We're Trying to Like Ann Curry

By
dubymcd
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Ann Curry Laughing
If you’re a Today Show viewer, the broadcasters who sit on The Couch are all-important. There was Jane Pauley & Bryant Gumbel, then Bryant & Katie, then Katie & Matt, now Matt & Meredith. (Dare to mention the name “Deborah Norville” to a longtime Today person and you’ll be met with an icy stare).  There is a certain “something” that the co-hosts have – intelligence, plus a dry wit – and it seems to resonate across the country and across socioeconomic lines.
But Ann Curry?
For years she’s been the heir-apparent, but we don’t know why. We weren’t shocked that she was named to replace Meredith Vieira, but had hoped something or someone might intervene. Perhaps the elevation of Natalie Morales or Savannah Guthrie. This surely would have been seen as a slight to Curry, who was passed over when Katie Couric left, but we could still hope.
From all accounts she is a great person who does a very good job as a reporter. We just think she comes across as melodramatic in her interviews and delivery, and doesn’t display much authenticity or wit.
Presumably The Research says she’s loved by the viewers. We hope so, as we don’t want to see the show fail. We just don’t get it.
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55 COMMENTS

  1. I could not agree more. I cringe every time she touches/pats a guest (or fawns a celebrity), asks inane interview questions, or speed reads the news. She seems like a lovely and nice woman, just not great on Today (though decent on Dateline). I wish Natalie had been named anchor. She’s terrific.

  2. I could not have articulated this better myself. Even the way she stares at Matt with such fawning earnestness bugs me. The Today Show works best when both hosts are equals. I just don’t see Ann on the same level at Matt (or Meredith, or Katie.)

  3. I’ve always thought that Ann lacked compassion to handle the softer stories. I agree with Sarah’s comment, she’s great on Dateline. I’m interested to see if Today manages to stay at the top.

  4. I feel the same way, Duby, and agree with the posters above. I think she should have been moved off Today years ago and “promoted” to sole host of Dateline. I think Erin Burnett has been the sub with the best chemistry with Matt, but she’s leaving the network for, I think, CNN. I’ve seen Ann do a good job hosting Today, but it’s been rare. More often she’s borderling unwatchable.

  5. Yea, not sure why they made this decision. God knows, networks aren’t much for loyalty. The way she fauns over celebrities drives me nuts. She doesn’t have an objective bone in her body. Hmmm? Then again she might fit in perfectly as a Today host. natalie as the “news reader”…just another pretty face. Aren’t there any journalists?

  6. I think she’s very good. Agree she should do Dateline or 60 Minutes and be primary fill in for NIghtly/Evening news. I don’t understand the morning news route to prime time, but many have taken it.

  7. I really dislike Ann Curry. She may be a “nice” person but her on air persona is terrible. She plays cute, makes inappropriate comments, fakes compassion, can’t even read the news without making errors, and is slow to pick up on unscripted conversation among the others. NBC made a HUGE mistake. She is not the caliber needed.

  8. I agree with the comments. I REALLY dislike Ann Curry. She’s too gushy. She pushes to try to get people to cry. I love it when she tries to do that and the person being interviewed pushes her attempts right away. Her interviews are nauseating! Barbara Walters must have been her mentor. She’s really nauseating too.

  9. Ann Curry is best suited to “adventure” stories and global disasters like the recent tsunami and earthquakes where she can use her emotions to try and connect what she’s reporting to the viewers. That sort of reporting doesn’t fly on the Today Show couch and I am dumbfounded by this decision. Whew, can everybody just take a breath, slow down, and give these positions some serious thought? I don’t think anybody at that network realizes what a mistake they have made. I feel like it was just “her time” after being slighted when Katie left. Ann is a decent field reporter and they should have left it at that.

  10. I agree that Ann is great on Dateline, but I am not enjoying her as the cohost on the Today show at all. I don’t she has the sense of humor that Katie and Meredith had that makes the show fun, not just informative. I think Ann is probably a great person and reporter but is too “serious” for the cohost position in my opinion. I have been an avid watcher of the Today show but am liking it less and less already.

