Today Show

Call it morning (show) wood ... but Matt Lauer was SOOOO excited about introducing Savannah Guthrie as his new "Today" show co-anchor ... he could barely sit still.

With a giant "Thank god Ann Curry's finally gone" smile on his face ... Lauer said he was "pleased to be sharing this new day" with Guthrie ... noting, "We're all very happy" about the change.

Guthrie said it's "an honor" to be sitting next to Lauer.

Despite being let go from "Today," Ann Curry definitely has a timeless face for television.

Here's the 40-year-old former morning show anchor back in 1997 (left) -- and 15 years later, the 55-year-old on her last day as part of America's first family (right).

It's official -- NBC just announced Savannah Guthrie is the new co-anchor of "Today."

As TMZ first reported, Savannah was a lock to replace Ann Curry, who had fallen out of favor with both NBC brass and Matt Lauer after co-hosting the show for just one year.

Curry made her tearful farewell Thursday -- and it was Guthrie who took Curry's seat this morning ... although no on-air announcement was made.

"Today" executive producer Jim Bell just released a statement announcing Savannah's new position -- saying, Guthrie "has a one-of-a-kind combination of sharp wit and approachability, and our viewers value her journalistic skills and legal background just as much as her humor and charm."

Savannah Guthrie was alongside Matt Lauer on "Today" this morning … in the barely-cold chair that once belonged to Ann Curry ... but producers wussed out on making it official.

In fact, the beginning of the show was highly irregular -- the announcer always intros the anchors, not today on "Today."

TMZ broke the story -- Savannah has already inked her deal to replace Ann ... this after Meredith Vieira turned down an offer to return to the show.

Now it's unclear when the announcement will be made. We're told Matt is on vacation next week ... ditto for Al Roker.

Ann Curry's chair isn't even cold yet ... but "Today" producers have already lined up a new ass to fill it for tomorrow's show ... and it belongs to Savannah Guthrie -- the woman who will replace Curry.

NBC sources tell us, Savannah will be anchoring with Matt Lauer Friday ... and it's "likely" they will formally announce the big switch during the show.

We're told the reason it's likely is because Matt is on vacation all next week for the holiday -- and the network wants to announce his new co-host while he's still around ... to show a united front.

TMZ broke the story ... Ann would be getting the chop after Matt made it clear he didn't want to work with her anymore. The declining ratings at "Today" didn't help.

After Ann's emotional exit announcement on Thursday's show, sources say she was in no mood to talk ... and kept quiet by herself in the studio until it was time to leave.

As Ann Curry said when she said her goodbyes on "Today" ... she wears her heart on her sleeve, so she made it pretty clear there's no love lost between her and Matt Lauer.

TMZ broke the story ... when Matt renegotiated his contract recently with NBC ... he made it clear he did not want Ann as his co-anchor.

So watch the video as Matt says the obligatory nice things about Ann at the end of today's show -- she does everything she can to not look at him. Compare that to her reaction to Al Roker and Natalie Morales, both of whom she looks squarely in the eye with affection.

And then Matt goes in for the kiss and Ann refuses to turn toward him. She embraces Al -- her good friend -- and Natalie, whom she calls a sister.

No doubt Ann has hard feelings, especially since NBC strung this out for months, making her a joke.

And, by the way, it was also telling that NBC didn't have Ann pass the torch to Savannah Guthrie, who was sitting off camera.

Ann Curry said goodbye to "Today" today -- hours after her lawyer negotiated her exit from the show -- sobbing as she told viewers, "I'm sorry I couldn't carry the ball over the finish line, but man did I try."

Curry cried as she said goodbye to her co-anchors and viewers who got to know her over the last 15 years on the show.

In an interview with USA Today, Ann said, "In every single co-host's first year, there have been kinks to be worked out, and perhaps I deserve as much blame for that as anyone."

When asked if she felt she was given enough time to work out those kinks, she flatly replied "No, I do not."

As for taking a beating by "Good Morning America" in the ratings recently, Curry says, "I know I am not to blame for the ratings worries ... and my bosses have said to me there are many factors involved."

Under her new deal, Curry will continue to produce for "NBC Nightly News," "Dateline," "Rock Center" and "Today" and will fill in as anchor on "Nightly News."

As TMZ previously reported, Ann was guaranteed $20 million for the last two years of her contract but NBC didn't want to pay that amount ... so they negotiated a lesser deal where Ann will stay on and still make good money.

When asked by USA Today about the $10-$20 million a year salary, she said "I can say that I'd love to earn that much." Fact is ... Ann was getting $10 mil a year.

In the case of Ann Curry and the "Today" show -- the writing is not only on the wall, it's in the editing room, because we've learned producers are already preparing Ann's farewell montage ... network sources tell TMZ.

