‘Today’ Is Paying Hoda Kotb A Fraction Of What They Were Paying Matt Lauer

The Today show promoting Hoda Kotb to the main co-host position is historical, as there have never been two women hosting a morning show together full-time, but Kotb is not making a historical salary. Hoda Kotb’s salary is the same as her Today co-host Savannah Guthrie’s salary, but if you add both women’s salaries together you would still be $11 million short of what Matt Lauer was making before NBC showed him the door for sexually inappropriate behavior.

Matt Lauer Was Getting A Huge Payday At Today

Matt Lauer was making so much from his position at Today that he was investing in property all over the world after paying estranged wife Annette Roque $5 million to remain in the marriage after she filed for divorce back in 2006. When Matt Lauer was fired from Today he was making just over $25 million a year, and that allowed him to invest in a 27,000 acre farm in the New Zealand Hunter Valley. Matt Lauer and his wife, Annette Roque, allegedly paid $9 million for the farm, which they now might have to sell due to a worthiness agreement that all foreign landowners need to sign to buy property in certain parts of New Zealand.

“The Overseas Investment Office is aware that allegations have been made in relation to Matt Lauer and that he is no longer working for NBC News in the USA. We are discussing this with his representative and are seeking further information.”

Why Hoda Kotb is a revolutionary pick to replace Matt Lauer https://t.co/1BpnqAohUB

— TIME (@TIME) January 2, 2018

Hoda Kotb Is Being Paid Almost 75 Percent Less By Today Than Matt Lauer, Despite More Work

Hoda Kotb will now be making $7 million a year, even though she will be hosting the Today show with Savannah Guthrie and then hosting the 11 a.m. hour with Kathie Lee Gifford. Matt Lauer was being paid just over $25 million for hosting from 7-9 a.m. with Savannah Guthrie, says PageSix.

A Today show source says that Hoda Kotb doesn’t care about the pay disparity because hosting Today is her dream job.

“Hoda isn’t complaining about the money. She has landed the big job she always dreamed of, and most definitely deserves. Plus, Matt’s salary reflected the long time he was on the show — 25 years. If things go well, Hoda could ask for more next time if she re-ups her contract. But the figures underline the huge wage disparity at NBC News.”

Megyn Kelly Makes Almost Three Times More At Today Than Hoda Kotb

But even though Savannah Guthrie also makes $7 million just like Hoda Kotb, Megyn Kelly is making $20 million for just hosting the 9 a.m. hour after being at Today for a year.

A hearty #congratulations to @hodakotb officially our new @TODAYshow #cohost with @SavannahGuthrie #SavannahHodaTODAY pic.twitter.com/SNNZ2y8Zko

— Al Roker (@alroker) January 2, 2018

Despite The Wage Disparity, Hoda Kotb Still Considers Lauer A Friend

Hoda Kotb said that she was deeply saddened by the news that Matt Lauer had been fired from Today for years of sexually inappropriate behavior, said EOnline. Kotb explained that she was having trouble understanding how someone she knew and cared about could be the same person who behaved so badly.

“I’ve known Matt for 15 years and I’ve loved him as a friend and a colleague. And again, just like you were saying, Savannah, it’s hard to reconcile what we are hearing with the man who we know, who walks in this building every single day. We were both woken up with the news kind of pre-dawn. We’re trying to process it and trying to make sense of it, and it’ll take some time for that.”