ANN CURRY: “I COULD NOT CARRY THE BALL”

After nearly a week of avoiding rumors that she was about to be axed as cohost of NBC’s Today show, Ann Curry herself confirmed the rumors today (Thursday), saying it would be her last day on the morning talk show. However, there was not a trace of the defiance that marked Conan O’Brien’s farewell on the Tonight show in 2010, when he was allowed to announce that he had effectively been fired. “For all of you who saw me as a ground breaker, I am sorry I could not carry the ball across the finish line. But man, I did try,” Curry said, obviously fighting back tears. Ratings on the NBC morning show have fallen precipitously since she took over from Meredith Vieira, who left the show voluntarily a year ago, and some reports suggested that her co-host, Matt Lauer, had demanded that she be removed as a condition of renewing his own contract last month. Curry reportedly had at least two years remaining on hers, paying her $10 million for each year. News reports, citing unnamed sources at the network, said that NBC had offered her a deal that would pay her $10 million for one year but keep her on the payroll afterwards as a foreign correspondent. “I will still be part of the Today show family, but I’m going to have a new title and a new role,” she said. “We’ll go all over the world and all over the country at a time when this country and this world needs clarity.” She concluded, “I will keep trying and I’m sorry I turned into a sob sister this morning. Please forgive me, but I hope you’ll wish me well.”