Al Roker calls out Matt Lauer for Ann Curry firing on live TV
Ann Curry may be gone from “Today,” but Al Roker certainly hasn’t forgotten her. On Thursday morning, the weatherman, Matt Lauer, and Curry’s replacement Savannah Guthrie were interviewing the U.S. women’s Olympic rowing team about one of their post-race traditions: flinging a teammate into the water. Since the ladies were in the Big Apple, Lauer joked that their tradition should be that “you throw her in the Hudson River." But the best laugh was saved for last, right before Roker threw to another segment, when he blurted out to Lauer that the women’s tradition “is different than our tradition, which is you throw one of us under the bus, but that’s another story." As the Olympians laughed awkwardly, both Lauer and Guthrie said through their teeth, “Mr. Roker!”
It’s been widely reported that Lauer, 54, was the one responsible for Curry, 55, getting the axe from the NBC morning show in June because he didn’t feel she was up to par and he wanted a new co-host. On her final day on the job, Curry tearfully thanked fans for their support. When it was Lauer’s turn to say goodbye, Curry wouldn’t even look at him as he spoke – and even turned her head when he went to kiss her on the cheek. She then turned to Roker, 57, and gave him a long, heartfelt hug.
During the Olympics, Curry appeared on “Today” alongside Lauer to introduce an interview she did with a noted photographer at the games – and it was obvious time didn’t heal any wounds. When Lauer greeted Curry with a “Ann, nice to see you,” she responded by looking directly at the camera and said, “Good morning, everyone.” According to an Us Weekly source, "you could cut the tension with a knife" and when the cameras were off, Curry "wouldn't even look at Matt.”
Do you still watch "Today" now that Curry is gone?
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