Meredith Vieira’s Emotional ‘Today’ Sign-Off (Video)

Matt Lauer and the gang bid adieu to one of their own with a heartstring-tugging extravaganza

June 8, 2011 @ 10:41 AM

Wednesday's edition of "Today" might as well have been sponsored by Kleenex.

Co-host Meredith Vieira bid adieu to NBC's long-running show this morning after five years on the program, and if you thought there wouldn't be some serious tugging of the heartstrings, you clearly need to crack open a copy of Televised Send-Offs for Dummies.

"It's a hard one," Vieira admitted during Wednesday's swan song. "Very mixed emotions. I know it's right, but it's hard."

Mixed emotions, but emotions nonetheless, especially with NBC pulling out all the stops to lubricate viewers' tear ducts. A retrospective of Vieira's best clips? Check. Carole King warbling "You've Got a Friend"? Uh-huh. And to top it all off, a mass lip-synch of the 1981 Journey chestnut "Don't Stop Believin'." (Finally, the Meredith Vieira-Tony Soprano connection has been revealed.)

Grab the hankie and share in the farewell-fest by watching the videos.

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