Three things gave me a jolt when I woke up this morning:
- Reports that Meredith Vieira is leaving Today.
- The fleeting concern that they meant she was leaving today–as in the planet, time and space, etc.–as opposed to The Today Show.
- The thought that, in a matter of months, I’m going to have to suffer through a lot more of Ann Curry seeming inexplicably surprised by EVERYTHING.
Little-known fact: “Vieira” is Portuguese for “She Who Props Up Matt Lauer.”
*sigh* TV Guide reports that Today co-anchor Meredith Vieira will likely leave her post at NBC when her contract is up in September. The former squawking head on The View, syndicated Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? host, and 60 Minutes vet took over the venerable gig on NBC’s only top-rated anything nearly five years ago. She landed the gig when Katie Couric thought, “The nation is ready for a female night-time news anchor.” Ahem.
Vieira, so far, is mum. And NBC has stated that “all anchors are firmly in place” [because in addition from being a fourth place network, they have hired a grizzled sea captain to do their PR].
Buzz that 57-year-oldVieira is calling it quits–coming just one day after Couric announced plans to leave CBS Nightly News for a daytime gig–is, on one-hand, surprising. She and Lauer seem to click. There have been no rumors that she doesn’t like her colleagues or crew, or vice versa. The hazard pay for dodging Ann Curry’s endless barrage of facepalm-y ”So, Brad Pitt…you get a lot of attention, huh?” questions has got to be sweet. On the other hand, Vieira’s husband, David Cohen, has long battled Multiple Sclerosis and has also had recurring colon cancer. She has better things to do than fight the urge to yell, “Are you effing kidding me?” when she has to pretend to be interested in Kate Gosselin.
I have a soft spot for this story. In spite of myself (and the please-shoot-me-in-the-eye-socket parade of baby YouTube stars and wacky cooking spots), I’m hooked on Today. I tell myself it’s the Tom Brokaw residue. But, in truth, it is like holding on to a morning habit from childhood that doesn’t involve creepy Our Gang reruns while waiting for the bus to rumble down the hill. And I’d hate to see Meredith Vieira go, partly because I seriously thought I despised her until (a) I was a contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and she turned out to be delightful and (b) she turned up on Today seeming relatively smart and smarm-free. *cough cough, Matt Lauer.*
Nothing says “School’s in!” like a little “aw, shucks” racism.
It sounds like the network is right there with me. NBC has laid bare its despair for ratings and recovery lately. And sources say the network is seriously courting Vieira to stay. But I’m betting NBC won’t let anyone seem them sweat. The Today Show is the last post-Conan-debacle family matter about which the network won’t air any dirty laundry.
Especially since Ann Curry is rumored to be next in line for the throne, I hope Vieira sees her way to stay. If not, Today, I’m going to need a lot more Al Roker.
Suddenly, I’m feeling better. How about you?
About Molly
