Is Matt Lauer leaving the 'Today' show too?
By 2012, Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira will both have departed the "Today" show, leaving no big stars on NBC's No. 1-rated morning show, according to reports from Entertainment Tonight and TV Guide on Wednesday. Lauer reportedly plans to resign when his contract expires in December 2012, while Vieira's contract could free her in September of this year.(NBC did not respond to requests for comment.)
The timing of this news is interesting, since Lauer's former "Today" co-anchor Katie Couric is also said to be preparing her exit from "CBS Evening News" later this year and has been in discussions with various networks, as well as former "Today" show producer Jeff Zucker. Some are already speculating that Lauer is considering reuniting with Couric and Zucker on a new project.
For several months, Vieira has been discussing extending her deal with NBC News, but TV Guide reports that she's getting tired of the early morning hours and wants to move on. She has said that she wants to focus on the health of her husband, who has battled multiple sclerosis and cancer, when making decisions about her future. Ann Curry, who once said she "would've loved" Vieira's job, is considered a leading candidate for her replacement.
Of course, all three anchors are currently in talks about their contracts, so if rumors happen to be circulating about their departure, it might work in their favor. For now, we'll just have to thank our lucky stars we've still got Al Roker. Right? ...Right?
— Melissa Maerz
Photo: Matt Lauer. Credit: Richard Drew / Associated Press.
I would not like to see Matt leave. He is the Today Show. I bet they will make him an offer he cannot refuse.
Posted by: Vanessa | April 06, 2011 at 04:52 PM
Who cares?
Posted by: Frank2961 | April 06, 2011 at 05:44 PM
I hope it is all rumors, as they are all very talented; I will hate to see them leave. Al, Matt, Meredith and Ann are awesome at their jobs...... Please don't leave.
Posted by: Luis Pichardo | April 06, 2011 at 06:03 PM
LEAVE!
Posted by: Matt Lauer's Mom | April 06, 2011 at 08:08 PM
Matt leave? What else could he do? The Matt Show? The Lauer Hour? HBO?Where else could he make that type of loot? Maybe to CBS. He'll do the evening news somewhere. Got it. Good plan, Matt. Move forward. Don't watch it nearly as much as I did during the Katie/Matt days, but if Meredith bails...Ann Curry is kind of quirky and I remember her leaning forward a lot during her interviews. It was weird. She was over-passionate, or something. But since then she's definitely kept herself up and her, uh, "journalism" has improved a little. But through her 2,106,468 NBC news assignments she's accidently become quite worldly and her strange voice is seared into our memories. NBC will seriously look tacky if they, again, give that prize position to another person. I don't think they like her that much to give it to her. lol. She's doing news stories and sub for big shot Mer, Dateline, Catch A Predator, and whatever news assignment scraps they can conjure up for her---she's like a NBC work-a-holic. Its gonna be interesting to see if they'll diss her again. If they do she should bolt. CNN, Fox, MSNBC---somebody will grab her. She can't allow NBC to do this to her again. Have a backbone, Annie. They'll have you looking like Susan Lucci over there if you allow them to.
Posted by: sonny | April 06, 2011 at 08:17 PM
Big mistake if Matt isn't encouraged to stay.
Meredith is another thing. She's never come close to filling Katie Couric's shoes.
Meredith is far too stilted when interviewing and comes across as being very biased.
She belongs back on her old show. Much, more fitting to her personality.
Whatever descision they make, we're hoping it's the right one.
Posted by: Janie | April 06, 2011 at 11:33 PM
I do not like the last comment about Ann. I LOVE Ann. This leaning forward makes you feel like she is really interested in what the person is saying. She is sweet as she can be and SMART,..and I think she would do a great job taking over Meredith seat. I didn't take to Meredith at first but I think she did a great job and I like her very much. She can ask the hard questions and quite insistent on an answer. Now for Matt. HE IS GREAT!! I'll be sad if he leaves. They all are like personal friends with us the audience. Then there is Al. What can I say about Al. Lots!! Gotta love him. He is smart, funny and we hold on every word he says. It is a great team and I would hate to see it break up.
Posted by: Louanne Metcalf | April 07, 2011 at 06:49 AM
Its definitely time for new blood on these moaning shows.
Posted by: steve herrera | April 07, 2011 at 08:59 AM
The only one on the show I like is Ann. Thought she should have gotten the Katie job. Meredith wears her politics on her sleeve when she interviews guests. Matt always interrupts his interviewees while they are trying to answer his questions. (Which are usually phrased as his opinions.)
Al is a bafoon only slightly less annoying than Willard.
Posted by: HERE TODAY GONE TOMORROW | April 07, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Ann Curry as a replacement to Meredith!! Please Ann Curry is tghe "biggest" Phoney on TV.. She doesn't seem to brite either. Why not replace Matt Lauer replace Geraldo!!! Geraldo and Ann. That would be painful to watch!!!
NBC is going down the tubes... Time to replace that upper management team.
Posted by: Ex-New Yorker | April 07, 2011 at 10:57 AM
seriously, Ann Curry?? she can barely read the news without stumbling over her words and her lean-forwarding thing freaks me out!
Posted by: jacqueline Tellalian | April 07, 2011 at 11:54 AM
If everyone is leaving the show there's a problem. It sounds like The Today Show is guilty of age discrimination, and plans to get rid of all the older people on the show. This would not be the first time they've done this. Think back to when Jane Pauley left. There was a big brouhaha over it. Before Pauley, they did this to Barbara Walters. If the show is lacking luster, perhaps the producers and writers of the show need to be replaced, instead of the hosts. They are obviously keeping Al Roker, so he can be the token old guy on the show and it doesn't look suspicious. But it's peculiar that Luer, Viera and Curry will all leaving. Looks like NBC isn't renewing their contracts when they expire in 2012, not the other way around.
Posted by: Shelly | April 11, 2011 at 11:38 PM
I really hope they don't replace Meridth with Anne!!! I really don't think I could watch the show. She's just too nice, almost fake.
Posted by: Amy | April 13, 2011 at 03:13 PM
NO! Meredith and Matt are the today show. Watch live from the UK and love it! Please Matt, Meredith, Ann, Nat, Al stay were you are... You are the Today Show and I love it!
Posted by: James TV Now | May 03, 2011 at 01:00 PM