Former “Today” anchors Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley were on hand to help host Monday morning’s show, as well as celebrate current anchor Matt Lauer’s 56th birthday, which former anchor Meredith Vieira also joined — by phone.
Co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who is on vacation, wished Lauer well in a taped message, while weatherman Al Roker appeared over a live feed from California and had correspondent Carson Daly deliver a gift that would help Lauer hide his age.
See video: Matt Lauer Tells Ellen DeGeneres About His ‘Baywatch’ Halloween Costume, or ‘Testicle Vice’
Vieira, who co-hosted the NBC morning news program alongside Lauer between 2006 and 2011, was busy celebrating her own birthday, her 60th, but in a far more relaxing setting.
“I’m still in bed. I’m sitting here watching you guys, you’re fabulous,” Vieira said. “I’m eating my cereal, and I’m washing it down with vermouth.”
Pauley, who anchored “Today” alongside Gumbel for seven years until stepping down in 1989, had her two children make their television debuts to wish Lauer a happy birthday, while Gumbel — who was replaced by Lauer in 1997 when he stepped down — reminded Lauer of their 21 years of friendship.