Our sources -- and they are impeccable -- tell us they are determined to cut a deal with Ann by week's end. We're told the deal is not closed yet -- as we reported, Ann wants her contract paid off in full to the tune of $20 million. She also wants to leave the network. NBC offered her a measly $10 mil and a diminished role in the news department. We're told there has been "some movement," but the parties haven't struck a deal ... yet.

We're told NBC wants Savannah Guthrie -- Ann's replacement -- firmly in place before the Olympics so they can showcase her next to Matt Lauer.

One more thing ... There are reports "Today" news anchor, Natalie Morales, wants to leave the network because she's pissed off that she's now been passed over twice for the co-anchor job. We're told -- by people who absolutely know -- that story is "total baloney." We're told Natalie "loves her job and she's completely happy with what she's doing."

Ann Curry and NBC are negotiating her exit from "Today" and the hang-up is money ... sources connected with the network tell TMZ.

Our sources say Savannah Guthrie has already made her deal with the network to succeed Ann as co-anchor of "Today," but the snag is the amount of money Ann will get.

As we first reported, Ann gets $10 million a year. She is one year into a 3-year contract, and from what we're hearing NBC does not want to pay her $20 million for the balance of the contract.

Sources tell us Ann wants the full $20 mil and her exit papers. NBC wants to pay her $10 mil and give her a foreign correspondent job. And therein lies the hang-up.

The network could pay her the $20 mil and then prohibit her from working anywhere else for 2 years. But we're told they don't want to shell out that kind of dough, so Ann's lawyer and NBC are haggling.

Ann Curry will get her walking papers from the "Today" show next week, and NBC will pay dearly for its blunder -- because network sources tell us she's under a contract that guarantees her $10 million a year.

Our sources tell us 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.

Network sources tell us ... the likely scenario is that Ann will become a foreign correspondent for NBC News.

NBC secretly offered Meredith Vieira a big contract to replace Ann Curry on the "Today" show ... but she turned them down.

Sources connected with the network tell TMZ ... the offer was made approximately two weeks ago but Meredith wasn't interested in returning to the show she anchored for 6 years.

TMZ broke the story back in April ... Ann Curry was on her way out, partly because NBC was unhappy with her performance, partly because the ratings started to suck, and partly because Matt Lauer didn't like working with her.

As we reported, when Matt re-signed with "Today," he made it clear he wanted a new co-anchor, but NBC delayed making an immediate change because the network didn't want to make it look like a big foot on Matt's part.

From what we're hearing, Ann could be 86'd within a matter of weeks.

Chris Rock just whipped out his best off-the-cuff Chris Brown/domestic violence jokes on live TV -- and it all started with Matt Lauer's awkward, but hysterical, intro on NBC's "Today."

As Matt was coming back from commercial this morning ... he referenced the great weather outside, saying ... "We're hoping the same kind of weather hits us tomorrow when we've got Chris Brown out on the plaza."

Perfect time to cut to Chris Rock in studio -- "Did you say you hope the same weather HITS you? I hope some weather doesn't SMACK us upside the head."

For the first time in 16 years, ABC's "Good Morning America" edged out NBC's "Today" in the morning show ratings last week -- and this morning, ABC News rubbed it in NBC's face ... throwing a champagne-popping victory party.

All the big swinging chicks at ABC were present ... including Robin Roberts, Diane Sawyer, and Lara Spencer -- in addition to ABC News President Ben Sherwood, Senior EP Tom Cibrowski, former "GMA" host Charlie Gibson, George Stephanopoulos, Sam Champion ... pretty much the whole crew.

We're told Robin Roberts toasted the entire "GMA" team, saying, "We're the face of it, but it's all you. Everyone in this building is a team."

Kim Kardashian is ALREADY talking about her blossoming relationship with Kanye West ... telling the "Today" show she's a big fan of his new song ... even though he rips her ex-husband. .

A smiley, happy Kim sat down with Ann Curry this morning ... and took on question after question about her new hook-up ... to which Kim replied, "I completely respect and understand you have to ask these questions."

Kim then explained she's been friends with Kanye for years and is excited for what the future holds for them.

Ann also asked about Kanye's new song, "Theraflu" ... the one in which he professes his love for Kim and says he could've had Kris Humphries kicked off the NJ Nets.

Matt Lauer has signed a new, long-term deal with the "Today" show. He will become way richer than he already is, and we're told the next move will be to send Ann Curry packing.

As TMZ first reported, Lauer got close to his $30 million a year asking price, nearly doubling his $17 million a year current salary.

It's bad news for Ann Curry, because our sources say Lauer does not want her as his co-host, and it appears her fate is now sealed.

NBC has countered ABC's move of bringing Katie Couric to "Good Morning America" this week by announcing Sarah Palin will co-host "Today" this Tuesday.

On their website, the peacock said that Palin will "reveal a different side of her than you've seen before." NBC is also promising that "a surprise legend will return to the broadcast Monday morning."

The interview is widely credited for destroying Palin's credibility ... probably forever.