Kathie Lee Gifford Defends Matt Lauer

Matt Lauer has received backlash over the firing of Ann Curry and the decline in Today show ratings, his colleague, Kathie Lee Gifford, is coming to his defense. INSIDE EDITION has the scoop.

Kathie Lee Gifford has had it with criticism of Matt Lauer.

She says Lauer has been unfairly blamed for the ousting of Ann Curry at the Today show.

So Gifford wrote an open letter in support of Lauer that stated, "We the people of the Today show who work side by side, day by day, year in and year out with Matt Lauer are tired of unfounded and unrelenting stories by faceless characters." The letter was signed by hundreds of staffers, even Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, and Hoda Kotb.

The only high profile person that did not sign it was Ann Curry.

Gifford’s letter also says, "No one has coerced us to sign this. With our signatures we stand in support of our colleague and friend."

Gifford was going to personally pay for a full page ad in USA Today said to cost nearly $200,000. When she showed the letter to Lauer, he was said to be deeply touched, but asked her to "keep it in the family." The letter remains unpublished.