{"id":11936,"date":"2017-01-06T10:15:06","date_gmt":"2017-01-06T15:15:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=11936"},"modified":"2017-01-06T10:15:06","modified_gmt":"2017-01-06T15:15:06","slug":"anchor-matt-lauer-celebrates-20-years-today-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2017\/01\/anchor-matt-lauer-celebrates-20-years-today-show.html","title":{"rendered":"Anchor Matt Lauer Celebrates 20 Years on ‘Today’ Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"matt_lauer\"<\/a>With Friday’s show, Matt Lauer has officially been an anchor for the\u00a0Today\u00a0<\/em>show for 20 years. Over the years, Matt has made us laugh, cry, and gasp like no other television host in the business.<\/p>\n

From his first days as an co-anchor alongside Katie Couric \u2014 who happens to be back this week filling in for Savannah Guthrie, who is on maternity leave \u2014 to his recent stretch alongside Savannah Guthrie, Matt’s seen and done it all on the show. Today<\/em>\u00a0made sure to have a celebration for Lauer to commemorate this milestone and record-setting run.<\/p>\n

“So many high points and so many low points,” Katie teased as the show opened. “I’m just so excited to celebrate you.”<\/p>\n

As Matt told her earlier this week, the time he’s spent covering breaking news, traveling the world and interviewing dignitaries and celebrities alike has simply flown by.<\/p>\n

“But that means it’s a good thing,” he explained. “That means it’s been fun and interesting and challenging, and it all started with you in 1997.”<\/p>\n

Everyone has something they love about Matt, and after a flashback to his best moments aired on the show, the whole gang \u2014 including Savannah and Dylan Dreyer, who’ve been out on maternity leave \u2014 showed up on the plaza to cheer him on.<\/p>\n

Matt is known for tackling tough topics with ease and grace while also having fun during lighter moments.<\/p>\n

Through the years, Matt has taken on covering everything from the Sandy Hook Shooting, Hurricane Katrina, and interviews with Lindsay Lohan, Kanye West and Tom Cruise. He has taken stories across the ocean, including speaking with British Princes Harry and William and his “Where in the World is Matt Lauer” series.<\/p>\n

During his 10 year celebration, Miss Piggy from The Muppet Show<\/em>\u00a0popped out of a cake to surprise Matt, and serenading him and giving him a kiss. Matt first joined the\u00a0Today<\/em> show on January 6th, 1997.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With Friday’s show, Matt Lauer has officially been an anchor for the\u00a0Today\u00a0show for 20 years. Over the years, Matt has made us laugh, cry, and gasp like no other television host in the business. 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