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After starring as the toast of television on Saturday thanks to her hosting and performing job on Saturday Night Live, Miley Cyrus will look to stake her claim as an early morning natural too when she appears on NBC's Today. The singer will head back to the Rockefeller Plaza on Monday morning (7 Oct.) for a special appearance, providing the musical entertainment for the morning.

Miley will make her last pre-Bangerz appearance on Today

Cyrus won't just be performing on the show either, as the 'We Can't Stop' singer is also having a sit down with show host Matt Lauer in what is her first live television interview since her infamous VMAs appearance. With a new album to promote and a wealth of gossip to file through, we're hoping that her interview will be a revealing and informative one. Following a considerably reserved appearance on SNL, in which she barely gave a passing mention to any of her recent controversies, this may be an opportunity to get Miley to open up and tell us all why she's been acting up lately.

Continue reading: Miley Cyrus To Give First Post-VMAs TV Interview & Live Performance On Monday's 'Today'

Mike Tyson has told The Today Show's Matt Lauer that if he doesn't get help for alcoholism and drug addiction, he will be dead before long.

The former heavyweight champion of the world told a packed press room last week that he was "on the verge of dying" though had been sober for six days. 

He visited the same theme on Thursday's interview, telling Lauer, "When I start drinking and I relapse, I think of dying.When I'm in a real dark mood, I think of dying. And I don't want to be around no more. I won't survive unless I get help."

Continue reading: Mike Tyson Tells Matt Lauer, "If I Don't Get Help, I Will Die."

When Andrew Mason was relieved of his duties as CEO of deal-finding site Groupon, he faced some life decisions: his worth was damaged due to him mainly being paid in shares, which were down 80% - hence his dismissal. You could be forgiven for thinking he was at a loose end.

Loose end? No: he went right back onto Groupon, found a deal for an acoustic guitar and penned a soft rock album, ironically named Hardly Workin’. Alright so he didn’t get a deal on a guitar, but the more ridiculous bit – the soft rock album – that’s all true. “Executives, mid-level management and front-line employees are all sure to find valuable takeaways,” Mr Mason wrote of the album. “I’ve probably listened to the album over a dozen times now, and with each spin I feel like I learn something.”

Continue reading: Ex-Groupon CEO Is Hardly Workin' And He's Got The Soft Rock Album To Prove It

Paula Deen has been in heaps of trouble over her alleged racist comments recently – from getting dropped by The Food Network, to complications in the discrimination case against her and her brother. However, Deen also has her supporters and she isn’t letting minor incidents like that get her down. On Wednesday, she once again tried to explain her side of the story in a heartfelt (sort of) interview on the Today show – the same Today show she skipped out on last week, due to exhaustion.

Deen is sticking to her story.

This time she made an appearance, though, and what an appearance it was. “I’ve had to hold friends in my arms while they’ve sobbed because they know what’s been said about me is not true and I’m having to comfort them,” she told host Matt Lauer. And if you think those were all of Deen’s tearful revelations, you’d be sorely mistaken, because she went on: “I is what I is and I’m not changing,” she said. “There’s someone evil out there that saw what I worked for and wanted it.”

Continue reading: Belated Today Show Appearance Has Paula Deen Reciting Bible Verses In Her Defense

Well this doesn’t look good; Paula Deen – who is shrouded in a sea of controversy following the revelation that she had used a racial epithet - didn’t show up for her scheduled Today Show interview… today.

“We had arranged to do an interview with Paula Deen, it had been going on, the discussions about that interview, throughout the day yesterday with her people," Matt Lauer said in the show's opening. "I spoke to her late afternoon on the phone yesterday and we talked about the fact that it would be an open and candid discussion, no holds barred." The holds were in fact barred, though, by her not being there to open them up. "And this morning, although we have not spoken to her -- she has not called us -- her publicity people have told us she's exhausted and will not be showing up," Lauer said. She’s probably just tired from having to make so many excuses for calling someone a n****r. "Well what I would really like is a bunch of little (N-words) to wear long-sleeve white shirts, black shorts and black bow ties. Now that would be a true Southern wedding, wouldn't it?" she apparently said, which she denies. She did admit, however, to using the awful word when robbed by a black assailant.

"But that's just not a word that we use as time has gone on," Deen said. "Things have changed since the '60s in the South. And my children and my brother object to that word being used in any cruel or mean behavior. As well as I do."

