Back in April, Matt Lauer signed a new contract with the Today Show for more money than any of us will ever see. It was said at the time that one of Lauer’s conditions for staying with NBC was that Today producers needed to fire his co-anchor, Ann Curry. Ann is pretty awful as a morning show anchor. She’s a pretty awful interviewer and news-reader overall, but she seems truly overwhelmed by the anchor’s chair. Plus, you get the feeling that Matt and Today producers blame Ann for their falling ratings too. Anyway, the “Ann Curry is about to get fired” story picked up more steam last week when Ann acknowledged the rumors publicly. Now TMZ reports that Ann and NBC are negotiating her departure – apparently, she wants a $20 million golden parachute to just walk away. For the love of God, Ann.
Ann Curry and NBC are negotiating her exit from “Today” and the hang-up is money … sources connected with the network tell TMZ.
Our sources say Savannah Guthrie has already made her deal with the network to succeed Ann as co-anchor of “Today,” but the snag is the amount of money Ann will get.
As we first reported, Ann gets $10 million a year. She is one year into a 3-year contract, and from what we’re hearing NBC does not want to pay her $20 million for the balance of the contract.
Sources tell us Ann wants the full $20 mil and her exit papers. NBC wants to pay her $10 mil and give her a foreign correspondent job. And therein lies the hang-up.
The network could pay her the $20 mil and then prohibit her from working anywhere else for 2 years. But we’re told they don’t want to shell out that kind of dough, so Ann’s lawyer and NBC are haggling.
NBC wants to make the switch quickly … certainly before the Olympics so they can showcase Savannah. We’re hearing the goal is to make the announcement late this week or early next.
I mean… I understand the whole “using your parent company’s desire to get you the hell off the air to make even more money” negotiation tactic. But at the end of the day, Ann should be grateful for any amount of money, because she’s just that awful. As for the rumors of Savannah… I like Savannah. She’s perky, she’s quick, and maybe Matt Lauer has a thing for her. I’m surprised Lauer’s very alleged rumored lover Natalie Morales isn’t in the running for co-anchor too. Radar is still claiming that Hoda Kotb is the “frontrunner” for the gig… although I don’t buy that at all. I think Lauer is pretty much choosing his co-anchor, and he’s going with someone young and perky.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
hahaha! if this is true, good for her. she’s terrible, but she should milk them for all she can.
You know, I haven’t seen her enough to know how good or bad she is. However, NBC certainly has, and they knew what she was like when they signed her to that 3 year/$10 mill per year deal. So I say if NBC wants out of the contract then pay her the $20 mill they have her under contract for. Too bad if they regret the contract. She’s completely within her rights to want the cash and NBC isn’t exactly hurting for money. Team Ann…although I hate that phrase, lol.
Oh, you have to tune in before joining Team Ann. She is the reason I turned off the Today Show. She is the black cloud that sucks joy from your morning. She is cold bitter coffee. She is a stubbed toe. I’m sure she’s a lovely person to the people who know her, but I am just tickled that she’s going to be leaving.
I feel bad being so cruel because Ann seems like a genuinely nice person, but for the Today show she was a nightmare to endure.
She should go back to journalism.
Me Too Seagulls!!, she is just a trainwreck in motion
I agree. I mean, I think she’s terrible at being co-host, but NBC shouldn’t have signed a 3-yr $30 million contract if that didn’t want to pay up.
Jackson, ITA. Let them buy her out at the full rate.
I’m assuming, then, that you didn’t watch much today show before Ann. She’s awful. She brings the entire show down and she is super condescending. It used to be fun but now you might as well watch cable news all morning. She is the reason I switched to GMA. Actually, Ann is the best thing to happen to GMA!
No amount of money is too much to make her go away. NBC should give her whatever she wants- $20M AND a foreign correspondant job- but really, really far away-like on Pluto or maybe on the Moon…
OMFG THIS They should pay and set her up for life or whatever the fuck , she is the worst worst worst at this point in time im tuning in every am just to catch ” The Decision” all Lebron Styles and shit
LOL! I Was hoping you’d weight in, QQ! Yeah this is a cliffhanger that I hope ends in a death-the death of Ann Curry’s Today Show career.
And yeah yeah yeah I know she’s a “nice lady” and all. Doesn’t mean she can hack it as a co-anchor on The Today Show.
give her the money and the goodbye cake, please~NO MORE ANN HUGS
Is that a million for each “good morning” she says?
boosh! +20 million!
Hahaha – that has irritated me since before she was even an anchor.
