Today Show

Michael Jackson's former doctor and convicted killer, Conrad Murray, must be getting pretty strong meds behind bars ... because he thinks the jury in the wrongful death trial proved he's a good physician -- he's dead wrong.

TMZ obtained audio of Murray leaving a message for someone shortly after the judge announced AEG Live was not accountable for MJ's death -- and on the recording, Murray says the decision proves, "I have never been and never will be an inept physician."

Murray's missing one giant point ... which is that the jury really only said they felt he was fit to do what AEG hired him to do -- be a good general practitioner for MJ. The part about pumping Michael full of Propofol every night was never relevant to the questions the jury was asked to answer.

In fact, the jury foreman made it clear they were NOT saying they felt Murray was ethical -- and said the verdict might have been different if ethics were in play during this trial.

Nonetheless, Murray feels vindicated ... so, you gotta hear him gushing and praising God, the jury, and the justice system ... this time, anyway.

Andre Agassi said a pretty horrible thing to Brooke Shields in the middle of their nasty divorce back in the day ... so says Brooke, who decided it was finally time to call out her ex on live TV yesterday.

Shields was co-hosting the "Today" show and discussing divorce with legendary disso-queen Laura Wasser -- who was plugging her new book, "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way: How to Divorce Without Destroying Your Family or Bankrupting Yourself."

But when the topic turned to divorces that involve children, Shields chimed in with a shocker ... claiming Andre once told her, "Be happy we don't have children or I would not have made this easy for you."

After an uncomfortable laugh, she continued, "And therein lies why I'm not there anymore."

FYI -- Agassi and Shields divorced in 1999 after a rocky 2 years together. After they split, Agassi penned an autobiography in which he said he never should have married Brooke in the first place.

We're guessin' the feeling is mutual.

Shellie Zimmerman -- who stood solidly by husband George Zimmerman during his trial for gunning down Trayvon Martin -- now says she has doubts about George's innocence.

Shellie -- who's in the middle of a nasty divorce -- appeared on the "Today" show, saying "I think anyone would doubt [George's] innocence, because I don't know the person that I've been married to."

As for why Shellie's changing her tune ... she says it's all about the incident at their home this month when she called cops and claimed George was threatening her with a gun.

Ohio rapist kidnapper Ariel Castro is the new Lindsay Lohan ... at least in Matt Lauer's eyes -- because the "Today" host has been turned away from interviewing him, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us, Matt and his crew showed up Friday morning at the Cuyahoga County justice center in Cleveland -- where Castro is being held -- but sheriff's deputies turned him away because the media was persona non grata.

It wasn't Castro's choice -- we're told Lauer's timing was just off. In fact, sources at the jail tell TMZ ... when Lauer walked in to the jail, he made it seem as if the interview was prearranged -- something to the effect of, "I'm here to interview Ariel Castro."

It's the second time Lauer's been turned away from a major interview -- back in 2011, Lindsay Lohan shut Matt down at her front door.

Paula Deen defiantly, and tearfully, says she doesn't need to change when it comes to using offensive words, but young Black people do -- oh, and Jesse Jackson's got her back.

Deen burst into tears on 'Today' while telling Matt Lauer, "If there's anyone out there that has never said something that they wish they could take back ... please pick up that stone and throw it so hard at my head that it kills me."

She added, "I is what I is and I'm not changing."

When asked if she had any doubt the n-word was offensive to Black people, she claimed she didn't know because ... "it's very distressing for me to go into my kitchens and I hear what these young people are calling each other. It's very, very distressing."

After days of ridicule, Miss Utah finally had a chance to redeem herself on the "Today" show this AM -- and this time she answered the infamous pageant question WITH FLYING COLORS!!! For a beauty queen.

Marissa Powell sat down with Matt Lauer and explained -- as TMZ previously reported -- that nerves got the best of her during Sunday night's Miss USA contest ... causing her to give one of the most confusing answers in pageant history.

Matt, being the saint he is, gave Marissa ONE MORE SHOT to get the question right ... see how she did this time. And remember folks she only had 48 hours, the Internet and a team of people to help her prepare.

Talk about pressure.

The "Today" show will NOT STOP shooting segments outside the studio ... despite this morning's frightening incident with a knife-wielding man ... this according to co-anchor Natalie Morales.

Morales was leaving the studio after the show today (which happens to be her birthday) ... when she told us why she believes the show MUST continue to feature outdoor segments.

"It's part of our identity as the show," Morales said ... "We'll still be out there."

A man slashed his wrists Thursday during a live broadcast of the "Today" show.

It happened as Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie were outside in Rockefeller Plaza. The man -- who is in his 50s -- slashed both his wrists and his forearms. NBC's cameras didn't show the incident, but several people in the crowd captured photos and video.

The New York Daily News obtained a photo of the man as he attempted to cut himself.

Immediately afterward, the show moved inside the studio. Matt talked about the incident on the air ... saying the man only wanted to harm himself and no one else.

Kathie Lee Gifford says there will be a "revolt" at NBC if the powers that be allow Matt Lauer to leave the "Today" show, telling TMZ ... she'll do whatever it takes to keep him around.

Kathie Lee was leaving Rockefeller Center in NYC Monday morning when she made it clear -- she thinks Matt has been unfairly demonized in the media in the wake of Ann Curry's firing.

Kathie tells us, she wanted to buy a full page ad in an NYC newspaper defending her longtime co-worker, but Matt talked her out of it.

Wade Robson just said on TV ... he never forgot what Michael Jackson did to him -- he just didn't know it was wrong until recently ... but Wade's testimony in 2005 suggests if he didn't forget, he might have been lying.

