NO NORVILLE AT GUMBEL'S LAST `TODAY'.Byline: Knight-Ridder Tribune News Wire ``Today'' to Deborah Norville This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by citing reliable sources. : Stay away. Former ``Today'' stars Tom Brokaw Thomas John Brokaw (born February 6, 1940 in Webster, South Dakota) is a popular American television journalist, Previously working on regularly scheduled news documentaries for the NBC television network, and is the former NBC News anchorman and managing editor of the program , Jane Pauley Margaret Jane Pauley (born October 31, 1950, in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American television journalist, and has been involved in news reporting since 1975. She is most known for her 13 year tenure on NBC's "Today" program and later 12 years of "Dateline NBC," and has and Joe Garagiola Joseph Henry Garagiola, Sr. (born February 12, 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American former catcher in Major League Baseball who later became an announcer and television host, popular for his colorful personality. will be on the NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. set Friday to pay tribute to Bryant Gumbel during his final broadcast. Most notable no-show: Norville, Gumbel's co-anchor from January '90 to April '91. Why not Norville? She wasn't invited. ``Today'' boss Jeff Zucker made the call. ``Deborah was here at a time that wasn't one of the happier periods in the long history of the `Today' show,'' says Zucker, 31, just back from a six-week medical leave. ``I see Friday's show as a terribly exciting and happy day, even though it's Bryant's last day. ``I don't think it would be awkward with Deborah there, necessarily. But on the other hand, I only want to celebrate the happy times.'' Norville's short, tempestuous tem·pes·tu·ous adj. 1. Of, relating to, or resembling a tempest: tempestuous gales. 2. Tumultuous; stormy: a tempestuous relationship. reign was anything but happy. After joining ``Today'' as news anchor in September '89, she replaced - some say backstabbed - the beloved Pauley four months later. More aloof and less playful than her predecessor, Norville never hit it off with Gumbel. Or with viewers. With Pauley taking the high road and Norville under a gag order A court order to gag or bind an unruly defendant or remove her or him from the courtroom in order to prevent further interruptions in a trial. In a trial with a great deal of notoriety, a court order directed to attorneys and witnesses not to discuss the case with the media—such from management, ``Today's'' ratings went into a free fall. Bubbly Katie Couric, then ``Today's'' national correspondent, was brought in for Norville during her maternity leave. Norville never returned. Couric's chemistry with Gumbel was immediate and true. Slowly, viewers forgave for·gave v. Past tense of forgive. forgave Verb the past tense of forgive forgave forgive and forgot. Now a certified Nielsen juggernaut, ``Today'' has won the weekly morning ratings race for 54 consecutive weeks, leaving ABC's once-untouchable ``Good Morning America'' and CBS' anemic ``This Morning'' in the dust. Norville, who joined ``Inside Edition'' as anchor in March '95, is out of the country and unreachable for comment, a spokeswoman for the syndicated show said Monday. She's due back on the air Monday. Also on Monday, ``Today'' news anchor Matt Lauer becomes Couric's new partner. ``The show takes on the personality of the people who sit in the anchor chairs,'' says Zucker. ``Katie and Bryant are like little sister, big brother. Katie and Matt are more like big sister, little brother.'' Zucker doesn't expect ``Today's'' ratings to dip with the new pair. ``The strength of family is what makes our show strong. Katie was out two months this year on maternity leave. Matt sat in for Bryant for a total of three months. I expect our numbers two months from now to be right where they are now.'' |
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