'TODAY' Show Staffers Prefer Weekend Co-Host Lester Holt Over Matt Lauer
The "TODAY" show seems to be troubled in more ways than one: "Good Morning America" has trumped their competitor in last week's ratings and the show's staffers have been very vocal about their preference for weekend co-host Lester Holt over Matt Lauer.
"Staffers and producers at the 'TODAY' show hold Matt Lauer responsible for the continued decline in the ratings because they hold him responsible for Ann Curry being fired," a source close to the situation told RadarOnline. "The staff wants Ann to be brought back and want Matt replaced with Lester Holt, but they know the odds of this happening are slim to none, because executives at the network have no interaction whatsoever with the 'TODAY' show staff."
The staffers and producers at the "TODAY" blame Lauer for the firing of Curry.
"Lester, like Ann, is very respected by the staff and is always a true class act. If Lester had been in Matt's shoes he never would have told the executive producer and honchos at NBC to fire Ann. Lester and Ann report the news, period, and don't engage in backstabbing antics."
Lauer continues to stand by co-host Savannah Guthrie, despite a drop in ratings
"Matt is absolutely standing by Savannah despite the fact that Good Morning America has routinely been beating the 'TODAY' show in the ratings," a source previously told RadarOnline. "Matt believes that the audience just needs to get comfortable and familiar with Savannah and viewers will return to the show that had been counted on by the execs at NBC as ratings gold. Matt, Savannah and fellow cast member Natalie Morales are all extremely close and have been referred to as the Three Musketeers. They often go to press movie screenings and can often be found in Matt's office discussing stories and just goofing off. Matt has a very adoring female fan club in Natalie and Savannah."
"Good Morning America" has beaten "TODAY" in the first full week after the Olympics, boasting numbers of 4.654 million over "TODAY's" 4.399 million, according to ratings released on Thursday.
In another RadarOnline article, a source said Lauer "has been known to act like a real diva" and that the morning co-host is "hated" by NBC executives.
