Can We Take A Minute To Talk About Ann Curry?
I don't actually watch The Today Show. During the school year, I have to be at work by 6:45, so it's not exactly in my wheel house for morning TV programming. My mom's always been a loyal fan, however, so I've always imagined being a person who would tune in to the show if able.
The point kind of is: I never really got to see much of Ann Curry as the co-host of the show with Matt Lauer, so nothing in this post is technically based on my own evidence. I will say that I have always liked Ann. Back when I went to New York City for the first time, back when I was 11 or 12, we did go to a taping of The Today Show, and I made my poster about Ann. I mean, what can I say? We have the same first name and she spells it correctly!
I just need to put it out there that I think the way NBC has handled her firing is pretty damn deplorable. Like . . . Ridiculously deplorable. It's as though they went out of their way to humiliate Ann at every opportunity.
First of all, they were the ones who promoted Ann to the job of co-host in the first place. It's not like they didn't know her limitations. She'd been with the show for 14 years or so at that point. She was the substitute for Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira were out. She regularly conducted interviews. They knew exactly what they were getting when they hired her for the position. So, in the past year, The Today Show has seen a decrease in ratings. Okay, fair enough. Maybe it can be traced to Ann's positioning on the show. Of course, it could also be due to regular competition, not just from ABC and CBS, but from cable news network programs that actually show, you know, real news (I do get an opportunity over the summer to see the show from 8 onwards and I have never seen an actual real news segment).
I mean . . . I don't know. A ratings drop is a ratings drop but . . . To blame it on one person? A person you actually vetted before giving them the job?
And then to leak the news? And to have these negotiations on while she's still on the show? Showing up every morning to do her job? So incredibly classless.
What I really don't like is how no one at that damn show seems to have her back. Kathie Lee and Hoda talked about Ann leaving on their segment today, but they didn't even broach the fact that it wasn't Ann's decision to leave. And maybe they can't say that because of their contracts or something but . . . C'mon. The woman is your colleague. Have her back, at least a little! Don't pretend like what happened to her and NBC's treatment of her wasn't pure tripe.
I kind of wish Ann had left the network entirely after their treatment of her, but I hope she finds great success in her continuation with the network, as it does seem to be something much more in her niche as an award winning journalist. If I were her, I'd ultimately be happy I didn't have to make nice with Matt Lauer every day (who I normally like but he's on my "On Notice" list after I caught a segment with him last week where he didn't call out the absurdity of his "professional" panel talking about meritocracy and teaching, a profession none of the "professionals" could speak to with any kind of authority). I hope Ann will find comfort in the fact that, no longer having to be the Today Show co-host, she can get back to being an actual journalist who does real, impacting work.
The point kind of is: I never really got to see much of Ann Curry as the co-host of the show with Matt Lauer, so nothing in this post is technically based on my own evidence. I will say that I have always liked Ann. Back when I went to New York City for the first time, back when I was 11 or 12, we did go to a taping of The Today Show, and I made my poster about Ann. I mean, what can I say? We have the same first name and she spells it correctly!
I just need to put it out there that I think the way NBC has handled her firing is pretty damn deplorable. Like . . . Ridiculously deplorable. It's as though they went out of their way to humiliate Ann at every opportunity.
First of all, they were the ones who promoted Ann to the job of co-host in the first place. It's not like they didn't know her limitations. She'd been with the show for 14 years or so at that point. She was the substitute for Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira were out. She regularly conducted interviews. They knew exactly what they were getting when they hired her for the position. So, in the past year, The Today Show has seen a decrease in ratings. Okay, fair enough. Maybe it can be traced to Ann's positioning on the show. Of course, it could also be due to regular competition, not just from ABC and CBS, but from cable news network programs that actually show, you know, real news (I do get an opportunity over the summer to see the show from 8 onwards and I have never seen an actual real news segment).
I mean . . . I don't know. A ratings drop is a ratings drop but . . . To blame it on one person? A person you actually vetted before giving them the job?
And then to leak the news? And to have these negotiations on while she's still on the show? Showing up every morning to do her job? So incredibly classless.
What I really don't like is how no one at that damn show seems to have her back. Kathie Lee and Hoda talked about Ann leaving on their segment today, but they didn't even broach the fact that it wasn't Ann's decision to leave. And maybe they can't say that because of their contracts or something but . . . C'mon. The woman is your colleague. Have her back, at least a little! Don't pretend like what happened to her and NBC's treatment of her wasn't pure tripe.
I kind of wish Ann had left the network entirely after their treatment of her, but I hope she finds great success in her continuation with the network, as it does seem to be something much more in her niche as an award winning journalist. If I were her, I'd ultimately be happy I didn't have to make nice with Matt Lauer every day (who I normally like but he's on my "On Notice" list after I caught a segment with him last week where he didn't call out the absurdity of his "professional" panel talking about meritocracy and teaching, a profession none of the "professionals" could speak to with any kind of authority). I hope Ann will find comfort in the fact that, no longer having to be the Today Show co-host, she can get back to being an actual journalist who does real, impacting work.