LOL!! Thank you to The Soup for that~
I think Ann does a great job at serious news. Why do we knock successful older, women? This is just not her genre. I think she will do great on a news program that calls for her style. I like Savannah but I think they need someone with more spark, energy to go with the mix of entertainment stories and people stories. She is a lawyer and also does well in more serious segments.
I don’t think she does a great job at anything relates to the news, and I don’t care how old she is. I would way rather see more women of a certain age. Bring back Jane Pauley! Get Meredith back! Hell, hire Betty White to be Matt’s co anchor. Just no more Ann……
They killed her Rep forever. I hope she gets it all.
Totally agree – NBC was an asshole about all of this – so unprofessional & unkind – maybe she sucks but why malign her career?
I don’t know, maybe they were trying to impress Jay Leno.
I don’t like Ann as co-anchor because she gets flustered, fawns all over celebrities, and her “sympathetic-voice” when she interviews a victim drives me crazy. That being said, I think Matt Lauer is scum for thinking he is king of the Today show. Savannah is fine in small doses but I have a feeling if she becomes co-anchor, it will be a disaster. I really do hope by some miracle Hoda gets the job as a reward for dealing with Kathie Lee all those years.
From what I have read, Matt has had complaints about ALL of the co-hosts who have been on… he is never happy…. I don’t really like him much.
Yeah, I used to be able to tolerate him (when Katie was on) but that was before I started reading about his “alleged” affairs and his wife kicking him out & filing for separation/divorce and then taking him back.
Add that to the “smarm” vibe I get from him, and I moved on quite awhile ago.
Amen, sister!
I do give Matt a one day pass for the Cruise incident.
Otherwise, he’s a douche times twelve.
Why should she be “grateful for any amount of money?” NBC signed a contract and they are financially and legally obligated to pay her every penny. She’d be a dolt to settle for anything less than every penny they owe her. Especially after the poor job they did of keeping this quiet. This has to be humiliating for her and they’re making her look like damaged goods and hurting her future career. They pulled this same crap with Conan. NBC seems to think that, as a company, they are not necessarily obligated to respect a contract. They’re horrible.
Exactly!
Great Post! I don’t understand all this hatred for Ann. NBC knew what they were getting when they signed her for 3 years now they are getting their butts kicked by GMA so they are blaming Ann. Get the money honey
+1
So right on with this statement, contracts should be upheld. Pay up NBC… hope she lands on her feet.
I agree – a contract’s a contract. If they choose to end it, they should have to pay her what’s due.
Like her or not, they knew her style and hired her for the job.
AMEN! My sentiments exactly!
Yes! A contact is a contract.
I completely agree with you. And maybe if they had allowed her a little dignity she would be a little more flexible about going away. Maybe they could set her up on Dateline. She’s fine at introducing segments.
What bothers me most is that she’s been at NBC for years. Could her performance really have been so surprising?
Is Matt really such a back stabbling d-bag? Ann isn’t the best on the planet but she’s not as horrible as all of these stories are making her sound. I think it’s just another case of let’s get the old lady out of there and put a young woman next to Matt who despite looking pretty long in the tooth will work until he’s 100 (AND be paid more) just because he has a penis…it’s still the 1950s apparently.
Right, exactly. I wish a female coanchor would come out and express their agreement with Matt that if he really thinks the show should be anchored by a younger, hotter host, then he is free to quit and provide a personal recommendation for Billy Bush, Tyson Beckford, or Mark McGrath. He should be better looking to be as big a blowhard pompous douche as he is.
This isn’t about Ann’s age…she’s beautiful, and she’s the same age as Katie Couric and younger than Meredith, Kathie Lee, or Diane Sawyer. Age isn’t hurting their careers.
I respect Ann’s overseas’ work as a journalist, but she is not working as a co-anchor.
She was shooting eye darts at Matt all morning…guess I can’t blame her and I like her, but she needs to move on. She’s not worth $20 mill.
Like or hate Matt Lauer, he has the chops for this job. Ann simply does not.
Ann is not the problem. The ratings are down because the viewers left with Meredith. Matt lauer is an idiot.
Hasn’t Lauer already slept with Savannah and well everyone but Hoda? ehh, doesn’t really matter, I have no plans to watch it anyway and that’s all on Lauer cause he’s a douche..
I say: GOOD FOR HER. If she’s being edged out, and having to live through being drug through the mud in the court of gossip blog opinion, and she’s being forced to abandon her “dream job” (not that she’s well-suited to it, but on some level, what a heart-breaker), then FIGHT FOR THAT CASH.
Actually (and maybe this is veering into territory I don’t need to tread, but…..), if she were a man making these demands, I bet she’d have a LOT more leverage.
She has every right to fight for it, whether she gets the $$ or not….if you can’t leave with your dignity, leave with a big check.
