Amid all the other rumors floating around the ratings-troubled Today show and its longtime host Matt Lauer (that everyone hates him, that he might just peace and go host Jeopardy!, etc.) is a new one: Anderson Cooper was reportedly approached by NBC execs to replace Lauer before the end of the year. According to Deadline, Lauer is pissed and let Cooper know it after the 360 host reached out to him for his blessing. But TMZ claims that Lauer is actually happy about the choice of Cooper to replace him and "planned to have a meeting with Anderson to sit down and discuss it [but] put that meeting on hold because of a negative article that appeared in [New York magazine] a few days ago."
After both stories—one of which was confirmed to the Associated Press by a source who "spoke on condition of anonymity—hit the Internet, an NBC News executive, Alex Wallace, released a statement denying that the network is planning on replacing Lauer, calling the Today host "the best in the business" and that NBC wants him on the show "for many years to come."
Anderson Cooper Approached For Matt Lauer's ‘Today' Job [Deadline]
I'm Down w/ Anderson Replacing Me on 'Today' [TMZ]
NBC executive: We're not replacing Matt Lauer [Yahoo!]
DISCUSSION
It's a pity how guys like Cooper, who do actual news for so long, sort of devolve into daytime fluff hosts.
Alas, Anderson, we knew thee well.