Matt Lauer is set to leave NBC’s Today in December when his contract is up and now sources close to the talk show host say he’s willing to stay…if NBC puts up a heap of cash.

Lauer is currently earning $17 million a year for his work on Today and sources say he is willing to stay on the show if they up that amount to $30 million a year.

If that source is to be believed Lauer decided he would make a big offer after hearing that NBC officials were looking to hire Ryan Seacrest as Matt Lauer’s replacement. Basically Lauer got jealous and didn’t want his relationship to NBC ending on a Seacreast note.

The other school of thought is that Matt Lauer has always wanted to keep his job but chose to use the “I’m leaving” card so he could ask for a massive $30 million payday.

It’s hard to tell if the network will bite however Today is by far the highest earning property for NBC, earning more than $450 million per year.

NBC hasn’t confirmed whether they have received a Matt Lauer offer for $30 million. At this time a poll on TMZ reveals that only 25% of respondents think Matt Lauer is worth keeping at the higher number, then again the TMZ crowd isn’t necessarily the Today Show crowd.

Do you think Matt Lauer is worth $30 million a year to NBC?

Matt Lauer Will Stay At ‘Today’ For Massive Sum of Cash is a post from: The Inquisitr

Matt Lauer still has a year on his contract at the “Today” show, but many people are speculating that Lauer will leave at the end of 2012. If he does, NBC could bring in Ryan Seacrest to take his place.

The talk about Lauer’s replacement may be a little premature but according to the Wall Street Journal, NBC executives have been having meetings with Seacrest about how he could contribute to the morning show.

The WSJ reports that Ryan Seacrest met with “Today” show executive producer Jim Bell, NBC News President Steve Capus and senior vice president for marketing and communications, Lauren Kapp Tuesday to talk about the possible hosting gig.

The New York Daily News reports that “Today” is the number one rated morning show. So it looks like NBC executives are just planning ahead at the moment to make sure that they can keep their ratings if Lauer decides to depart when his contract expires in December 2012.

Would you watch “Today” if it was hosted by Ryan Seacrest?

Seacrest already has a good relationship with NBCUniversal. Seacrest hosts a daily show on E! as well as several red carpet events from the network. Seacrest’s contract with NBCUniversal also expires in 2012.

Do you think the American Idol host would make a good replacement for Matt Lauer?

If Matt Lauer Leaves, Ryan Seacrest Could be Next ‘Today’ Show Host is a post from: The Inquisitr

After a run of ten seasons, Matt Lauer revealed to Access Hollywood long-running Today show segment, Where in the World is Matt Lauer?, is coming to an end. For now, at least.

“You know, 10 sounds like a better number to end on than nine did, so I think so,” Matt said about letting the segment go. “I think we’ve had a great time. We’ve been to 51 places… around the world.”

Lest you get too disappointed, that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve seen the last of Where in the World is Matt Lauer. Lauer told Billy Rush on Access Hollywood Live that it’s possible it will eventually be revived, but it may not be exactly the same.

“It gets tougher and tougher to find extraordinary places,” he explained. “So, if we’re not completely done with it, we’re certainly going to rest it for a good long while and maybe revisit it with a twist at some future date.”

The (possibly) final installment of Where in the World is Matt Lauer? saw Matt traveling to Barbados, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, and Namibia. When asked about his most memorable moment, he said it would have to be the reveal of his trip to Switzerland.

“That reveal on Thursday from the top of Europe – 11,745 feet up – just the trip up there was ridiculous,” he said. “But to stand at that spot and look out over the glaciers and the Swiss Alps – that, I think, was my favorite moment of the week.”

[Image credit: Shutterstock]

Matt Lauer retiring ‘Where in the World’ segment after 10 seasons is a post from: The Inquisitr

Charlie Sheen has a message for Today Show host Matt Lauer, during an interview that will air on Friday he says that there are “portions” of his life “I would have amended a little bit” while adding that he has now sobered up and feels “calmer” these days.

When Lauer asks Sheen when his last drink or drug use occurred Sheen responds:

“I don’t really keep track of the time. It’s been awhile, because I feel like, without getting into my feelings about AA and all that stuff, if you’re walking around hanging on to your time, it’s only a matter of time before it goes, you know?”

Matt then asked:

“But you’re an actor in a business, and you know that producers out there and people who get involved in projects with you want to know, has it been two weeks, has it been two months, are you bankable, are you trustworthy.”

To which Sheen responds:

“Yeah of course, yeah, one hundred percent, yeah,” while adding, “I guess I would just have to lead by example. Words are only worth so much. It’s the actions and the behavior that matter.”