I totally agree. I really hate “going there”, but yea, a man wouldn’t be treated this way.
I haven’t watched the Today Show since I was a teenager (used to watch it while getting ready for school) but I’ve been following this while thing online. As others have said, this has to be really embarrassing for her. It doesn’t matter whether she’s awful at her job or not. She signed up to REPORT the news, not BE the news. NBC should’ve kept this quiet and paid her the rest of her contract. It’s really sleazy what they’re doing.
Actually, as tripmom pointed out upthread, I think there are a lot of similarities to how NBC treated Conan too, so I don’t know if it’s a male/female thing or just NBC not wanting to meet conditions of contracts when they hire people.
Yeah, I guess I was thinking more in terms of our response to her, the quickness to dismiss her as being greedy, or of asking too much. NBC does seem to pull the same schtick, but seems like folks were pretty quick to condemn Ann, and quicker to rally behind Conan….
Yes, and I’m sure NBC lawyers now all the loop holes to get the network out if a contract if needed.
Savannah’s voice is very grating guys… i have nothing against her at all i swear, but her VOICE is nasally and AWFUL….. mark my words, if she gets the job, you’re gonna learn to hate hearing her! yikes. I’ve n-e-v-e-r understood who/how/why Matt L. got (and kept) the gig, but teaming him w/ Savannah is prolly gonna make me jump ship, and im really lazy and i typically like to just leave it on NBC after viewing my local news. That habit will change if this casting rumor is true.
Ann wants exactly what her contract states. Get that $, Ann. Ya know, if Matt gets $25M a year and wants Ann gone, maybe he should give some of that $ towards Ann leaving. I was rooting for Hoda, I’ll be honest. NBC sucks.
No matter how bad they say she is, no one deserves this type of treatment. NBC “leaks” this information, then expects her to come to work like good girl while Mr. Lauer slinks off to wherever.
She may be a bit too “sweet”, and star struck (I will always remember when she almost molested Brad Pitt and he turned red) and I may be in the minority, but I hated Meredith. She was a cold hearted bitch who acted like she was above it all. I say take them for all of this and more. Charlie Rose is the best, though Gail as his co-host is beyond annoying. Rose is a pro and knows his way around an interview, unlike Lauer who treats silly celebrity interviews like he is interviewing a presidential candidate. They ain’t hard news and don’t need to be hammered the way he likes.
Omigosh, yes! I had no idea that Viera was so popular (or that she left the show, but I don’t live in America so I think that deserves some clemency). She was always so sneeringly smug about all of the peons who had the temerity to force her into small talk with her intellectual and social inferiors. Really, how many times can a person ‘jokingly’ insult a guest before before the audience can turn away from her work, safe in the knowledge that even the knee-jerkiest type of woman who dismisses any criticism of any woman as another crank on the ‘double standard sexism freakout’ would say that their aversion is just an excuse for a catfight?
And no, I don’t say that because I’m ‘like, so deeply mired in the Slough Of Despond that is patriachy, need to reinforce and reinscribe every hoary old narrative about females being silenced and feminine and…Russ Meyers and…um, hegemony… and, um, stuff?’ It was because I’ve found her to needlessly viperish for no apparent reason. The Soup agrees with me, so perhaps next time the impulse to tell the interviewees that they’re unattractive with bad taste arises, she could just be civil and not in a ‘mannered type of manners’ fashion.
Question of the day: do the anchors hate each other more than they love themselves?
Or, I dunno, maybe she has issues with vaginal frostbite because of her refusal to wear underwear. Cotton and acidopholous: the true path.
I readily admit that I don’t like watching neither GMA or Today, mainly because it’s a reminder that I’m out of work. However, I am fed up at how sloppily this whole thing was handled. You would think that NBC would’ve learned from their recent clusterfcuk involving Conan. Hell, you would’ve thought that they would’ve learned from the Jane Pauley/Deborah Norville fcukery from the late 80s/early 90s morning show drama.
And frankly, I feel like the networks love it when the female on-air talent are in the crosshairs when the ratings go down. The whisper campaign when Star Jones got the gate from The View comes to mind…
Lauer’s gotten a bit too big for his britches lately, hasn’t he?
I haven’t watched TODAY in a looong time because I can’t stand Lauer. But if there was no exit clause on that contract, then I think they should give her the $20 million and let her loose.
Good for her if she can get it. Matt makes 30 million per year and he is a disgusting douche..so I don’t blame her for asking for 20 million to leave show.
