We know that Al Roker can’t stand Matt Lauer, because he pretty much said – on air – that Matt threw Ann Curry under the bus by having her fired. Well it turns out that a lot of other people who work at The Today Show also hate Matt Lauer and think he’s dragging the show down. Radar has run several insider stories recently about The Today Show, which has flailed in the ratings and is now being bested by Good Morning America. They claim that some of the producers and most of the staff want “Diva” Matt Lauer gone, because he’s difficult to work with and will stab you in the back. Here’s more:

“Staffers and producers at the TODAY show hold Matt Lauer responsible for the continued decline in the ratings because they hold him responsible for Ann Curry being fired,” a source close to the situation tells Radar. “The staff wants Ann to be brought back and want Matt replaced with Lester Holt, but they know the odds of this happening are slim to none, because executives at the network have no interaction whatsoever with the TODAY show staff.

“Lester, like Ann, is very respected by the staff and is always a true class act. If Lester had been in Matt’s shoes he never would have told the executive producer and honchos at NBC to fire Ann. Lester and Ann report the news, period, and don’t engage in backstabbing antics…

“Matt is absolutely standing by Savannah despite the fact that Good Morning America has routinely been beating the TODAY show in the ratings,” a source previously told Radar. “Matt believes that the audience just needs to get comfortable and familiar with Savannah and viewers will return to the show that had been counted on by the execs at NBC as ratings gold. Matt, Savannah and fellow cast member Natalie Morales are all extremely close and have been referred to as the Three Musketeers. They often go to press movie screenings and can often be found in Matt’s office discussing stories and just goofing off. Matt has a very adoring female fan club in Natalie and Savannah.”

Meanwhile, Good Morning America has beaten TODAY in the first full week after the Olympics, rocking numbers of 4.654 million over TODAY’s 4.399 million, according to ratings released on Thursday.

[From Radar]

So Matt, Savannah and Natalie Morales are thick as thieves and the staff is calling them “the Three Musketeers”? That makes Savannah’s promotion suspect, especially when you consider the rumors that Natalie was/is sleeping with Matt, but that she got passed up for co-anchor because Matt’s wife put her foot down about it.

About two weeks ago, Radar had a similar story about strife on set, with the news that there are longterm producers of the show who want Lauer fired. These are probably some of the same staffers mentioned in the newer article above, and Radar is likely getting this from the same source.

“There are several producers that have been with the TODAY Show for a very long time, over ten years, and Matt Lauer is now hated by them because they feel that he is responsible for Ann Curry’s being fired. Ann was tremendously popular with the producers, cameramen, and other staffers of the show because she truly is a team player. Ann was all about the news, and breaking stories, just a true pro,” a source close to the situation tells us.

“Matt on the other hand has been known to act like a real diva. The staffers are disgruntled because they were looking forward to working with Ann during the Olympics and she ended up relegated to very limited camera time and didn’t even appear until several days before the games ended,” the source says.

[From Radar]

As the article mentions, I doubt that Lauer will get canned anytime soon – he’s been with The Today Show too long. Plus they need continuity after ditching Ann and replacing her with Savannah. I don’t think the problem is Savannah by any means, it just sounds like no one at The Today Show is getting along, and that they’re not producing segments that are entertaining enough to draw ratings. People behind the scenes aren’t motivated to be at the top of their game when upper level management plays favorites and treats people poorly. At least there are still people there who are respected by staff, like Holt and probably Roker.

Meanwhile, remember that poorly-timed interview that Ann Curry gave just prior to the announcement that she was being “reassigned” at NBC or basically phased out, as we’ve come to find out? Ann told Ladies Home Journal that she was criticized by Today producers for not dyeing her hair and for wearing clothes that were too bright and not feminine enough. Well she got a severe talking-to by “several high ranking NBC executives.” Radar’s source claims that “They didn’t rake her over the coals for her comments, but the message was definitely clear… no more negative comments about the network.” Because the network can say whatever it wants about Curry, but she better not defend herself.

Photo credit: WENN.com

I think it was two summers ago when CB and I thought it was going to be a lazy, un-scandalous few months in which nothing happened – and then Radar started publishing all of those “leaked” recordings of Mel Gibson going apesh-t on Oksana Grigorieva and suddenly it became The Summer of Mel’s Crazy. It just goes to show you – you can’t pick some of the stories that are going to be become major, weeks-long events. Well, as the sultry summer begins, it looks like one of the biggest stories out there is The Firing of Ann Curry. It’s not so much Ann and the issues around her – although that’s an interesting discussion – but it’s also about Matt Lauer and his problems with women.

