NETWORK bigwigs blessed Matt Lauer with a fat new $20 million “Today” show contract — but it comes with a very short leash — and a Natalie Moral-less clause!
“After the black eyes that Billy Bush, Brian Williams and the bungled departure of Ann Curry brought to NBC, nobody wants Matt to do ANYTHING to bring more damage to the brand!” one newsroom insider tattled.
The 58-year-old anchor’s history of womanizing and cocaine rumors led execs to lace his contract with morality and substance abuse clauses, with SPECIFIC restrictions,said sources.
Matt’s intimate relationship with former co-anchor Natalie Morales was behind rumors of trouble in his marriage to Annette Roque, and Matt’s request to bring Natalie back was “shut down IMMEDIATELY,” dished the insider. “The
LAST thing the network needs now is that kind of scandal.
“Matt’s on the one-strike-and-you’re-out plan, and he knows it!”
