Matt Lauer is not leaving the building. The Today Show host, who has stuck around through Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira, announced this morning that the show is his "family" and he isn't ready to leave them yet. Financial details of the deal have yet to be revealed, but NBC says it is a "long-term" one. Guess he won't be co-hosting a syndicated show with Katie Couric!
"Truth be told, I was developing an idea for a new show, where viewers could tune in every morning and see someone they know lose a little more of his hair every single day right in front of their eyes," Lauer, who has been a co-host since 1997, joked on the show this morning, "but then I thought, I could just stay here and do that." While rumors have suggested Lauer would make $25 million/year, NBC News President Steve Capus said they were nonsense.
Today's news came after a particularly brutal week in the morning news business with Sarah Palin stopping by Today, and Katie Couric filling in over at Good Morning America
After Lauer made the announcement this morning, Al Roker joked that it was either Lauer or Keith Olberman, conveniently ignoring the Ryan Seacrest-shaped elephant in the room. Guess the American Idol host won't have to start getting up early just yet.