The interview continues on as the men talk about Sheen’s firing from his hit CBS show Two and a Half Men and his current state of mind to which Charlie Sheen says “I’m a lot calmer. It’s a lot mellower…I’m seeing my kids a lot more, mending fences…”

It’s good to know Sheen is attempting to right his wrongs but we’ve heard this all from Charlie in the past, it looks like his own words couldn’t be more true, only his actions and time will tell if he’s really a good bet moving forward.

Tune in to the Today Show on NBC Friday morning to witness the entire interview.

Charlie Sheen Tells Matt Lauer: I’m A Lot Calmer [Interview Sneak Peek] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Today Show co-host Matt Lauer was conducting an interview on Tuesday morning when an unexpected guest arrived and landed on his head. That guest was a bird which was part of an exotic animals segment Lauer was conducting with co-host Ann Curry.

The scarlet ibis bird flew around the studio before landing right on Lauer’s head.

As Lauer exclaimed ‘Oh No”  the audience broke out into laughter and Lauer, being the professional he is, allowed the bird to stay on his head as he continued on with the segment.  When someone reached out to feed the bird Matt said “That thing has sharp claws!”

Matt Lauer would later say, “He mistook me for a turtle” after the animals keeper said “That’s a common perch.”

The Today Show co-host wasn’t joking about the bird digging it’s claws into his head, a close up of his head with the bird shows claws sinking into his flesh.

Here’s the video:

[Image: HuffPost]

Matt Lauer has the worst luck with animals, you may recall that back in March 2009 he was riding his bike when he had a collision with a deer which separated his shoulder. During that collision Today Show producer Jim Bell said, “A deer kind of came out of nowhere and in an effort to avoid hitting the deer, Matt slammed on the brakes and went flying. He separated his shoulder.”

Perhaps they should keep Lauer away from any future segments involving animals, for his safety and the safety of his co-workers.

Exotic Bird Lands On Matt Lauer’s Head During ‘Today Show’ Segment is a post from: The Inquisitr

We have known for quite some time now that Today Show host Meredith Vieira would be leaving the show this year and on this mornings show she made it official.

Vieira announced that Ann Curry would be taking her place on the show.

Vieira accepted her co-hosting role beside Matt Lauer on the show five years ago, replacing the then departing Katie Couric who headed over to CBS to host CBS Evening News, a role she is also now departing for greener pastures.

Speaking on her exit from the show Matt Lauer said Vieira:

“Has brought class and dignity and talent and a joy of life to this show for the last five years.”

Meredith said she made the decisions, ”After months of personal reflection and private conversations with my family and friends.”

She hopes to stay with her “NBC Family” and still hosts Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Meredith Vieira Makes It Official, Leaving ‘Today Show’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lane Garrison was a rising star after appearing on the TV show Prison Break, however the actor was sentenced to prison after a 2006 DUI accident left a 17-year-old boy dead. After serving 22 months in prison Garrison is now speaking out about his time behind bars as well as the passing of his friend who was also killed in the accident.

Garrison tells The Today Show’s Matt Lauer:

“You have to trust that one of these guys, when you close your eyes, isn’t just going to wake up in the middle of the night, pull you off your rack and beat you with a lock or stab you.”

“If you speak to anyone who’s ever done time, the fact that you make it out of there alive is a miracle. It’s like a bomb went off inside; it’s your worst nightmare,. Your hardcore gang members are there, and the guards are pretty hard there as well. I probably saw about 300 fights; I had a bunkie who was killed; I saw people stabbed,” he added. “I’d be sitting there on the yard and someone sitting right next to me would literally just get clocked and I was never touched. It’s by the grace of God that I’m sitting here with you today.”

Lane also spoke about the night of the accident:

“[That night] was a night of bad decisions. I had two drinks, downed two shots…bottom line, I should’ve never been at that party; I should’ve never had drinks in my system; I should’ve never drove. I think for me I’d been through so much; I’d just lost both my parents, and I felt like, nothing else bad can happen. The message is simple here – with drinking and driving, most people don’t have an intent to hurt somebody, but it happens and it can happen to anybody.”

While Garrison was released in 2009, he decided to start speaking now because:

“I grew up learning from a father who said when you make a mistake or you make a bad decision, you man up and take responsibility. The minute I decided to plead guilty was the minute that everything changed in my life. Going through 8 prisons, I never thought I’d make it out to see another set. I’m fortunate enough to get a second chance when a young man doesn’t have one, so I’m going to make the most of it.”

Garrison is acting once again, most recently on an episode of NBC’s The Event.

Lane Garrison Begins Speaking Out About Manslaughter Imprisonment is a post from: The Inquisitr

It was revealed earlier today that Matt Lauer was NOT interested in leaving his hit morning talk show The Today Show like his fellow cast members Meredith Vieira and Katie Couric, but was instead interested in a massive $25 million per year salary. We have now learned that the rumor is false.