He needs that money because it’s a very costly ‘affair’ to ‘romance’ his ‘ladies’. Does that sound like the actions of a man who is sick in soul? Perhaps our old chum Blonde de L’Adulteress could counsel Lauer into harmony, giving him the self-confidence and tranquility he so clears–which have poisoned his image in both the personal and professional realms. Until that point when they can meet and his spirit is unburdened by his loneliness, he has no option but to get all vulva-snatched up and can stop, he will have his repose.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez is giggling erotically at this boondoggle.
I agree that Ann seemed a bit dippy or overwhelmed quite a bit, but Savannah?! Ugh, way worse. She irritates me beyond belief, and I’ve seen subtle instances that make me belief her sweet “perkiness” is just an act-like, rolling her eyes and massively professional jazz like that. I did like Meredith, but that ship has sailed. I have no idea who I’d like in that spot, but I guess it shouldn’t really matter to me as I only watch about 20min/wk of that program nowadays.
I am starting to believe that Matt Lauer complains only about co-works who don’t sleep with him…
I don’t think anchoring the today show is the best fit for her.I like her! I hope Ann can cash as much as possible.
Take all she can get I say.
I can’t stand Matt and Ann does just fine when his snooty ass is not there. I like when David is on and when the other guy. dang can’t remember his name. He was on that Imus show. Anyway either of them are better then Matt. Matt that can’t play with the big boys. Matt that is never asked in the evening chair or Sunday morning shows.
It is obvious these rumors are true. And it makes me sick that he and Al are not even trying to defend Ann or give her any support. That is a hurtful thing. It is not like she is a stranger. She was here at the height of this shows success. She has seen so many of them come and go without a glance back. And the way they are treating her is just low class. Won’t ever watch that show again. Not because I love Ann and I do like her, but there is a way to handle things that shows respect. NBC and all the people involved with this show have lost my respect.
Matt wants a younger woman next to him to make him look young. And notice how he is absent this week.. COWARD
Matt did anchor once like 3 weeks ago but he’s no Brian Williams. Anyway, I don’t get why all the hate on her, she’s been on since Couric was there and has been moving up since so now all of a sudden she sucks? I hope she gets what she wants, she deserves it if she’s been putting up with Matt Douche all these years. I hope Hoda gets the job, its true SG is good in small doses. Maybe they should get Tamron Hall…
Lisa2, you’re so right. They’re totally throwing Ann under the bus and I feel bad for her. I’m watching right now and Ann seems…a little sad and quiet. Poor woman. Omg, Savannah Guthrie’s voice is awful and grating. Savannah, they’ll throw you under the bus, too. Be prepared. Maybe ratings are falling cuz Matt’s affairs and alleged love child with Natalie Morales have disgusted people?
The headlines yesterday said Hoda Kotb was Ann’s most likely replacement. Test audiences don’t like Savannah. But Hoda? Puh-leeze.
But at the end of the day, Ann should be grateful for any amount of money, because she’s just that awful… why should she be grateful? NBC knew exactly what they were getting when they put the contract together. They are throwing her under the boss because slimy Matt Lauer wants to get rid of her. If they chose to comply with his demand, then they also need to honor the contract they made with her. Also, just because you think she is awful doesn’t mean that others don’t like her. She has handled herself with dignity throughout this whole mess. And that includes NBC somehow “mistakenly” running a banner while she was on the screen the day after all this occurred that said “Here today, gone tomorrow.” NBC is full of idiots.
I would like to know how NBC would treat that contract if it was Ann who was trying to break it. I bet they would hold her to it . So she should expect the same from them now.
NBC really needs a lesson in how to honor contracts. They did it to Conan, now they’re doing it to Ann. Effin’ cheapskates. They’re so slimey. No wonder Letterman and Conan hate NBC.
So it’s ok with you if Matt Lauer gets paid an exorbitant amount of money for his brand of bland, slightly-jerky news reading, but Ann Curry is being greedy for wanting to get paid what they had agreed to pay her? Remember, they thought she was good enough for the position when they hired her. This is going to damage her reputation and future employment as a journalist and I think they’re getting off cheap by just having to pay out the contract.
If it was Ann walking out on her contract after a year, NBC would be suing her for breach of contract.
So suck it up, NBC, and pay the woman. And tell that douche-knocker Matt enough already with the shiny suits.
I am not a huge fan of Ann although my mom really likes her. Regardless, I agree that NBC has the money and should pay up if they want to break their three year contract with her. I agree with bea and the original bellaluna. Matt Lauer is a grade-A douche and unworthy of the money he is being paid. They all are. So $20 million is nothing to NBC and is a reasonable amount to make Ann walk away if they really think she is disastrous to their ratings. I also don’t like the way they are throwing Ann under the bus and publicly humiliating her with these rumors. I can imagine how awful she must feel having to show up to work and dealing with people who she knows all want her to leave. I personally stopped watching morning news shows a long time ago. It is all full of fluff and BS. Americans would be much more informed if these shows actually presented serious news and commentary. The fact that they hired Kathie Lee Gifford speaks volumes about NBC’s lack of commitment to hiring real journalists and commentators.