Continue reading: Paula Deen Is No Show For Today Show Amidst Racism Controversy

Matt Lauer opened up about his frankly horrendous year on television during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday (May 2, 2012). Many viewers perceive Lauer to be the sole reason why former Today show host Ann Curry was replaced on the show, which fell behind ABC rival Good Morning America in the ratings for the first time in years.

"It's been an interesting year - no question about it," Lauer told Leno when asked how he was doing. "I'm not a guy who complains. I love this job, I really do." Lauer - who is reportedly paid $25 million a year - was said to have been "100 per cent" behind the decision to axe Ann, according to sources who spoke with Us Weekly. In an excerpt from Brian Stelter's new book on morning television, it is suggested that the plot to get rid of Curry was titled "Operation Bambi," with one production assistant apparently overhearing Lauer say, "I can't believe I am sitting next to this woman," while on set.

Leno avoided going into detail about the Ann Curry saga, though was asked about a full page ad taken out by Kathie Lee Gifford this week, defending Lauer. "Kathie Lee did something very sweet a couple of weeks ago," he said. "She went around and she just passed around a note and had members of the staff sign it just saying, 'Things are going to be okay."

Continue reading: Matt Lauer Tells Leno, "I'm Not A Guy Who Complains" - REALLY?

With all the hubbub around NBC’s Today show in the past couple of months, you’d think that more people would be tuning in to actually watch the thing.

Unfortunately for the show and its hosts though, apparently not all publicity is good publicity after all. Today’s Matt Lauer in particular, has been getting heaps of press since the beginning of the year – the bad kind. After getting blamed in the media for the firing of his former co-host, Ann Curry, Lauer dropped significantly in both public opinion and ratings. Naturally, that hurt the Today show and NBC, which has been struggling on most fronts lately.

It looks like nothing is working to fix the situation – not even Lauer and co-host Savanah Guthrie making light of the situation a couple of weeks ago at a luncheon at the New York Public Library. “I would like to tackle a teeny white elephant in the room,” Mr. Lauer said as many of the 400 people in the audience leaned in. “We hate being the news.” To that he added a valiant (if joking) attempt to defend Guthrie, saying that: “From the bottom of my heart, I promise to spend all my time and energy the next several weeks and months trying to keep Savannah out of the headlines,” Mr. Lauer said. His jocular remark drew appreciative laughter.

Continue reading: Today Show Recap: Cooper, Lauer And The Story So Far

Lauer, Lauer: Were we all fed a pack of lies this week in a report suggesting Matt Lauer almost jumped ship to ABC after the Anne Curry scandal? Either way, it looks as though his time on 'Today' could be up, with NBC bosses eyeing Anderson Cooper as a replacement. Good idea?

Stolen Script Alert! Watch out Breaking Bad fans, there may be season five spoilers out there after actor Bryan Cranston has his new script stolen from his car in Los Angeles this week!

Continue reading: A Week In News: Cooper For Lauer? Jim Carrey Shoots Down NRA, Breaking Bad Script On The Loose!

A bit of canny business acumen by Matt Lauer here. Spooked by the rumors that he could be next on the chopping block after NBC fired the much-loved Anne Curry from the Today show, he used the situation to engineer himself a hefty new pay cheque from the network. That or maybe he was genuinely spooked and so the search for employment that led to the new deal was entirely merited.

At any rate, it’s believed that the long-time anchor was incredibly close to leaving the network as well, after apparently hearing that Ryan Seacrest might well have been joining Today instead of him. According to a source reported by Perez Hilton, "Lauer learned of the leak [about Seacrest] while being forced to stand outside the security gate at the White House Christmas party because Ann Curry had forgotten her driver’s license."

So with that in mind Lauer thought about jumping before he was pushed, and that could have led him straight into the arms of rival network ABC, who were licking their lips at the prospect of teaming him up with his good friend Katie Couric in a daytime talk show. However, when NBC got wind of this they apparently moved swiftly to keep Lauer tied down, the furore resulting in a tasty new $25 million deal for Lauer. Curry must be thrilled for him.

Continue reading: Matt Lauer Almost Quit NBC Over Replacement Rumors

It's taken him far too long, though Matt Lauer has finally opened up about the firing of Ann Curry, his former Today co-host who was replaced by Savannah Guthrie. NBC caused outrage after appearing to coax Curry out of the door, and Lauer accepts that much of the criticism was justified.

