Matt Lauer marked his 20th anniversary as an anchor of the “Today” show Friday, and both longtime former co-anchor Katie Couric and current co-anchor Savannah Guthrie were there to congratulate him on the achievement.
Couric has been filling in for Guthrie this week as she is out on maternity leave after the birth of her second child, but she and longtime weatherman Al Roker serenaded him in his dressing room to mark the occasion of his 20th anniversary in a video she posted on Instagram.
Couric anchored the show from 1991 to 2006 and was there for Lauer’s first day on January 6, 1997. “He just crushed it right away,” she remembered during a "Today" show montage featuring memorable moments, including a now infamous interview with Tom Cruise.
Lauer has interviewed 10 presidents, visited more than 60 countries, and covered nine Olympics in his 20-year tenure, Couric noted.
Current host Savannah Guthrie surprised Lauer on the plaza. “I couldn’t miss it,” Guthrie said, hugging Lauer.
“Matt knows every single person’s first name and last name,” Guthrie said, speaking of the crew of people working on “Today.” “He knows the name of their dog. He knows how their mother is doing,” she said.
Al Roker also praised Lauer’s work methods. “It’s not about him,” Roker said. “He wants his team to look good.”
Lauer, who is 59, re-signed with the "Today" show through 2018 for $20 million a year.
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