OCR Text |
Show — but what about tomorrow? Matea Gold LOS ANGELES TIMES cessful pairing in the history of morning television, helping “Today” extend its winning streak for the last 10 years. Couric’s departure would not only alter the show's chemistry, but it would also thrust Lauer — long the straight man of the duo — front and center. “It would be a major adjustment,” admitted Lauer, who said he his co-host decides to stay. If not, “the best way to get through that would be to view it as an opportunity .. and say, OK,this gives us an opportunity to bring someone new into the mix andto bring that person’ssensibilities into NEW YORK It was Monday morning, and “Today” was entering its third hour, when thingstend to get little silly. Atthis particular moment, Paula Abdulwas hitting Matt Lauer. Perched on a stoolin Rockefeller Center's Studio 1A, the petite pop star playfully pummeled Lauer’s arms andlegs, demonstrating how she deals with fellow “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell. The morning show anchor sat calmly throughthe assault. “This is enjoyable,” he deadpanned. the show, whichwill naturally , Such wryness has become a trademark for Lauer, who applies his self-effacing humor to the varied mix that is morning TV.The “Today” co-host seems to be winking at the audience even while he’s participating in ALL I THINKI'VE CASE FOR A BAD IDEA. THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BACK OF OUR WARDROBE CLOSET THAT LEADS TO A MAGICAL WORLD OF g s Jy [8 EPOSTEROUS BUSINESS | ASSUMPTI ‘www.dllbercom MiteDer TIC ASSUMPTIONS TO SUPPORT A BUSINESS scottadema@sclcom CHANGED MY WE DONT HAVE A WARDROBE CLOSET. ) ASSUME WE DO. outlandish stunts, whetherit’s dressing in drag for Halloween or suiting up for synchronized swimming. Forthe last nine years, Lauer's brandof mild sarcasm has served as a counterpoint to co-host Katie Couric's gregariousness. “We can complete each other’s ” he said in an interview last week, seated in his snug dressing room overlooking Rockefeller Plaza. “I know what's going to poke hera little bit to becomeeffusive about something, and she knowswhat's going to get my |, goat, and I think the audience really responds toit.” That dynamicis on full display this month as “Today” broadcastslive from the Winter Olympics in Turin,Italy. After four Games together, the co-hosts bring a familiar repartee to the coverage.But this year’s Olympics has different cast: It’s possibly the last they'll cover together. After almost 15 yearsas cohost of “Today,” Couric is contemplating leaving the program for CBS, where executives are hoping she'll become the next anchorof the network's evening newsbroadcast. She's expected to makea decision in the next few months. “Clearly, she is someone with options, and she deserves every single oneof them,” Lauer said.“I don't know what her thinkingis.... | would imagine challengeis very important to her right now, andclearly she's being offered somethingsthat presenthuge challenges.” The Couric-Lauer team has arguably been the most suc- change the dynamic a bit and takeus in a differentdirection. I would embrace it.” “Today” executive producer Jim Bell sounded little more anxious when asked how Couric's leaving would affect the show. “It would be hard to just come up with an easy answer to that,” he said. “Clearly, chemistry plays an important role onthis show.... If she decides to stay — which I think we're all working toward it’s a question I won't even have to answer.” “Today”has regained its wide margin over ABC's “Good Morning America,” which had madesignificant gains on the top-ranked showlast spring. NBC is now averaging 724,000 more viewers in the morning than ABCso far this season, according to Nielsen Media Research. But with an average audienceof5.89 million people, “Today’s” viewership still downslightly, compared to this timelast season. Couric's exit would represent the biggest upheavalat the showsince January 1997, vhen Lauer — then the program’s newsanchor — succeeded cohost Bryant Gumbel. At the time, the program hadrecently climbed back intofirst place from second,and Lauer was admittedly nervous about taking over. Althoughhis genial personality was viewed as a betterfit with Couric's than Gumbel’s gruffer nature had been, Lauer faced some skepticism about whetherhe had the news chops forthe role. “I was scared to death that I was goingto be the guy who single-handedlykilled the ‘Today’ show,”he recalled. And now? “I still worry that I'm going to be the guy whosingle-hand- edly kills the ‘Today’ show,”he said dryly. = e 9002 ‘91 Auenugay ‘Aepsiny, ‘pjeiay Ayeg Il tell you the gecrete of the univerge if you'll bring me a TV. bali SJINO Lauer is on top with ‘Today’ BIZARRO |