VIEIRA, LAUER ARE FRIENDS FOR `TODAY,' TOMORROW.

Byline: David Kronke Television Critic

`If I were Meredith (Vieira), I would be walking on air,'' Matt Lauer said of his new colleague on the ``Today'' show after the NBC News press conference Wednesday at the semiannual TV press tour.

Vieira, Lauer pointed out, in replacing the extremely popular Katie Couric, received ecstatic reviews, and the show itself maintained its high ratings, with nary a downtick in response to the change. Rarely, if ever, does such a change go so smoothly. ``Here we are ... a seamless transition, and we're thrilled,'' Lauer said. ``We're happy. We like each other. And we're looking to the future, so it's a good place to be.''

In September, Vieira replaced Couric, who left NBC in May to anchor ``The CBS Evening News.'' ``Today'' remains the dominant daytime news show it has been for the past decade, while Couric's venture into evening news has been less gratifying: After an initial ratings spike, CBS' evening newscast has returned to last place.

``Katie went off to find a great challenge, and I think she's finding it, you know, probably rewarding and hard and fun and all those things,'' Lauer declared. ``It's (still) early.''

`I kissed a monkey'

For her part, Vieira was the same witty and outspoken personality at the press conference that viewers have discovered her to be on ``Today.'' She opened the press conference by announcing, ``I need to apologize at this point because I can't get over the fact that I kissed a monkey this morning on the `Today' show, and I initiated it, and, quite frankly, I can't stop thinking about it.''

She added, ``I think that's what makes this show so wonderful and why I enjoy it so much, because it is a true combination of the silly and the serious. And as nervous as I was when I started, and everybody could see that on my face the first day -- boy, do I see it -- I don't think I had anything to be nervous about because I have joined a phenomenal family of professionals and fun people.''

Come September, ``Today'' will expand to four hours, though viewers won't see Vieira (because of contractual obligations from her hosting ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire''). There won't be much Lauer, either, but Al Roker and Ann Curry will likely still be present, though complete details have not been hammered out. The new hour, which may air later in the day in some markets, will likely emphasize lifestyle stories over hard news.

Lauer characterized the difference Vieira's presence offered. ``It was a certain chemistry with Katie,'' he said. ``It was a certain dynamic, and Meredith brings a different perspective. -- And I think Meredith was probably smartest about this of any of us, in that she didn't come in and try to be Katie. She came in as Meredith, and that's why she got the job in the first place.

``We're at a different stage of our chemistry now,'' he continued.

`We like each other'

``You can't compare 4 1/2 months to what it was like at the end of 10 years. Katie and I were at a point where we could complete each other's sentences. Meredith and I,'' he said, placing his hand on her shoulder, ``aren't there yet on that timing, but chemistry-wise and the way we like each other ... ''

Vieira interrupted him, joking, ``Don't touch me again.''

Lauer protested: ``You'll kiss a monkey, but I can't touch you.''

More seriously, he added, ``From the very first time we met, there was an immediate friendship. ... So far, it's been pretty phenomenal. ... You've seen other transitions. They don't always go well, and we're not faking this one. It's gone really well.''

David Kronke, [phone]

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``You've seen other transitions. They don't always go well, and we're not faking this one. It's gone really well,'' Matt Lauer says of working with his new ``Today'' co-anchor, Meredith Vieira, speaking at Wednesday's session of the TV critics press tour.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images