  11. I totally agree with the comments above. I, personally, was shocked when I heard Ann was the new Today Show co-host. She makes me nervous, has weird mannerisms and is just not enjoyable to watch. I was a faithful Today Show viewer but now not-so much. I hope Today listens to the people’s comments before it is too late. Even Matt seems duller when paired up with her. But does anyone have any ideas who would be a good fit for the position? I would love to hear your ideas!

  13. It was wonderful when Ann was on assignment recently and not on the set. Now that she’s back we move to watch other networks in the morning. It is painful to watch her interviews, there was a segment on tomatoes yesterday and you could see and feel the tension as she conducted the session. She was actually told by the chef to forget about messing with the unplugged blender as he was moving the presentation forward, he was totally over her from then on. No charisma…………And then there is the going out of her way to shake someones hand and say thanks,not to say this is bad but, many times it seems so awkward and fake. There is great electrcity among Natalie, Savanah, and Al but no so much with Ann around. Matt has not been the same with his new co-host. NBC we are looking foward to Ann’s next assignment. Sorry but you’ve made a HUGE mistake on this one! You need to know you are losing viewers at an alarming rate…………..

  14. It’s approaching the point where either she goes or we go…we dreaded Ann’s interview this morning with the parents of a bullied teenager who committed suicide and yes, our dread was justified. It was a nauseating, awkward, phony attempted (and totally failed) tear jerker that insulted the grief of the bereaved parents. “I feel your pain” is fine” but Ann goes out of her way to imply her pain is greater than that of her interviewees. Also, lately, in banter between the co-hosts she seems to be attempting to be as funny and ditzy as Meredith (who was wonderful at it) but Ann just comes off as DUMB. Oh my gosh, she just called Laura Bush “Miss First Lady”!!!

  15. NBC probably does not care but I have switched to Good Morning America, the electricity within Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos is electrifying. It’s like the the electricity that used to be there between Katie and Matt or Meredith and Matt. The whole show is entertaining. My HaHa moment came yesterday when Robin was interviewing Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore and Alicia Keys about their new movie “Five”. It is a breast cancer film and Robin having been a breast cancer survivor never made herself look like a victim she conducted herself with dignity (Ann would have made it sappy, fake, would have wanted the audience’s pity).
    We are educated women looking for a show with real information and not theatre!
    I love Ann BUT this is not the job for her.
    SHE does not have the pizzazz to carry the kind of audience you have in the morning she would be best suited reporting disasters or evening TV. I say this with no disrespect intended.
    I have been a faithful Today show viewer for the last twenty years, I started watching when Jane Pauley and Bryant Gumbel were co-hosts.
    A better choice would have been Savanah Guntrie, Nathalie Morales or Tamryn Hall they are simple women that we can all relate to. There is no faking!!!

  16. I agree with you 100%. I’ve been a Today Show fan for years. Just this morning I had two too many cringe moments, when Anne hugged Matt and laughed hysterically at something un-funny he said to her outside. Then again, when interviewing someone who just announced she had breast cancer and Anne says “I can see during this interview that you are trembling.” Yes Anne, thanks for pointing out a woman is upset that she was just diagnosed with breast cancer.

    I changed the channel immediately. I’m watching GMA. I’m done with Today.

  17. Toddy

    I too was so disappointed when Ann was appointed Co-Anchor. It is so uncomfortable watching her interview people and try to interact with her co-workers. She talks too much, cuts her interviewees off, doesn’t finish sentences, and is so falsely compassionate. When she is interviewing or bantering I turn the channel usually to the CBS morning show. Poor choice – if they’re not careful they’ll loose Matt. Norah McDonald (love her) or Natalie or Savannah would have been a better choice.

  18. Watching Ann Curry do interviews and being way, way too touchy with people is very hard to watch. There is nothing genuine about her – she always turns attention to herself. She also tries to be funny and, it comes off very unfunny. I too have been turning to GMA for early morning news because of Ann Curry.

