Hoda Kotb is officially taking over Matt Lauer's position on Today, but she's going to be doing it at a fraction of the price.
After Lauer was fired from the Today anchor desk back in November for sexual misconduct, Hoda Kotb took over for him as his temporary replacement. NBC announced yesterday that Kotb would be taking over the position permanently, but Kotb confirmed to People that her paycheck will only be a fraction of what Lauer used to make for the same position.
"The answer is no -- that's not happening," Kotb responded when asked whether her weekly take home would be on the same level as Matt Lauer's previous salary. "I'm not making Matt Lauer money. Not even close."
Lauer was reportedly making somewhere between $20-25 million a year, and while Kotb wouldn't say what her previous or new salary might be, Page Six reports that both she and her co-anchor Savannah Guthrie only make $7 million a year.
Kotb went on to say that the money was not as important to her as doing the job she loved, but the wage disparity still spurred some outrage among critics and viewers.
Matt Lauer presided over Today for decades, earning steadily lower ratings and high unfavorability with viewers. Salary: $26 million a year.
Hoda Kotb became co-host of Today and immediately raised ratings. Her pay: $18 million LESS than Lauer's. https://t.co/kEztwnT2dN
The ratings for the Today show without Matt Lauer are better than ever, but Hoda Kotb will make $18 million less than Matt Lauer after replacing him.
Women are allowed to rise to the top when there's a huge mess to clean up, but they won't get equal pay.
Matt Lauer, a sexual predator, made $25 million a year at @NBC. Hoda Kotb, an award-winning television anchor with 30+ years of experience, will make $7 million as his replacement. For those of you who don't believe in the #genderpaygap, that's an $18 million pay gap.
— WHITNEY YOUNG (@whitneyyoung) January 3, 2018@TODAYshow @nbc Why is it that you pay women far less than men at your network? Both @SavannahGuthrie & @hodakotb are highly intelligent & highly successful women! You paid huge money to a sexual harasser (Lauer) but you won't give these great women the same salary? Such BS!
— Christopher Clay (@MrChrisC84) January 3, 2018Other Links From TVGuide.com TodayHoda Kotb