Curry Reportedly Leaving Today with $10M Payout
BY STACEY WELSH
ANCHOR NEVILLE MILLER
A week after Ann Curry was reportedly forced out as a co-anchor of NBC’s Today Show, TMZ is reporting she’ll get a $ 10 million payout.
“Ann signed a new contract almost a year ago to the day, when she took over as co-anchor of ‘Today.’ Under the deal, Ann gets a cool $ 10 mil, and it's a long-term contract. We're told she's guaranteed that amount for 3 years.”
If true, the hosts of Better Connecticut say, it’s not too shabby.
ANCHOR: “It’s 3:08. I could probably have my desk cleaned out by 3:10 is somebody gave me $ 10 million to leave a station.”
ANCHOR: “Yeah. I mean give me $ 5 million. I’ll walk off right now!”
The New York Post reports NBC has a history of not completely slamming the door in its departing stars’ faces.
“It paid late-night host Conan O’Brien a reported $ 45 million when it fired him from ‘The Tonight Show’ in 2010. But that settlement included payment for his production company, with nearly 100 employees.”
But there is some discrepancy in the figures. In comparison to TMZ, The New York Post reports Curry signed the deal valued around $ 20 million last year, and she’ll still get $ 10 million this year--which the Post reports is the final year of her contract. And...interestingly enough, KMSP reports Curry isn’t even leaving the network.
“NBC is expected to announce a permanent replacement for her later this week. After some time off, Curry is expected to become a foreign correspondent for NBC News.”
The New York Daily News reports Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb make up the short list of possible replacements. And interestingly enough, the final decision could come down to reporting chops.
“While ‘Today’ has its share of chefs and stunt dogs and light lifestyle moments, serious news has always been a critical component. The last three co-hosts — Curry, (Meredith) Vieira and Katie Couric — all came to the show with reporting credentials that reassured viewers they would get hard news, too.”
Curry hasn’t said anything about leaving the desk yet. If she does indeed end up overseas, TMZ jokes that Curry will become the first foreign correspondent to rake in the same amount as the gross national product of some of the countries she’ll cover.
Read More @ Source More Celeb Stories Here