The Enquirer has been ahead of the Matt Lauer rumors for years. Lauer’s second wife, Annette Roque, has already tried to leave Lauer once before, even filing for divorce only to withdraw the petition later. There are lots of stories about Lauer’s ALLEGED wandering dong, and how he might have had an affair with Natalie Morales in 2006-07 (their alleged affair began in Torino?), and there were rumors about Lauer and Meredith Vieira too. Maybe that’s why Meredith has no interest in coming back to Today, even though producers allegedly begged her? Don’t know. But I do know that Natalie Morales story seems to have legs. Yesterday, Page Six reported that Morales was considering leaving Today (and NBC entirely) because she felt “passed over” for the co-anchor job. Now Radar/The Enquirer claims that Lauer’s wife Annette is pissed off because she’s hearing that Natalie is in the running. Annette is threatening to divorce Lauer if Natalie gets co-anchor. EPIC.

There’s drama brewing on Today in the wake of Ann Curry’s sudden departure from her co-host seat and it’s almost as good as an episode of the Jersey Shore!

Ratings for the morning program have plummeted since Curry took over from Meredith Vieira last year, and as a result, the veteran journalist is being handed a pink slip and Matt Lauer’s wife Annette Roque isn’t happy about the situation.

She fears the replacement will be none other than Natalie Morales, the woman Lauer was not only accused of having an affair with, but also fathering one of her children.

Morales has been a regular fixture on the show for a few years now and was upset she didn’t get the co-host gig after Vieira left. It’s now rumored she’s threatening to quit the show if she doesn’t get the job even though Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are the front-runners.

Meanwhile, that’s not the only threat going around. Roque, reportedly told the NBC host that if Morales gets the job, she’s divorcing him.

“When she heard about Ann getting the boot, the first thing she told Matt was that she didn’t want him cozying up any closer to Natalie,” a source close to Lauer’s wife told The National Enquirer. “In fact, Annette drew a line in the sand and said if he pushed show bosses to make Natalie his new co-host, she’d divorce him. Annette knows Matt is the key to the Today franchise and his bosses will put whoever he wants in the co-host chair.”

A NBC Universal representative had no comment on Curry or her replacement, but said the talk of Morales, 40, being upset was ‘totally untrue’. But Roque isn’t taking any chances and is doing everything she can to ensure Morales doesn’t get the job.

Lauer, who is said to have signed a $25 million deal earlier this year to stay with Today, was accused of having an affair with his coworker when they were covering the Winter Olympics in Italy in 2006.

Meanwhile, after only a year on the job, it’s said that the network is going over the final details of Curry’s severance package from her $10 million a year contract.

[From Radar]

I really don’t know why Annette doesn’t just divorce him. If Lauer is only doing a fraction of what Annette suspects, she needs to get the hell out. I’ve also heard rumors that Annette and Matt pretty much live separate lives anyway, for what it’s worth. She stays out in the country on their horse farm, and Matt stays in the city.

Meanwhile, TMZ reports that Today is already preparing for Ann Curry’s departure, and that the show is already editing a “farewell montage” and that a deal will be made by the end of the week. Curry still wants $20 million and no contract. NBC wants to give her $10 million and a foreign correspondent position. As of yet, no deal has been made, but NBC is already grooming Savannah Guthrie, apparently, and they definitely want Guthrie for the Olympics coverage. TMZ’s sources also say that Natalie Morales is definitely NOT leaving Today and that she “loves her job and she’s completely happy with what she’s doing.” Well played, Natalie.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Matt Lauer is such a pimp. That’s what I get from all of these stories about the behind-the-scenes chaos of NBC’s morning programming. The Today show has been struggling for the past year, ever since Ann Curry took over as co-anchor of the show with Lauer. Lauer and Curry’s chemistry is just OFF somehow, and Ann has been visibly struggling in the position. The result has been a drop in ratings, and sources continue to claim that Lauer (and producers) place the blames on Curry. Yesterday, TMZ reported that Curry wants NBC to buy out her contract completely – giving her $20 million to walk away from NBC. NBC wants to give her $10 million and a “foreign correspondent” position. So… they still have some issues to work out.

Meanwhile, NBC is reviewing their options for Ann’s replacement. Sources tell TMZ it will definitely be Savannah Guthrie, while other sources tell Radar that it’s Hoda Kotb. The woman not being mentioned by anyone? Natalie Morales. The same Natalie who was Lauer’s VERY ALLEGED rumored lover circa 2006-07. The same Natalie who might have a young child who looks a great deal like Matt Lauer. Imagine that – Lauer didn’t want to promote his maybe-alleged lover? Weird. So, Page Six reports that Natalie is considering leaving Today too, because she thinks she’s being “passed over”:

Could “Today” veteran and news reader Natalie Morales be the next to leave the NBC morning show? Sources tell us “Today” will announce the long-rumored departure of its co-host Ann Curry by the end of the week, and that the show’s third-hour co-host Savannah Guthrie is the front-runner to replace her. The network’s Hoda Kotb has also been reported to be in line to take the reins.

But, either way, sources tell us Morales could be next out the door. “If Natalie’s passed over for the job, she’s going to leave next,” a source told Page Six. Morales has been with “Today” since 2006 and was mentioned as a possible replacement for Meredith Vieira when Vieira stepped down from her co-anchor post last year.

“This will be the second time [Natalie] has been passed over for the top job. And she’s not happy,” a source tell us.

