TODAY {KATIE COURIC FAREWELL SHOW} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of early morning programs, featuring interviews, special features, and news. Katie Couric, an anchor on the show for 15 years, makes her final appearance as co-host. The program begins with a highlight reel of Couric's daily schedule on the show, comments from colleagues -- co-anchor Matt Lauer, weatherman Al Roker, and news reader Ann Curry -- and special guests, appearances as a CNN reporter and NBC Nightly News correspondent, interviews with world leaders and royalty, comical moments such as Couric singing, and reports on major stories ranging from the Iraq War to New Orleans flood coverage. Following a News Channel 4 news break with Rob Morrison, a film is shown of six people interviewed by Couric during major news stories, such as the Columbine school shootings. Afterward, the six appear on an outside stage as Idina Menzel and Trisha Yearwood sing "For Good" from the Broadway show "Wicked." Next, a montage is shown of major events in Couric's life during her years on "Today," including the birth of her two daughters, the death of husband Jay Monahan at age 42 from colon cancer, the death of her sister, and how Couric became a proponent of early detection for colon cancer. Another film montage follows, which includes Couric's "fearless" stunts performed on the show, her Halloween costumes for "Today," celebrities by whom she's been starstruck, and her appearance as host of "The Tonight Show." After introducing her family on camera, Couric watches as Martina McBride sings "This One's for the Girls" and Tony Bennett follows with "The Way You Look Tonight" and "The Best Is Yet to Come."
Colleagues Matt Lauer, Al Roker, Ann Curry, and Natalie Morales recall some of their favorite moments with Couric. Next, a group of colon cancer survivors tell how Couric's work to raise awareness about the disease saved their lives. A montage of Couric's hair styles and fashions follows, with comic commentary from "style experts" Joan Rivers and Jonathan Antin. Following a News Channel 4 news break with Carolyn Gusoff, former "Today" weatherman Willard Scott and "Today" film critic Gene Shalit pay their respects to Couric. A performance from the stars of Broadway's "Jersey Boys" features the song "Bye, Bye Baby" changed to "Bye, Bye Katie." Harvey Fierstein then joins them to sing "Start Your Day with Katie" and "Rock-a-bye My Katie." Following a taped message to Couric from "Today's" behind-the-scenes staffers, the entire group gathers in Rockefeller Center, with all raising a glass of champagne to a very teary Couric. This program is closed-captioned.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: May 31, 2006 Wednesday 7:00 AM
- RUNNING TIME: 02:03:23
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:89395
- GENRE: News; News, local; Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: News; Medicine; Music, popular (songs, etc.); African-American Collection; Asian American Pacific Islanders Collection
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1952-
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Blue Smoke" by Nora Roberts
- TV - Commercials - "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" Broadway play
- TV - Commercials - "Jersey Boys" Broadway play
- TV - Commercials - "The Color Purple" Broadway play
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- TV - Commercials - Hospital for Special Surgery
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- TV - Commercials - Ividocs.com
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- TV - Commercials - Neutrogena cream
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- TV - Commercials - New York Times
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- TV - Commercials - The New Cars and Blondie concerts
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- TV - Commercials - nyc.gov/healthcare
- TV - Commercials - visitnj.org
- TV - Commercials - wnbc.com
- TV - Promos - "Cars" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Click" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Dateline"
- TV - Promos - "Deal or No Deal"
- TV - Promos - "Ellen"
- TV - Promos - "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"
- TV - Promos - "Nacho Libre" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "News Channel 4"
- TV - Promos - "Off the D-List"
- TV - Promos - "Rita Cosby: Live & Direct"
- TV - Promos - "Starting Over"
- TV - Promos - "The Breakup" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Da Vinci Code" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Devil Wears Prada" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Lake House" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Mighty Hudson"
- TV - Promos - "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno"
CREDITS
- Jim Bell … Executive Producer
- Don Nash … Senior Producer
- Betsy Alexander … Senior Producer
- Tom Mazzanelli … Senior Producer
- Steve Thode … Senior Producer
- Colleen Halpin … Senior Producer
- Amy Rosenblum … Senior Producer
- Marc L. Victor … Senior Producer
- Barbara Simonl … Supervising Producer
- Noah Oppenheim … Supervising Producer
- Joanne Lamarca … Supervising Producer
- Melissa Lonner … Supervising Producer
- Antoinette Machiaverna … Producer
- Guy Ludwig … Producer
- Cheryl Wells … Producer
- Joanne Benson … Producer
- Patricia Luchsinger … Producer
- Andre Poulin … Producer
- Sara Pines … Producer
- Dorie Klissas … Producer
- Nicolla Hewitt … Producer
- Yael Federdush … Producer
- Terry Schaeffer … Producer
- Andrew Goldstein … Producer
- Alexandra Pournaras … Producer
- Jennie Thompson … Producer
- Tammy Fine … Producer
- Kerry Byrnes … Producer
- Jackie Olensky … Producer
- John O'Rourke … Producer
- Rainy Farrell … Producer
- Gil Reisfeld … Producer
- Robin Sindler … Producer
- Alicia Ybardo … Producer
- Mary Ann Zoellner … Producer
- Dionne D. Thomas … Producer
- Laura Treciokas … Producer
- Meredith Reis … Producer
- Tammy Filler … Producer
- Minah Kathuria … Producer
- Sabrina Clay … Producer
- Jennifer Long … Producer
- Mary Elizabeth Lawrence … Producer
- Margaret Pergler … Producer
- Karen Trosset … Producer
- Debbie Kosofsky … Producer
- Sean Reis … Producer
- Matt Carluccio … Producer
- Michele Leone … Producer
- Rachel Burstein … Producer
- Chemene Pelzer … Producer
- Dana Glaser … Producer
- Stephanie Siegel … Producer
- Brian Balthazar … Producer
- Jamie Zozzaro … Producer
- Paul Manson … Producer
- Matthew Zimmerman … Producer
- Matthew Glick … Producer
- Carrie Perricone … Producer
- Sarah Clagett … Producer
- Audrey Beles Kolina … Producer
- Sigi Devos … Producer
- Donna Nicholls … Associate Producer
- Robin Sherman … Associate Producer
- Rachel Delima … Associate Producer
- David Gelles … Associate Producer
- Steve Ascher … Associate Producer
- Cecilia Fang … Associate Producer
- Vivian Fel … Associate Producer
- Amanda Marshall … Associate Producer
- Tarik Flannagan … Associate Producer
- Lindsay Smith … Associate Producer
- Gretchen Berg … Associate Producer
- Amanda Mortimer … Associate Producer
- Lynn Markowsky … Associate Producer
- Roberto Bailey … Associate Producer
- Nick Palladino … Associate Producer
- Amy Unell … Associate Producer
- Emily McAdam … Associate Producer
- Joe Michaels … Director
- Ray Geraty … Writer
- Rana Farhat … Writer
- Katie Couric … Anchor
- Matt Lauer … Anchor
- Fred Facey … Announcer
- Al Roker … Reporter
- Ann Curry … Reporter
- Rob Morrison … Reporter
- Tony Bennett … Singer
- Martina McBride … Singer
- Trisha Yearwood … Singer
- Idina Menzel … Singer
- Harvey Fierstein … Singer
- Joan Rivers … Guest
- Jonathan Antin … Guest
- Willard Scott … Guest
- Jay Monahan