Hoda Kotb Says She’s ‘Not Making Matt Lauer Money’ as Today’s New Co-Anchor
Fans were thrilled to find out that Hoda Kotb would be taking over from Matt Lauer as NBC’s Today show co-anchor, but they’re decidedly less thrilled about reports that she and Savannah Guthrie are making significantly less money than the recently fired Lauer. Kotb herself addressed the pay gap in a recent interview.
Asked by People if she and Guthrie would be earning paychecks on par with the former host, the 53-year-old veteran journalist replied, “The answer is no — that’s not happening.” Guthrie, who has been co-anchor of the popular morning show since July 2012, added, “For either of us.”
Kotb continued, “I think the whole money thing for me, I’ve always been sort of — I know it sounds ridiculous that I’m going to say this, but I really have done jobs I liked for the job I liked because I never wanted to be happy every other Friday on pay day. Like, I didn’t want that to be the happy day. I wanted to feel good throughout. So, no, I’m not making Matt Lauer money. Not even close.”
According to reports, “Matt Lauer money” was anywhere from $20 million to $25 million a year. (He reportedly signed a hefty two-year contract back in 2016.)
Kotb is making less than that — one unsubstantiated report has her earning $7 million a year — but she can obviously renegotiate and attempt to bump up her paycheck if her run as co-anchor on the show turns out to be successful. Lauer had been on the show for more than two decades, which likely had a lot to do with his plump paycheck. Still, fans are definitely not impressed with the reported numbers.
What do you think of Hoda Kotb as Today co-anchor? Let us know @BritandCo!
(photo via Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)