40% Of People Are Happy This Today Show Anchor Is Off The Show

After watching two seasons of "The Morning Show," a lot of viewers can't help but wonder if there are any parallels between the hit Apple TV+ series and real-life morning shows like "Good Morning America" or the "Today" show. According to E! Online, Jennifer Aniston's character, Alex Levy, is based on none other than former "Today" co-anchor Katie Couric. On the "Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino" podcast, Couric praised the show for its subject matter. "I think the long-term impact and the serious devastation that results from certain behaviors was quite well represented, or quite well conveyed in that," she said. She did, however, note that Aniston's character could have been "more charismatic."

While there's no doubt that the "Today" show has had its fair share of drama, controversy, and headline-grabbing behavior by some of its stars, a lot of viewers are happy to see this one anchor gone from the show. 

According to a survey of 609 people conducted by Nicki Swift, 40% of those polled said that they are happy that Matt Lauer is no longer on the "Today" show. As many viewers can recall, Lauer's life as he knew it was over after he was let go for inappropriate sexual behavior towards another NBC colleague back in 2017. In a statement, NBC News Chairman Any Lack said he "received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer." He added, "It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment."

While Lauer topped the survey, his former co-host Katie Couric came in second place, with 23% of viewers feeling quite happy that she's no longer on their small screens every morning. That shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, seeing how Couric's behavior has been deemed controversial many times in the past. Many of her former colleagues have opened up about her "cruelty" in which she seemed to throw everyone under the bus in her book. "No one can understand why Katie did this," a former colleague told the New York Post. "She's ruining her legacy." But there are also other people viewers are relieved not to see on the "Today" show anymore either.

Over 13% of respondents in the survey said they are happy Meredith Vieira is no longer on the "Today" show, while another 12% said Tamron Hall. Just 10% said that they are happy to see that Jane Pauley has moved on with her life and career. 

Interestingly enough, Vieira said that she went back and forth on her decision to replace Katie Couric on the "Today" show back in 2007 after spending several years on "The View." She told Good Housekeeping, "I thought, I'll have to be careful with my personality — 'The View' was anything goes, but this is the news division." She continued speaking about how she questioned herself. "I'm basically a night person, and those hours are daunting," she said. "Will I be able to pull this off? You sign up here, and time just go-go-goes." 

Simply put, for Matt Lauer, Couric, Vieira, Hall and Pauley, their jobs at the "Today" show certainly did go, go, go ... until they were gone.