Ryan Seacrest’s Big Announcement: Much Ado About Nothing?

…is anticlimactic. 

Seacrest’s big Today Show announcement has been a hot topic leading up to the fated April 4 interview, and now that it’s come and gone, the big question is: what was the big deal? 

Many members of the media expected Seacrest announce that on top of his radio show, hosting American Idol, and producing a handful of big-time reality series for E!, he’d be taking a spot among the Today Show staff, possibly replacing longtime head host with the most Matt Lauer. Instead, Seacrest palled around with Lauer before revealing he’d be joining NBC’s primetime coverage of the Summer Olympics in London. 

“I’ve worked with the E! network for years and E! and NBC are part of the same family,” he said. The plan was for him to “join the NBC Family and continue his work at the E! network.” Sounds painless enough. 

That’s it? Well, almost. Seacrest did also confirm that he “plans on” staying at American Idol for a “very long time.” So Lauer and Seacrest fans alike can breathe sighs of relief, Idol and Today will keep their trusty navigators for now. And it seems all that rumor-mongering for the past few months about Seacrest stealing Lauer’s post has done nothing to dampen the friendly rapport between the two. They’re practically making each other friendship bracelets in this segment. 

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