He does simple math using his fingers. When he eats, he tells you the organs that his food passes through before it comes out as po0p. How? Because we talk to him constantly and make everything a learning experience directly associated with words that he is encouraged to both repeat and understand. We ask questions about trips or events to see if he can recall what happened and he remembers details from as far back as age 1.

But would I take him on a TV show or try to get him a MENSA membership? As he would say... "Um....nope!"

[jackg66]

03:42 PM on 05/14/2012

you must be very proud.

[kctlaw]

09:14 AM on 05/15/2012

So you wouldn't take him on a tv show. That's great. But really, is it any different than, say, posting about him on a forum? I mean really, now we all know that your child knows the planets, math, organs etc. Seems a lot like the same thing to me. Just a different outlet is all.

[bridge to somewhere]

11:02 AM on 05/15/2012

My point is, it's not all that uncommon for kids younger than this one to know a lot of stuff...most of it is memorization, which brains at that age are really good at.

[StephenJK]

09:58 AM on 05/14/2012

Poo poo ca ca....goo goo ga ga. Can I haz a mensa?

[capercaper]

09:29 AM on 05/14/2012

Whose idea was it to book this kid and her parents in the first place?

What possessed her parents to agree to an appearance?

What a painful interview. . .

[suddenfun]

08:50 AM on 05/14/2012

What kind of expectations will be placed on the shoulders of this child being labeled "the youngest member of mensa?" Then the embarrassment as she grows up of the other kids teasing about having to "poop" on the today show. No one needs that kind of attention and pressure no matter how "gifted." She should have been left alone to develop her TALENT and celebrated for that.Those parents suck.

[suddenfun]

08:44 AM on 05/14/2012

I think it is horrible for this child to be paraded around for lets face it, the reflection upon the ego of these parents. It is terrible to "celebrate" this child for something that comes naturally to her and that she didn't work for. She is being given the message that she doesn't have to work hard to be a winner. Nothing positive will come of that. This is a form of child abuse.

[williamsj32]

07:50 AM on 05/14/2012

LOL.. sometimes retardedness can be mistaken for genius.

[Alicia Zarycki]

02:31 AM on 05/14/2012

My daughter doesn't suffer fools and doesn't wait for them either... There is no way she would have waited for someone to unhook her mic to go off to the bathroom. She would have left the set and headed straight to the bathroom and if she didn't know where it was she would demand someone that knew showed her the way.