Robson said on "Today" Michael performed sexual acts on him and vice versa when he was a child.

Wade told Matt Lauer on "Today," "I've never forgot one moment of what Michael did to me but I was psychologically and emotionally completely unable and unwilling to understand that it was sexual abuse."

But we've looked at the trial transcript from the 2005 molestation case, and Wade was asked very specific questions about the physical contact he had with MJ.

Prosecutor Ron Zonen grilled Robson on cross examination and asked very specific questions:

-- Zonen: Mr. Jackson would periodically kiss you.
-- Robson: No
-- Zonen: Periodically hug you?
-- Robson: Yes
-- Zonen: Touch you?
-- Robson: Hug me.
-- Zonen: Did he ever kiss your lips
-- Robson: No
-- Zonen: On occasions you stayed in bed with Mr. Jackson would you ever cuddle in bed?
-- Robson: No
-- Zonen: Would you lie next to one another?
-- Robson: No
-- Zonen: Would you touch?
-- Robson: No

9:00 AM PT -- Howard Weitzman, the attorney for MJ's estate, tells TMZ, “Mr. Robson has adamantly denied under oath and in numerous interviews over the past 20 years that Michael Jackson ever did anything inappropriate to him. He now wants us to believe that he committed perjury at least twice and has been lying to anyone and everyone about Mr. Jackson since the early ‘90s so he can file a claim for money. Mr. Robson’s transparent lawsuit comes nearly 4 years after Michael passed. His claim is outrageous and sad.”

Wade Robson says the only reason he's now changing his story ... accusing Michael Jackson of sexually abusing him for 7 years is because Michael engaged in a campaign of manipulation to keep him silent, especially during MJ's 2005 child molestation trial.

Robson went on NBC Today and said, Michael "performed sexual acts on me and forced me to perform sexual acts on him" from the age of 7 ... until Robson was 14.

Robson claimed he testified in 2005 that Michael did NOT sexually abuse him because Michael told him what they were doing was "an expression of love" ... and added, "if you ever tell anyone what we're doing both of our lives and our careers will be over."

TMZ broke the story ... Robson filed a creditor's claim against Michael Jackson's estate last week, insisting MJ sexually abused him during his childhood for years, but according to sources he didn't take action until he saw a therapist following a nervous breakdown.

Robson referenced the breakdown on Today, saying ... "For the first time in my life I began to realize that my completely numb and unexplored feelings in relation to what Michael did to me might be a problem and maybe I need to speak to someone about it."

Interestingly, Robson denied repressing memories of the alleged abuse ... instead saying he was merely "psychologically and emotionally completely unable and unwilling to understand that it was sexual abuse."

Robson added he doesn't excuse the alleged abuse, but he believed Michael was a "troubled man" who was an amazing talent, but "also a pedophile."

Maria Shriver is almost single and now gainfully employed ... as a "special anchor reporting on women's issues" for the "Today" show.

TMZ has previously reported ... Shriver wanted to get back into the broadcasting game, but didn't want the day-to-day grind. She also wanted a TON of money. We're told Arnold repeatedly told her she was always worth way more than NBC wanted to pay.

Now Shriver will report on "Today" from time to time about all things women -- from faith to finances.

It took Chris Brown 23 years but he's finally done it -- he's learned that hitting women is a bad thing!

CB sat down with Matt Lauer on "Today" this morning and actually opened up about his relationship with Rihanna, rather than throw a chair through a window when asked about it.

"As far as me and her are concerned," Brown said ... "She knows my heart and I know her heart. I'm not really focused on the negative, everything about it is positive for me. I did my 52 weeks of counseling and learned that it was absolutely wrong."

So that's a 23-year-old man ... having to learn that beating the living crap out of a woman ... is wrong.

Matt Lauer definitely got the finger from co-host Savannah Guthrie this morning ... live on 'Today' ... only question is -- which finger?

During a segment on vacuum cleaners ... Matt cracked, "By the way this is the first time Savannah has ever used a vacuum."

Savannah apparently thought she was off camera when she fired off a one-finger salute in Matt's direction!

But wait ...

Savannah immediately hit her Twitter page to claim it was NOT the bird, and just her index finger.

She might have a point, but still -- considering all the crap Matt's been catching lately -- Savannah's intent is there, no?

Sources connected with NBC tell TMZ ... network honchos approached Anderson Cooper about the possibility of replacing Matt Lauer on the "Today" show at some point ... not immediately but at some point.

There is a story on Deadline.com that Matt made a call to Anderson to express his disapproval ... TMZ has confirmed that is inaccurate and that call never happened.

Maria Shriver was a smash hit on the "Today" show Monday and sources say NBC honchos are talking about a more permanent deal ... but we're told something big is standing in the way ... MONEY.

Maria -- who was a fixture at NBC for a long time and hosted "Dateline" -- has been courted by the network for years ... especially when hubby Arnold Schwarzenegger was Governor of CA.

The former first lady of CA -- who reported from the Vatican -- has turned down the overtures of NBC as well as other networks. Sources say several networks and cable stations have approached her to do a talk show and she turned them down flat.

Maria, sources say, doesn't want a daily gig because she just doesn't want to work that hard. She's deep into charity work and also raising her kids, and she's just not that into it.

But here's the real deal breaker ... Maria is loaded. Her reported worth is north of $100 mil and that could increase by as much as $200 mil when her divorce is final. We're told the networks have offered her money at various times and for most people it would be a huge deal -- for Maria ... sources say it's not gonna change her life and isn't nearly enough to make her sign a contract.