  19. I agree with everything written above. She is just simply inept as a news anchor – she wouldn’t even be a good local tv news reporter. I could do a better job than she does. It’s so uncomfortable watching her. She can’t take the pressure – messes up words endlessly – my skin crawls to try to watch her do her job – not what i’m looking for on my morning news show. I

  20. Man reading these posts have made me feel better! i thought i was so bad thinking this woman who is beautiful, caring, pleasant, blah, blah, blah just absolutely made me SICKKKKKK!!!!!!!! I had to google “I dont like Ann Curry”. I have discovered I am not alone 🙂

  21. I also don not like her fawning, false manner. This came to a head for me last week when, at the conclusion of an interview with Adam Sandler she kissed his hand! I now watch “Good Morning America” for fear of upchucking my breakfast.

  24. Ann’s poor hosting skills are taking the life out of Matt Lauer. Their lack of chemistry is killing the show and killing Matt. He looks defeated. She rambles and stumbles and NEVER finishes a word. She clips-off the end of every word she tries to say (which all come out as fast as she can possibly spit them out). Can’t watch this trainwreck anymore…

  25. Watching Ann conduct an interview as she awkwardly searches her brain for fragmented thoughts is like watching a frustrated stutterer trying to give a speech.

    NBC Execs have to know that 99% of Americans find Ann unwatchable.

  27. Wow, I thought it was just me. Ann is in the wrong job. New Magazine perhaps but to sugary for early morning. I have watch the Today’s show for years…..now, I skip it and go to the gym. I guess it was time for me to get fit and get rid of all the sugar in my life.

  28. Agree with article and all comments posted.
    Is there a way to let the Today show people know that she is nice, but not up to the task? Can’t find a place to let them know. Maybe they read these posts?
    I too, no longer look forward to the Today show and have even been watching CBS’s morning show on occasion.

    • It is beyond belief that the powerful policy makers at NBC don’t appear to have a clue about her inept, unprofessional, extremely annoying, simpering demeanor as co-host and it’s an insult to Jane Pauley, Katie Couric, Meredith Viera and Ann’s other predecessors that she is kept on the program. Is she blackmailing someone? Is she sleeping with someone? Her co-workers may love her dearly as a person but they MUST know she’s a disaster as a morning show host. And aren’t they embarrassed? We, the viewers, aren’t stupid – we know the difference between talent and woeful incompetence. When even Kathy Lee Gifford speaks more eloquently than Ann Curry the world is in trouble.

  30. I completely disagree with everything said. I thing Ann Curry is one of the best people ever to be on television, let alone the Today show. She has true compassion, and everyone, including all of the people she interviews, love her and open up to her because she is not trying to get anything over on them. She is just getting the facts out. Natalie is a total babe, of course, and I think that with a couple of more years under her belt she can do a great job as the Today anchor, even if she is not quite ready now. Ann is great, but I am sure she will move on leaving an opening for Natalie.

    • Surely you jest. You “thing” Ann Curry is “one of the best people ever to be on television”, which would pass over Tom Brokaw, Walter Cronkite, Alistair Cooke, Edward R. Murrow?….oh my, the list goes on. Natalie Morales is no doubt thrilled to hear that you think of her as a “total babe” but I’m sure she’d be happier to be described as an eloquent, intelligent and astute news reporter who uses proper grammar and doesn’t fawn over people. Yes, let’s hope Ann takes her great talent elsewhere soon so we can watch the Today show without worrying what gaffe she’s going to pull off that day.

  32. I just googled “get rid of Ann Curry” and was relieved to know that I am not alone! I am tired of cringing every time I watch her interview someone and this morning, I finally resolved not to watch the Today Show until NBC replaces Ann Curry. Savannah Guthrie was great while Ann was away and I was actually hoping NBC had come to their senses by replacing Ann with Savannah (or Natalie Morales). Not to be! Ann is probably a very nice person but I can no longer stomach her syrupy, nervous, overly excited interview style. And her LAUGH makes me want to cover my ears. This loyal Today Show watcher for over 25 years is converting to GMA!

  33. I agree with Tash78 and nearly ALL other comments…..I can’t believe and am relieved that there are others out there feeling this way. She has to go!!!
    It definitely seems to me that it is affecting Matt too.
    Thank you all for validating my guilty feelings of disliking her persona.

