Matt Lauer May Face a Salary Cut If He Can't Pull His Ratings Out of Free-Fall

I know this is another meaningless Hollywood story, but I despise Matt Lauer, and and this gladdens my heart.

NBC's $25million man may be forced to take a dramatic cut in pay if the Today show viewership continues to fall.

Plagued by plummeting ratings and a declining personal favorability, Matt Lauer may be asked to sacrifice his huge NBC paycheck if the Today show's situation doesn't improve.

The morning show is taking a major hit in viewership following the tearful departure of former co-host Ann Curry in June.

The network is now reportedly examining whether Lauer is worth what he's being paid.

A source close to the situation told Radar Online: 'Matt Lauer will be asked to take a significant cut in his $25million salary if TODAY doesn't win the key November sweeps.'

I don't know who Ann Curry is but I figure I would despise her, too, if I did. But apparently viewers think that Matt Lauer was behind her firing. Reportedly, Ann Curry thinks that. At least she's reported to think he "threw her under the bus."

Matt Lauer is meanwhile behaving like a dick. Allegedly.

Preliminary ratings reveal that “GMA” is primed to win a third consecutive week against once-dominant “Today,” and such numbers, sources say, are driving Matt mad.

“He has gone so crazy about ratings that staff on ‘Today’ are not even allowed to mention ‘GMA’ to him,” a source says. “In the past, they’d discuss great segments other shows do. Matt’s berating the staff, telling them to work harder.”

Another insider says, “Matt’s telling the staff they don’t work hard enough, which is hard to take from a guy working four days a week, making millions.”

How bad is it? It's so bad that they're adding an idiot from Morning Joe, Willie Geist, into the cohost rotation to "spice things up."

Ah. Madcap and hijinks. Yes, that should right the ship.

Incidentally, we have Tucker Carlson and Joe Scarborough to blame for him.

Joe Scarborough, the inventor of “Morning Joe,” picked Mr. Geist to be a regular on the morning show he pitched to MSNBC executives in 2007. “One of MSNBC’s rising stars, Willie will bring attitude and fun to the set of ‘Morning Joe,’” Mr. Scarborough wrote in the pitch.

Attitude and fun. Can't wait until he starts.

posted by Ace at 04:22 PM

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