Inside Their Nasty Battle
Matt Lauer is blindsided by the news that Fox star Megyn Kelly is coming to NBC. Now it’s all-out war
Her job is to cover the news, but in recent years Megyn Kelly has made plenty of headlines. In June 2015, the corporate lawyer–turned–tv host did what was widely perceived as a softball, overly sympathetic interview with the Duggar family after In Touch broke the news that they’d covered up the fact that their son Josh had molested five young girls (including four of his sisters) as a teen. That August, Megyn and Donald Trump began what would turn into a long, bitter feud sparked by her line of questioning as moderator of the first Republican presidential debate. In July 2016, she kept quiet as news leaked alleging that her longtime boss, disgraced former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, had sexually harassed her and others — then in November she revealed all the sordid details in her book, Settle for More. Now comes the biggest headline of all. Following the Jan. 3 announcement that the No. 2–rated personality in cable news is leaving a 12-year run at Fox for NBC, In Touch has exclusively learned that Megyn is preparing to join the Today show — and plotting to push Matt Lauer to the side. “Megyn recognizes that Matt is the leader of the Today show and wants to take him down,” an insider tells In Touch, adding that the brewing soap opera, complete with lies, greed and backstabbing, could turn into an uglier version of the Ann Curry debacle of 2012. That’s when Matt orchestrated the cruel power play that led to the veteran journalist’s tearful exit from the morning show and a diminished role at the network. “Megyn is definitely alpha, but so is Matt,” explains the insider, who adds that amid the epic clash of egos, staff and talent are understandably worried about their jobs. “Matt knows there’s going to be nothing but drama with Megyn. She wants to destroy him and be the star of the show. This has turned into such a nasty battle already.” Megyn knows what she wants and so far, NBC is giving it to her. “All of
Megyn’s demands were met,” says the insider. It’s been revealed that the former host of Fox’s The Kelly File, 46, is earning a $20 million-a-year paycheck — just $5 million shy of what Matt makes — and will host her own NBC daytime news and discussion program, anchor a new in-depth news show on Sunday nights and have a big role in major political and breaking-news coverage at the network. “Megyn was offered to join the Today show team during the coveted first two hours but she flatly turned it down,” explains the insider. A source close to Megyn categorically denies this, but the insider insists the mom of three turned down the Today offer, saying she didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes or wake up early (Matt, 59, and co-host Savannah Guthrie, 45, who’s currently on maternity leave, typically arrive at the studio between 4:45 and 5:15 a.m.). That’s a lie, according to the insider, who says the truth is that “Megyn’s had her own show for many years and didn’t want to share the spotlight with anyone else. She wants to be the star of the morning news and doesn’t want to compete with Matt for airtime.”
Instead, she wants to dominate him. “She’ll be taking over the third hour of Today in the fall, which will expand into more of a talk-show format,” adds the insider. (The current hosts are Al Roker and Tamron Hall.) “Matt isn’t happy. [NBC News and MSNBC Chairman] Andrew Lack has basically given Megyn the keys to the kingdom and is making her the face of the network. There is a great deal of animosity over the hire.” Matt was lied to by omission, sources say, kept in the dark about Megyn’s contract negotiations. He found out about the hire hours before the news was made public. Even worse, the announcement rained on his parade: It came during a weeklong celebration of Matt’s 20th anniversary at NBC, which included taped congrats from celebs and show staffers’ formation of a human tunnel and the number 20 to salute him on the Today plaza.
All of that was overshadowed by the news that NBC News was getting a bold new star.
Matt is also in a rage over Megyn’s paycheck. “He doesn’t have an issue with women earning as much as men in the workplace, but it’s a huge salary to pay someone with no history in traditional network news,” says the insider. “He feels stabbed in the back.” Megyn believes she’s worth every penny, adds the insider: “She enjoys the fact that Matt is having to eat a big piece of humble pie because she’s making $20 million.”
Despite her significant salary, Matt remains unimpressed. “He thinks it’s self-serving for an anchor to write a tell-all book and publicly air her dirty laundry like she did,” says the insider. “Matt is old-school and thinks the journalist should never be the story.” But now they both are, whether he likes it or not — and no matter how petty the latest drama at Today might feel, it’s not going away anytime soon. “Network television is famous for competition,” Jim Rutenberg, the media columnist for The New York Times, tells In Touch. “It’s not patty-cakes.”
Matt has made his position clear to the higher-ups. “He’s told NBC bosses he won’t go on the air with her if she fills in for Savannah. Even if it’s just for one day, Matt will refuse to do it,” adds the insider. “He thinks it would send the wrong message to viewers.” Matt firmly supports Savannah, who naturally would feel threatened by Megyn joining the show. After Megyn’s move became public, one report alleged that NBC talent is in a frenzy because some believe Megyn could push Savannah out of her Today co-anchor spot — especially, say insiders, if Megyn’s daytime talk show isn’t a success. Though Savannah recently signed a new contract, it’s worth noting that Ann Curry and Billy Bush — who was fired from Today last fall following his Donald Trump hot-mic scandal — also were under contract when Today ditched them.
Megyn’s ambition knows no bounds. “There are rumblings that when Matt goes on vacation, Megyn will be filling in for him. This has made the crew furious. They are all very loyal to Matt,” says the insider, who adds that there’s also talk that Megyn will fill in for NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt.
But there are legitimate concerns about how well Megyn will fit in at her new network. In December, Today finally overtook rival ABC’S Good Morning America in the ratings for its first non-olympics month in four-and-a-half years, but some staffers fear Megyn can undo all that. Not only did GMA’S ratings slide when she appeared on the show in November for a 10-minute segment with George Stephanopoulos to discuss her book’s sexual harassment claims, but she inspires strong feelings among many viewers. “She is too harsh, too bold, too in-yourface,” wrote one online commenter upon learning that Megyn was joining NBC. Another branded her “too controversial” for daytime. “[She’s] not a happy morning person. She is snarky….” Another nicknamed her “Meagain” and claimed she’s greedy: “She’ll step on anyone for fame and money.” To be fair, Matt has his share of critical viewers, too. “How about pushing Matt Lauer out?” another commenter suggested to Megyn on the same thread.
Like it or not, they’re stuck with each other. And Megyn is determined to steal the spotlight from Matt. “She wants him to be cast aside,” says the insider. “It’s going to be a clash of the egos. Let’s just say the drama we saw with Ann Curry is going to be nothing compared to this.” ◼
‘‘ There is so much resentment from the entire Today team, which is led by Matt” — A NETWORK INSIDER