He has one fan in his corner!
While his popularity continues to plummet and his likability currently sits equal to that of visiting the dentist for a root canal, embattled “Today” anchor Matt Lauer did feel some love this week thanks to fellow NBC staffer Kathie Lee Gifford.
Gifford has revealed she was so fed up with criticism of Lauer that she decided to show him some support in a full-page newspaper ad — and got the whole “Today” cast and crew to sign it.
She intended to publish the letter this week in USA Today, but when she presented it to Lauer on Monday, although touched, he asked her to keep it “in the family” and not buy an ad.
Gifford was apparently especially incensed by reporters who used “unnamed sources” to slam Lauer and blame him for former co-host Ann Curry’s ouster last June, she told The New York Daily News.
“We read the same newspapers and saw all the media reports, and it was frustrating for all of us watching it day to day and feeling a little helpless,” Gifford said. “No one seemed to be interested in the truth, and that was really frustrating for me because I have a deep sense of injustice about things. I don’t like somebody taking credit for something they had nothing to do with and I certainly don’t like somebody taking blame for something that they’re not responsible for,” she said.
In three weeks, Gifford collected hundreds of signatures from “Today” staffers including Lauer’s co-host, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Willie Geist and Hoda Kotb.
The letter read: “We the people of the ‘Today’ show who work side by side, day by day, year in and year out with Matt Lauer are tired of unfounded and unrelenting stories by faceless characters regarding his character and reputation. No one has coerced us to sign this. With our signatures we stand in support of our colleague and friend.”
One notable name missing from the list of supporters was Ann Curry.
But Gifford explained that Curry’s lack of signature was due to her not seeing her, not a resistance to sign on Curry’s behalf.
“She’s just not part of (the show) day-in and day-out anymore. This wasn’t about Ann, this is about our love and support for a different member of our family,” she said.
Gifford said she was shaken by the ongoing coverage blasting Lauer because “I’ve been through it.”
“I also knew what he must’ve been going through internally,” she said.
Do you think since the Curry fiasco we have been too hard on Lauer?
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