"It was a hard time for everybody," Lauer told The Daily Beast, almost a year to the day that Curry left the show. "We were getting kicked around a lot. Some of it was self-inflicted and perhaps deserved." The host - one of the highest paid on television - concedes the transitional period was not handled properly. "You don't have to be Einstein to know that. It clearly did not help us. We were seen as a family, and we didn't handle a family matter well."

Today has suffered from the mis-management, taking a backseat in the ratings to big rival Good Morning America, something Lauer suggests could be a good thing. "In some ways being No. 2 in the ratings is a real shot in the arm, a kick in the pants," he explained. "It makes you hungrier...I don't think it's a bad thing to have a fire lit under your ass."

Continue reading: Matt Lauer On Ann Curry's Sacking: "We Didn't Handle It Well"

The thoughts of Matt Lauer on Ann Curry reveal that he had nothing to do with her ousting from The Today Show, and that he thought the situation could have been handled differently.

“I don’t think the show and the network handled the transition well," Lauer tells The Daily Beast. "You don’t have to be Einstein to know that. It clearly did not help us. We were seen as a family, and we didn’t handle a family matter well.” It would appear as though Lauer has finally had enough, after a year of castigation over the Curry scandal, and also being blamed for the show’s drop in ratings. He’s now ready to leave his $25m-a-year over it, too. “Matt is not happy,” a source said. “He has started saying he wants to get out of ‘Today.’ ” Steve Capus - the former NBC News president – is on Lauer’s side, and defends him, saying: “When Matt was informed that we had made this decision, his good counsel was to go slow, to take care of Ann and to do the right things. “He was quietly and publicly a supporter of Ann’s throughout the entire process. It is unfair that Matt has shouldered an undue amount of blame for a decision that he disagreed with.”

Continue reading: Matt Lauer On Ann Curry – “We Were Seen As A Family”

Today Show Anchor Retires: It's been a successful 32-years for Mike Leonard, after he landed a job in TV,  following his home movies. Over three decades later, after becoming one of NBC's most loved personalities, Leonard is calling it a day.

He carved a niche within news reporting - which is becoming harder and harder to do - by talking to, and about, people who rise to the call of duty but remain below the threshold of celebrities. Everyday people doing extraordinary things become the kind of story Leonard was famous for, and no doubt the way he'd like to be remembered. That or the action figure doll modelled after him. In 1989, Leonard had the honor of having a G.I. Joe figure sculpted after his likeness by Hasbro. They named their character, Scoop, whose given name was "Leonard Michaels" in honor of the real newsman. Scoop was also in the communications field, just like his inspiration. Now if that isn't the all-American dream, what is?

"Your stories...are a microcosm of you," said Matt Lauer after Mike's final segment aired. "They all have incredible heart, they're told with kindness, and hope, and modesty. They are understated and yet so powerful, and that is you in a nutshell." He leaves the show with fond memories and a legion of fans. Good luck to the next anchor!

Continue reading: Today Show Anchor Retires: NBC's Mike Leonard Hangs Up His Microphone

We live in a world where a human being will shove a camera up another human being's skirt for money, and doing stuff like that isn't illegal. Anne Hathaway, while this is common practice, for the love of god, wear underwear.

Climbing out of a limo at the premiere of Les Miserables, Hathaway was snapped by a hungry photographer, and it just so happened he or she was pointing his of her camera down her skirt, and it ALSO just so happened, that Anne decided on a commando vibe for the night. "I was getting out of the car and my dress was so tight that I didn't realize it until I saw all the photographers' flashes," she told Vanity Fair writer Ingrid Sischy. "It was devastating. They saw everything. I might as well have lifted up my skirt for them." New York Daily News reported.

Matt Lauer was never going to let her Today Show appearance go by without mentioning it. He joked, "Anne Hathaway, good morning, nice to see you. Seen a lot of you lately," Lauer said. "Sorry about that," Hathaway said. "I'd be happy to stay home, but the film." Lauer continued, "Let's just get it out of the way, you had a little wardrobe malfunction the other night. What's the lesson learned from something like that, other than that you keep smiling, which you'll always do."

Continue reading: Anne Hathaway Talks Openly About Unfortunate Wardrobe Malfunction

Anne Hathaway was the victim of a serious wardrobe malfunction at the 'Les Miserables' premiere in New York after failing to wear underwear beneath her gown. 

The poor star was hoping for a glamorous entrance with her unique black Tom Ford gown with two long slits up the sides. However, she unfortunately misjudged how far her dress had ridden up in the car and revealed a lot more than she meant to as she spread her legs to step out on the red carpet. She apparently told a Vanity Fair reporter the next day that she was "devastated" about the incident. "I was getting out of the car and my dress was so tight that I didn't realize it until I saw all the photographers' flashes," she said. "It was devastating. They saw everything. I might as well have lifted up my skirt for them."