NBC “sources” originally said that the rumors of Matt leaving the show were nothing more than a “well-time negotiating ploy” which Lauer started himself to receive more cash for his efforts on the show. Apparently Matt was simply taking advantage of Meredith’s announcement that she would leave the show after her contract expires in September.

Lauer on the other hand has a contract that extends through December 31, 2012 and according to an NBC spokesperson the network is:

“NOT in any negotiations with Matt … as he is under contract for a long time.”

Keeping Lauer however could be paramount for the shows success. Today has been the number one rated morning news show for 15 years and Lauer is currently earning $17 million per season to co-host the show.

I for one would stop watching if Lauer ever left.

NBC Is Not Negotiating With Matt Lauer For $25 Million Payday is a post from: The Inquisitr

Just one day after rumors began circulating that Meredith Vieira will likely leave NBC’s Today Show in September when her contract expires a new rumor is circulating that Matt Lauer also plans to leave the show upon completion of his contractual obligations.

For fans of the show that could mean Lauer will leave the NBC set on January 1, 2013 (his contract expires on New Years Eve).

NBC executives for their part don’t seem worried or they are at least playing coy with the situation telling E!:

“There seems to be an awful lot of speculation around news anchors these days, and it’s not our practice to comment on any of it,” while adding, “Matt Lauer has a long-term contract with NBC News and Today.”

If Matt leaves the show it will end a 17 year run (he started with the show in 1994).

Katie Couric is also getting ready to leave her anchor positions at Evening News so perhaps they could team up for a new show, after all they were the best reason to watch The Today Show when they were paired together. Perhaps they could be the new “Regis and Kelly” of the daytime talk show circuit.

Matt Lauer Rumored For Today Show Exit is a post from: The Inquisitr

The National Enquirer claims that Matt Lauer and his wife of 12 years, Annette, have split up and are living separately.

The story says that Lauer “walked out” and that the split occurred after an “explosive two-day fight.” (The National Enquirer previously broke the story of John Edwards’ affair with Rielle Hunter.) The article cites “sources” who say Annette Lauer is no longer wearing her wedding ring and asserts Lauer’s mother-in-law confirmed the split.

The split is rumored to be due to after-hours partying during the Winter Olympics and an Lauer’s alleged extended stay in Vancouver after production wrapped:

Suspicions allegedly arose when Matt not only stood his wife up on Valentine’s Day, but also chose to remain in Vancouver for an extended period of time after the “Today” show crew wrapped production and returned to New York.

The 52-year-old married man reportedly “went wild” with colleagues at nightspots and caught the eye of two good-looking Canadian broadcasters.

The New York Daily News reports that Annette learned of her husband’s alleged indiscretions from fellow Today Show staffers’ wives. The paper also says Lauer is being pressured by NBC to downplay the split publicly to protect his family-friendly image.

Matt Lauer, wife, reportedly split after his Winter Olympics partying is a post from: The Inquisitr

Matt Lauer: Deer Accident

Matt Lauer was apparently riding his bike on Long Island when the deer ran in front of him. He braked and ended up flying over the handlebars as a result.

Lauer’s cohost, Meredith Vierra, said he sent an e-mail explaining the incident and jokingly suggesting that maybe the deer was “hired by the competition.”

NBC’s Lester Holt substituted for Lauer on “Today” Monday morning.

Video follows.

Matt Lauer Sidelined By Deer Incident is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tom even admitted that he thought he sounded “arrogant” during his last Matt Lauer encounter, saying: 

“I’m here to entertain people. I thought about it a lot. It’s a subject matter that was important. After looking at it, I really thought, it’s not what I had intended. In looking at myself, I came across arrogant. I absolutely could have handled that better.”

Regarding Scientology, Tom told Matt that  ”I think there’s a time and place for it. [But] when people are tuning in to hear about my movie, that’s what I’m here to talk about.” 

Is this a whole new Tom, or at least the one I actually had a crush on (unthinkable!) pre-Vanilla Sky?

Tom Cruise Reels It In, Calls His Rant “Arrogant” is a post from: The Inquisitr

Usually, loyal side kick and cohost Meredith Vieira, unexpectedly comes back with, “I dunno. I got married in my 30s. The kicker?  She turns to Lauer, and says, “When did you get married?”

The look on Lauer’s face is priceless.

Lauer is currently on his second marriage.  Just.  His dutch model wife Annette Roque is currently stll with Lauer, although at one point they did separate, with her filing for divorce.  They are still together and recently had their third child.

All Vieira could do was laugh, and picking up on one of Lauer’s points about living happy ever after she quips, “I don’t think I’m gonna be one of those that live happily ever after after this show”

Judging by the look on Lauer’s face we don’t think so either.

Matt Lauer: Today Show host embarrassed by divorce segment is a post from: The Inquisitr