Matt Lauer Cracks The Time 100

By Alex Weprin 

Fresh off of his new contract with NBCUniversal, “Today” co-anchor Matt Lauer is named one of the “Time 100” most influential  people. As is customary for Time’s list, Lauer was profiled by a well-known colleague, in this case, “America’s Got Talent” judge, radio host and fellow Hamptons-dweller Howard Stern.

We all wondered, Was it over? It’s over, it’s over, he’s losing his hair! It’s got to be over! But we were wrong! The strength was still there, perhaps stronger still, crashing pillars to earth with innate strength and charm and class — Matt Lauer, 54, the anti-Samson, going up against pretty guys and girls, the hairy people. He was still the smartest, the strongest, the classiest. How? Why? This is a guy who never gives up! Why? How? ‘Cause he works his ass off and cares about everything he does. Adversity, begone! Katie leaves. Meredith leaves. Knuckleheads come and go. Matt is there and stronger still. Our leader, diving into treacherous TV morning waters unscathed by sharks, unstung by stingrays, impossible to harm ’cause our Matt is cool and relaxed and so we’re cool and relaxed and we can deal with the complexities of a presidential interview, a great sports event or the wacko.

Later on, Stern gets inappropriate, as he is want to do. Read the rest here, and see the rest of the “Time 100” here.

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Lauer also stopped by the Weather Channel’s morning show “Wake Up with Al,” yesterday, welcoming co-anchor Stephanie Abrams to New York.

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