To add to her embarrassment, when she appeared on the 'Today' show aired this morning, host Matt Lauer didn't waste any time in referencing what had happened. "Well, it was obviously an unfortunate incident," she replied. "It kind of made me sad on two accounts. One was that I was very sad that we live in an age when someone takes a picture of another person in a vulnerable moment and rather than delete it, and do the decent thing, sells it. And I'm sorry that we live in a culture that commodifies sexuality of unwilling participants, which takes us back to 'Les Mis', because that's what my character is." Don't think the red carpet was quite the place for method acting though, Anne!

With the East coast of America still reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy, a relief telethon, with all money raised going towards the American Red Cross, will air this Friday (Nov. 2) on NBC, The L.A Times reports. 

"Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together" will be hosted by "Today's" Matt Lauer and will feature performances by Christina Aguilera, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and Sting; and have appearances by Jimmy Fallon and NBC News' Brian Williams. The whole money raising affair will be live on on NBC, Bravo, CNBC, E!, G4, MSNBC, Style, Syfy and USA. It will also stream live on NBC.com. It will air live at 8 p.m. on the East Coast and on tape delay at 8 p.m. on the West Coast, so even if you want to miss it, chances are you cant. The real time effects of Sandy are in recession, as it drifts west with a diminishing power, but the trail of destruction left in its wake remain there for all to see, and that's what tomorrow's telethon is looking to address. 

While many jovial accounts of Sandy roll in, and stories regarding cancelled shows take precedent, it is important to understand the seriousness of the storm. More than 80 people are now known to have died, 37 in New York City alone, and others remain missing, The BBC reports, which has exceeded the toll from the Caribbean, where 69 people were killed. The storm could cost the US $50bn (£31bn), according to forecasting firm Eqecat, doubling the previous estimate.

Continue reading: Hurricane Sandy Relief Telethon To Be Aired By NBC This Friday

Willie Geist has been named as the new co-host of the 9am hour of NBC’s morning show 'Today'. Jim Bell, the show’s executive producer made the announcement, revealing that Geist will start in his new role as of November 12, 2012. Geist, 37, will join Al Roker, 58 and Natalie Morales, 40 as co-presenter of 'Today'. In his statement, Jim Bell said “"We are thrilled to add Willie to the 'Today' team… He brings a solid news background with a keen sense of creativity and humor. From politics to pop culture, Willie is a skilled and versatile reporter who will make a great addition at 9 a.m. and contribute to the entire broadcast.

According to US magazine, he’s going to carry on working as one of NBC’s main News contributors, as well as the NBC Sports Group. He’s also going to remain as co-host of MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe', where he has been covering national politics since 2007. Geist has long had a decent reputation amongst NBC’s ranks but excelled himself this summer, when he anchored NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the 2012 London Olympics. Earlier this year, Today show veteran Ann Curry, 55, was fired from her post on the show as Matt Lauer’s co-anchor. She had been with the show for 15 years and was replaced by Savannah Guthrie, 40.

Willie Geist‘s wife is his childhood sweetheart, Christina Sharkey. They wed in 2003 and have two children together.

Twenty-three years after the publication of Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie finds himself at the centre of controversy once more. At the time of its release, the publication of his novel forced Rushdie into hiding, as Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa against him, calling for his execution. Rushdie is about to publish his memoirs, entitled Joseph Anton. The timing of the publication comes at a tense time, as an anti-Islam movie entitled Innocence of Muslims has sparked outrage and violence across the Middle East.

In an interview with Matt Lauer, Rushdie explained that he has no sympathy for the filmmaker, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula. "He's done something malicious, and that's a very different thing from writing a serious novel," he explained in an interview on The Today show. The author then said: "he's clearly set out to provoke, and he's obviously unleashed a much bigger reaction than he hoped for. One of the problems with defending free speech is you often have to defend people that you find to be outrageous and unpleasant and disgusting."

In a separate interview, with the BBC, Rushdie revealed that he did not think that Satanic Verses would have found a willing publisher in 2012. "A book which was critical of Islam would be difficult to be published now," he said and explained that there is currently a climate of "fear and nervousness." Undeterred by the increased price that has allegedly been placed upon his head, the Salman Rushdie Twitter page continues to be updated with links to his interviews and media releases.