When viewers tuned in to Megyn Kelly Today on October 16, they were greeted by a familiar face: Matt Lauer. The seasoned Today anchor, now 59, shared some lighthearted banter with Megyn about emojis and how she had a chunk of chocolate scone stuck in her teeth the first time they met. Things got even more amusing when she asked him, “Have you ever been attacked by a wild cougar?” Matt looked absolutely stunned and replied, “Have I ever been attacked by a wild…? No!”
Behind the Scenes Pressure at NBC
While that moment may have been awkward, it was just the tip of the iceberg for what’s happening behind the scenes at NBC. According to insiders, the entire Today team is being pushed to make appearances on Megyn’s show to help boost its struggling ratings. Life & Style has uncovered that one show executive has been hearing complaints from Matt, Savannah Guthrie, and Al Roker about their ongoing appearances on Megyn’s show. But the truth is, they don’t have much of a choice.
The Stars Aren’t Happy
None of the stars are thrilled about this arrangement, especially since they’re now being forced to bail out their new co-worker. Multiple sources have told Life & Style that Megyn and Matt have been clashing behind the scenes for months. Despite this, Today execs have indicated that they “plan to put Matt on Megyn’s show on a frequent basis,” says an insider. “It’s bad enough that Megyn’s ratings are bringing down the entire brand, but having to go on her show and sit there as Megyn just basically flails is insulting.”
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Al Roker is particularly annoyed. Last winter, he and Tamron Hall found out they were being pushed out of hosting their solidly rated third hour, Today’s Take, to make room for Megyn. Tamron even quit over the slight. Now, a higher-up at NBC News wants Al to be Megyn’s permanent contributor. “He’s basically being asked to go back to his old job, and Al is balking,” says the insider.
The Viewers’ Reaction
Megyn’s viewers have been relentless in their criticism, and they aren’t the only ones. Her panicked bosses are dissecting her every move after each show, according to a source. To make matters worse, the network conducted top-secret focus groups earlier this year about the former Fox News anchor’s presence on camera. “The feedback was incredibly negative,” says the source. “The focus groups weren’t conducted until after Megyn was hired. Why wasn’t this done before she was hired to determine if she would be a good fit for the network?”
Matt and Megyn on Megyn Kelly Today.
Executives' Response
Executives at NBC weren’t pleased with the results of the focus groups, says the source. However, one of NBC’s top executives tried to reassure the others. “He assured them that viewers would love Megyn once she went on air,” the source explains. Executives also decided against conducting any more focus groups. “It’s a tremendous cost, and the feedback could even be worse than before,” adds the source. “If the results are leaked to the media, more negative stories could be the nail in the coffin.”
The Ratings Struggle
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much hope for a turnaround of the show. Since its premiere, Megyn Kelly Today is down 23 percent from the same time period last year when Al and Tamron hosted. Megyn is also getting trounced by her main rival, Live with Kelly and Ryan, which is beating her show by a staggering 21 percent. “Megyn’s ratings are bringing down the entire brand,” sighs the source. Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Giford, who host the 10 a.m. hour, have seen their numbers drop as well. We just hope things get better for Today…