A NBC Universal rep had no comment on Curry or her replacement, but said the talk about Morales being disgruntled is “totally untrue.”

A different source adds: “Natalie couldn’t be happier in her current role.”

Curry, meanwhile, is expected to leave “Today” imminently, after a year on the job. During her time as co-anchor, the program’s ratings have slipped — at times lower than rival ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Sources tell us NBC suits are currently locked in meetings around the clock to finalize Curry’s exit. The network has been negotiating with her over a severance package from her $10 million-a-year contract.

While the sources said an announcement about Curry is finally expected by the end of the week, some insiders said the news could come as soon as today. Although sources at NBC say Guthrie is the current favorite to replace Curry, others close to the talks say that brass had not made any final decisions as of last night.

[From Page Six]

I’m kind of glad that NBC isn’t pulling from that shallow talent at MSNBC. Wait, that’s not fair – I was just thinking about how much I love to hate-watch Morning Joe. But you know who I love on MSNBC? I love Rachel Maddow, and I would love to see her try her hand at morning programming. That would be unique, right? But Rachel is really good at light banter AND straight reporting, and I could see her exceling on a morning show. Still, they won’t do that. They’ll go with perky Savannah, trust me. It won’t be Hoda. It won’t be Natalie “Scarlet A” Morales either.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Honestly, I’ve heard the rumors about Matt Lauer’s zipper problems before, but I never really believed them. Maybe Lauer’s PR just works and I buy that he’s a “nice guy.” Maybe I just can’t imagine Lauer being the kind of man who would end up in a bar, having drinks with an endless stream of beautiful, available women. It’s not like I haven’t written about the rumors before – I have. But for some reason, this is the story that I’m choosing to put my faith in. It’s just SO juicy. It has to be true. It’s like an off-shoot plot of Mad Men. This week, the Enquirer claims that dark forces are aligning against Matt Lauer. Lauer has just signed a huge new contract, and everyone thinks he’s trying to get Ann Curry fired. So Curry’s people, plus people on other networks are all trying to throw some mud at Lauer. Thus, this amazing story – Matt Lauer might have fathered Natalie Morales’s youngest son. OMG!!!

Matt Lauer is caught up in an incredible shocking love child scandal! On the heels of Lauer signing a fabulous $25 million-a-year contract with NBC, insiders at competing networks ignited nasty and unbelievable rumors that the 54-year-old married newsman fathered a child with his news anchor Natalie Morales.

“I heard that Matt had an affair with Natalie, and he’s the father of one of her kids,” a rival network insider told The Enquirer. “Everyone’s buzzing that the boy looks just like him.”

Another industry source said: “The Matt Lauer love child scandal is the worst-kept-secret among the network morning shows. Everyone’s talking about it – even at NBC. He’s trying to get Ann Curry dumped as co-anchor, and those loyal to her also talking it up. Matt has enemies inside and outside the show’s Studio 1A, and if he’s got this giant skeleton in his closet, there are many who want to see it come out.”

Lauer does have a tortured past, it seems. In 2006, Lauer’s wife Annette – pregnant with their third child – filed for divorce before withdrawing the legal papers a month later. The divorce filing came while the rumors were surfacing that Matt had gotten involved with Morales during the Today Show coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

“They got very close and became extremely fond of one another,” a source told The Enquirer, “They saw each other when they returned to the US.”

Two years later, the rumors again began flying when Morales announced she was 12 weeks pregnant by husband Joe Rhodes.

“There was unbelievable talk that Matt could be the father of her baby!” revealed another show source. Incredibly, when we gave Rhodes the opportunity to shoot down allegations that his wife was involved with Matt, he did not deny them to The Enquirer.

And Annette’s fears about Matt’s roving eye are well-grounded. Sources told The Enquirer that Lauer carried on with Jessica Thorman, a married Florida woman, until just months before his 1998 wedding to Annette. Jessica’s husband Zoltan Molnar accused Lauer of wrecking their marriage, stating, “He’s not the goody-goody nice guy he looks like on TV!”

Sources say Matt is determined to have Ann Curry replaced with a bigger “name”. A rival network source says, “The morning show competition has never been hotter and Matt is the reigning king. Everyone wants to see him get knocked off his pedestal, and that’s why these outrageous baby daddy rumors have resurfaced.”

Morales remains part of the Today Show team, and she said recently that she still manages to cook dinner every night for her investment banker husband and their two sons, Josh and Luke. Meanwhile, Lauer just bough 40 acres of land in the Hamptons so he and his wife can extend their property into a horse farm. The network source says, “I think he’s trying to keep Annette happy after years of causing her misery.”

[From The Enquirer, print edition]

This story goes a long way towards explaining that situation in 2006 when Annette filed for divorce – someone might have told her that Lauer was having some torrid Turino love with Natalie. And when Lauer and Morales came back to NYC, their affair continued until she got pregnant with her youngest son, Luke? Of course, we have no idea if any of this is true, and we’ll probably never know. But now I’m going to watch Today and look for the hidden, long-buried sexual tensions.

Photos courtesy of WENN.