  34. It sounds like “cringe” seems to be a common response to watching Ann Curry on the Today show. Glad to see I’m not alone. I was starting to feel guilty about being bothered by her sweet sappiness and exaggerated efforts to “fit in” with the pros. I liked her when she was reading the news but can’t stand her next to Matt. Hope something changes soon!

  35. I agree with you. Ann Curry is driving me nuts. She shouts over and drowns out everyone to be heard and doesn’t listen to anything anyone else says. She may be sincere but she comes off as a total phony the way she leans in and patronizes her guests and the touching is too much. Anyone doing that at their place of employment would be reported for that. Obviously she hasn’t heard of personal space. She tries to talk too fast and screws up all her dialog, then gasps for breathe at the wrong times when reading a sentence so that it doesn’t even make sense. She needs to get sent back on the road and do some adventure/location stories. I agree that Savannah nad Natalie are great. I was so relieved when Ann was put. TODAy – don’t drive me away!

  36. I’ve been a Today show watcher for many years and during my recent period of unemployment, have had the chance to watch more regularly. I’ve always thought of Ann as a kind and compassionate person and felt she was the work horse of the show (prior to being appointed as co-anchor), since she’s frequently found somewhere on location around the world reporting on major tragedies and social upheavals. But I must agree with many of the comments here. I’m very uncomfortable watching her do interviews where she leans in toward her interviewee and frequently touches them and seems overly involved in their personal situations. Did anyone see the interview she did with the teenage girls from Leroy, NY who have mysteriously developed the Tourette’s-like symptoms? She actually leaned over to one of the girls and pushed a lock of her hair back off of her face–totally inappropriate. Although I’ll probably still be a Today viewer, I have been watching the new and much improved CBS Morning Show with the new anchors Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill.

  37. She is awful and the NBC execs that made the decision to give Curry the job should be fired. It was a monumental mistake that may turn out to be a disaster. I used to love Matt and Katie and even Merideth but can’t stomach Curry. If they don’t get her out of there soon they will see a drop in ratings! Pay Katie anything she wants and get her to come back! LOVE Her and Matt together! They were awesome.

  38. I switched to Good Morning America not long after Anne took the anchor job. Horrible is my word for her. I’m sure she is a great persn but she is not Today anchor material. If you need me, I’ll be watching GMA! Go Robin!

  41. Mispronouncing “Mobile, AL” and “Biloxi, MS” in the space of 3 minutes after the primaries this week was fairly typical. The only thing more painful than watching her wrestle with the language and her sappy manipulation of non-professional interviewees might be watching her try to “bulldog” political pros into “yes or no” answers when everyone watching knows she’s overmatched. I saw better interviews from college students cutting their teeth on a university-owned TV station.

  42. Oh Ann, you are so very cool and hip…pushing those four young guys (who assist people to fulfill their wishes before they die) to go ahead and say “crap” this morning – her word. I would think a teacher would be fired for encouraging a student to use THAT description in the classroom.

  43. I hope the rumors are true…that Ann won’t be there at the end of the year, because there’s tension on the set. I don’t like her “delivery”. She gets in Matt’s “personal space” so much, that it makes ME uncomfortable. I hope the powers that be make a change soon.

  49. Gosh! What a relief! I thought I was the only one who feels this way. I think that Ann is so fake especially when she tries to appear to empathize with a guest. She talks way more than the guest and over-explains her questions (as if the guest is stupid!). I can’t watch the Today show anymore. If I do, I simply skip her segments. I miss Meredith and Katie so much. Ann is a smart and intelligent reporter but I agree with others that she is indeed the wrong person to be paired with Matt. Hopefully this blog makes its way to NBC.

  50. Ann curry is a joke , a phoney , she’s not believeable . I’ve watched for years , not now . Feels so bad for some one ,and goes rite back to her phoney self . The whole show has been in bed with the left , I’m gone and glad to be . I don’t need false read 1st thing in the morning .Get rid of that false person ann curry ..