1. Mediaite
  2. Gossip Cop
  3. Geekosystem
  4. Styleite
  5. SportsGrid
  6. The Mary Sue
  7. The Jane Dough
  8. The Braiser
Advertisement

Toldja! WSJ Reports Ryan Seacrest In Talks To Replace Matt Lauer At TODAY

» 31 comments

As we first reported back in August, NBC has its eye on Ryan Seacrest to replace morning show veteran Matt Lauer as host of Today.

RELATED: NBC Woos Ryan Seacrest As Possible Matt Lauer Replacement For Today Show

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Today show executive producer Jim Bell, NBC News president Steve Capus and Lauren Kapp, NBC News’ senior vice president for marketing and communications, met with Seacrest Tuesday evening to discuss bringing him onto the show, making sure to add that the talks are very much still in the “beginning stages.” Nonetheless, Seacrest is being described as one of the network’s top choice for the role, according to those with knowledge of the negotiations, and Comcast has been holding discussions with Seacrest for months about enhancing the host and producer’s role at the company.

Earlier, we had reported that Seacrest is having qualms about leaving Los Angeles for New York City, where he’d have to be based to take on the multi-hour morning hosting gig.

Lauer has been with the show since 1997, and is looking to leave next year.

h/t WSJ

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite's daily newsletter.

Email Twitter Facebook Digg Reddit Stumble Upon Yahoo Buzz LinkedIn Tumblr Delicious
  • Anonymous

    Gross, no.  No no no no no.  No.

  • Gloves F. Donahue

    Finally. An actual newsman on NBC.

  • News Of The World

    I will never watch the Today Show again if this pans out. Seacrest is a tool.

  • http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/630-E-Lovell-Dr-Troy-MI-48085/24509418_zpid/ Louisa Gismonde Calcaterra

    I don’t watch most of the sh*t in the mornings, but putting Seacrest on “Today” will (almost!) make the clown show on Fox & Friends seem bearable in comparision!

  • Anonymous

    I had to recheck the title just to make sure I didn’t accidentally surf over to The Onion.

    Look, no one actually takes NBC seriously anymore, and what they think of Lauer is even worse, but RYAN SEACREST?  Good GOD, man.

    Well, at least Seacrest can probably do his own hair and makeup, so it will be marginally more cost effective for producers.  Maybe that’s what’s driving their decision.

  • Anonymous

    NBC…don’t be idiots! I like the Today show…and this would definitely make me watch George Stephannowhatsyourname on ABC instead.

  • Joke Scareborough

    And in other entertainment news, Questpunk is a Lyin’ Ass Punk:

    Questlove was ‘gunning for Bachmann’
    After the Roots played Fishbone song “Lyin’ Ass Bitch“ as Michele Bachmann’sintro music on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” last month, Roots drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson issued a statement saying it “was a tongue-in-cheek and spur of the moment decision.”But a new profile of Questlove in Rolling Stone tells a different story. The magazine interviewed the musician prior to the Nov. 21 Bachmann debacle for their Dec. 26 issue.“I’m gunning for Bachmann,” Questlove, a vocal Obama fan, told Rolling Stone. To put a time stamp on the comment, the magazine wrote that during the interview, he was “looking up walk-on songs for next week’s shows.”Continued Questlove, “I want to try and do Fishbone’s ‘Lyin’ Ass Bitch.’ I just don’t know if I’m gonna tell Jimmy.”
    http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/1211/Questlove_was_gunning_for_Bachmann.html

  • Joke Scareborough

    moved

  • Joke Scareborough

    You do know they’re replacing Matt Lauer, right? lol

  • Joke Scareborough

    You do know they’re replacing Matt Lauer, right? lol

  • Joe Bua

    Can you take a moment to consider that what you care about no one else cares about? Even  at Politico, where you should have posted this, no one gives a big wet f**k about your opinions of Questlove.

    Posting comments anonymously and off topic? You’re a frickin’ genius dude.