I’m not a Today Show scholar by any means, but I am saying with confidence that one can become better informed by viewing a short clip featuring ‘Le buffon qui aime danser’ from that old Passe-Partout show.
Ann was wrong for the position and I don’t think Matt ever wanted her, but they were kind of stuck when Meredith didn’t renew her contract. Ann lobbied hard. She admitted she wanted it when Meredith got it but had to accept it back then. I think they knew she deserved a chance as far as senority, but it was never great. BUT Savannah will be way worse. I am hearing it’s Savannah. Ann I would chose over Savannah. Savannah is just as mild-mannered. I don’t know what they are thinking choosing her.
People can diss Matt, but he is the show’s main draw. It is what has kept me with the show, when he was with Meredith and Katoe. It would plummett without him with one of these women left like Ann or Savannah. None have the spark that Katie or Meredith did, who could probably keep the ratings up if they picked a good replacement for Matt.
ITA. I do think they should live up to their contractual agreement but I think they were always hesitant about hiring Curry. She DID want it when Katie left but they got Meredith. After Meredith left they realized they were 1) backed into a corner and 2) felt like they had to offer it to Curry out of good will more than anything. Now, it was still their incredibly dumb decision and they should have to honor it but I don’t think they were ever even remotely confident in her abilities.
And yeah, I know Matt is a douche and I know I’m in the minority, but I like his sense of humor, he’s a funny dude and I’ve seen him bring it in interviews. I watch these days because of him.
What is it about NBC fu@&ing over their most public faces? They’re handling this with all the grace of the Conan O’Brien fiasco. Maybe it’s the idiots at the top behind the scenes that need the pink slip.
Ann may be horrible as Today Show anchor but they owe her $20 million if they want her to step down. She could always fight any clause not allowing her to go anywhere else. I’m sure I’ve heard of those restriction of trade clauses overturned before.
NBC screws up again… time to pay up.
Had not even thought about Conan, but add Letterman and Jane Pauley to that list.
I think it sucks that Matt can call the shots as far as who he wants for a co anchor(if this is true). They (male counterparts) want to trade Ann in for a younger, perkier model. Its seems so cliche. The men can age and gain lots of weight until they die at the news desk, but they still keep them, while the aging women are traded out. It’s not just about her skills at the news desk. The ratings are low so, of course, they will blame it on the female anchor. I hope she gets the 20 million thats due to her. If she was THAT TERRIBLE, they would not have renewed her contract. They just want a younger woman to fill the slot.
Um, Meredith Viera (god love her) was far from a young, perky co-anchor. She got the job because of her talent, witt, experience and her chemistry with Matt. She has a much stronger on-screen persona and seems much more confident and comfortable when interviewing, versus Anne who seems insecure and unsure of herself and honestly, very fake (imo).
This has nothing to do with age and everything to do with capability. Anne is not capable in this position. Just like any other job, if you can’t hack it, you get cut.
They should pay her the $$ b/c they owe it to her, per contract. NBC was going to pay Meredith $20 mil/yr to come back, so they obviously have the funds. Team Ann, all the way. I hope she writes a book and spills EVERYTHING!
They want ice water in hell, too, but they ain’t gettin’ it.
Ann, if they are going to throw you overboard, grab that $20 million dollar liferaft.
Realistically, she will probably end up with 5 mil.
Dump Lauer too and I might watch Today for the first time in years. He is a narcissistic, simpering idiot with short man complex. Yuck!
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When Bryant Gumbel was on, he was the douche and Matt was the sweetheart. Whose the Matt Lauer to Matt’s Bryant then?
I’ll tell you who the sweetheart is, Cody Gifford, that’s who! And boy does he give mommy great pedi’s!
KLG
I think Ann Curry is lovely. Maybe my eyes don’t work anymore – is this Savannah woman supposed to be attractive? Uhhhhh….don’t see it. She’s probably as sweet as Ann Curry, but I don’t see the aesthetic appeal.
Matt Lauer is a scumbag, a hypocrite and always has been. How bout, Savannah and Hoda on Today, Ann anchors serious news, and Matt and KLG drink alcohol and critique women on the street for ambush makeovers at 11AM when we’re all busy and don’t give a s— anyway?
Maybe Matt will take up with Pippa in London and never come home! We can wish.