In another twist to the Matt Lauer ousting of Ann Curry from "Today" sega, recent reports from People and Huffington Post reveal that the 55-year-old rock of 30 rock was on the verge of joining rival network ABC.
It is claimed in Monday's New York Magazine issue, that Lauer was upset about surfaced reports that "American Idol" host, Ryan Seacrest was possibly going to replace him.
"Lauer learned of the leak [about Seacrest] while being forced to stand outside the security gate at the White House Christmas party because Ann Curry had forgotten her driver?s license," writes journalist Joe Hagen.
The main point of the ABC discussions was to reunited Lauer with former "Today" co-host Katie Couric, but it in the end, it turned out that he was using ABC as a bargaining chip to get a better deal at NBC, which he got:
$25 million to work four days a week, while Seacrest was also able to join the show, but in a different onscreen capacity.
Hagen also dives into Lauer's turbulent relationship with Curry and how he left her out to dry, sort of speak.
"At the moment when he had maximum leverage with NBC, Lauer, as the multimillion-dollar megastar, could easily have saved her-but he didn't. To the contrary, in signing a new contract to remain at the show for at least two more years, he tacitly ratified the plan to remove her," he said in his article.
For this and a multitude of others, Lauer has been fairly or not, blamed for Curry's departure, earning him strong viewer disfavor. "Today" is still trailing "Good Morning America" in the ratings, but the NBC morning cast- Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Natalie Morales are still putting on a united front, reports New York Magazine.
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