  • Joe Bua

    I guess Lauer leaving the show will be my last Today show episode. That’s fine, I’ll just watch last night’s @CraigFerg:twitter episode instead.

  • Joke Scareborough

    You mad bro?
    Mediaite has posted numerous articles on Questpunk, so obviously they don’t agree with you.

  • Joke Scareborough

    Nobody gives a rip what you watch knucklehead, lol!

  • Anonymous

    Alex, you’re no Finke. Thank god. She might sue you for using “Toldja!”

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bee-Ruled/100001985815996 Bee Ruled

    Step 1: Find out if Seacrest Hates America enough to work for Today.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lindavaughn1957 Linda Vaughn

    I wish Joe Scareborough would be replaced on morning Joes, Mika need to have the show than that ass-hole

  • Anonymous

    Please don’t start doing the TOLDJA! thing now.  It’s so obnoxious. Everytime Nicki Finke does it on Deadline I wanna punch her in the face.

  • Joke Scareborough

    More Mika! Less Joe!
    I’m totally with you! I’d watch that show everyday, but with the sound off =P

  • http://www.springhillgroupcounselling.com kasper kleinz

    In The News – Springhill Group Counselling

    I have recently been looking for facts about this subject for ages

  • Anonymous

    You best believe that Seacrest has “people” that make me look like a metrosexual.

    I used to like Seacrest before he went on a big Bush rant on his radio program. It’s like dude, stick to music and the Kardashians.

  • Anonymous

    So 17. million teeny boppers will skip school to the watch The Today Show….

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_76F7SAA3N35X4IBY5BGVQML2YM James

    Women love a woman with male sex organs. We’ve been Oprahized by ironically, the most famous closet lesbian in the world.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CQWUTBF2KSSVOXCR4PSN66L2PM James

    This is the show who gave Jenna Bush a job on the Today show. Only because her dad was presdent. and she didn’t do anything to deserve it. Or Kathy Lee over Campell Brown when Kathy Lee is not a reporter.

    Atleast Ryan Seacrest has a background as a reporter. But I don’t see it happeing. Only becuase i think he would have to give up American Idol.  I can’t see that but I do see Matt Leaving. He’s been there too long and I think alot of the real reporters are walking out on NBC.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CQWUTBF2KSSVOXCR4PSN66L2PM James

    or DVR it .

  • Anonymous

    That’s what Fox News does everytime they’re looking for a new host.

  • Anonymous

    Fox News is still looking for one.

  • Anonymous

    Dear Sweet Lord, please NO! In what universe does hosting a karaoke contest translate into being a news anchor on a top ratings morning program? is the Mahomoud Ahmadinejad really gonna sit down with Ryan Freakin Seacrest?

    Seacrest is nothing but a turd who signed an AMAZING contract with Satan at birth. He’s the reason why everytime you turn around there’s a f*3king Kardashian in your face. I don’t understand how you can seriously make the leap that because you are E! that qualifies you to be a pulitzer prize winning journalist. Giuliana Rancic was the same way talking about how she was a “journalist” when trashing Palin. Really? You have your head stuck up Jennifer Aniston’s rear – THAT makes you a journalist? Please.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jj-Wisniewski/100002654075475 Jj Wisniewski

    Great!, the idiot from the E channel. Now the entire show will be entertainment and tabloid.

  • Anonymous

    Who in Hollywood is Seacrest screwing or is allowing to screw him because I have never understood this man’s appeal?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CQWUTBF2KSSVOXCR4PSN66L2PM James

    there both good journalist’s no matter what feld they cover. I think Giuliana would be a good fit. But she can’t do it. Because she has cancer and is trying to get it treated.

© 2012 Mediaite, LLC | About Us | Advertise | Newsletter | Jobs | Privacy | User Agreement | Disclaimer | Power Grid FAQ | Contact | Archives | RSS RSS
Dan Abrams, Founder | Power Grid by Sound Strategies | Hosting by Datagram