Where in the world is Matt Lauer? At home, wussing out
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Travel, Recession, Celebs & Money
Every spring, Matt Lauer of NBC's Today takes a jet-setting trip around the world, one destination a day, for a week. The "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" series is one of the show's most popular regular segments. This year, though, Lauer isn't going into the world. He's staying home. After soliciting ideas from viewers about where he should go, producers said they decided to keep him in the U.S. because going abroad "sent the wrong message."
"Going from Paris to the Pyramids felt potentially out of touch," explained a producer.
Give me a break. "The wrong message"? I accept that luxury travel isn't cool anymore. But it's not as if international travel is wasteful. Only extravagant travel can be wasteful. And there are plenty of places in America that will drain your wallet, so it's not like staying in America proves anything.
If it's about money, send him to the Pyramids with a backpack and a hostel membership, or fly him to Paris on one of those $700 week-long air-and-hotel packages. First, it would be proof that Americans' dream trips are indeed possible with diligence and saving. But I'd be wiling to bet a scrupulously planned foreign trip wouldn't be much more expensive than what it costs Americans to make pilgrimages to New York City just to hold up poster-board outside Today's Rockefeller Plaza studio.
Besides, did Today's producers ever consider that there are many Americans who truly can't afford to travel right now? Maybe they would enjoy seeing the Eiffel Tower from their armchairs, and let's face it: Today will spend an extraordinary amount of production dollars simply staying domestic, anyway.
There are plenty of wonderful places to go in America. If Today had said that it wanted to explore our own nation, I'd have totally gone with that. But selling this nationalism on the back of our fears about the economy is simply short-sighted.
If anything, I'd say pretending the world outside our borders doesn't exist is sending the wrong message.
I'm not the only one who thinks so. But where I see Lauer's new-found wallflower act as a sign of poor budgeting know-how, some writers are seeing it as another sign of American nationalism, which is something many observers thought was behind us. "Having just returned from the largest travel trade show on earth (called ITB Berlin), I can't even begin to fathom what Lauer is thinking," wrote one commentator, Nelson Alcantara. "For one, it is hard to imagine that anyone who works in the news industry would have such a narrow-minded vision.
"The point here is not to be extravagant, but rather spur travel for those who can still afford it," wrote Alcantara. "The U.S. needs it, so does the rest of the world."
The word staycation is so stale that lexicon writers have officially banned it. Americans don't have to stay home if they don't want to. They just have to spend smarter. If you listen to Today, that's not possible, and you might as well give up trying.
"Going from Paris to the Pyramids felt potentially out of touch," explained a producer.
If it's about money, send him to the Pyramids with a backpack and a hostel membership, or fly him to Paris on one of those $700 week-long air-and-hotel packages. First, it would be proof that Americans' dream trips are indeed possible with diligence and saving. But I'd be wiling to bet a scrupulously planned foreign trip wouldn't be much more expensive than what it costs Americans to make pilgrimages to New York City just to hold up poster-board outside Today's Rockefeller Plaza studio.
Besides, did Today's producers ever consider that there are many Americans who truly can't afford to travel right now? Maybe they would enjoy seeing the Eiffel Tower from their armchairs, and let's face it: Today will spend an extraordinary amount of production dollars simply staying domestic, anyway.
There are plenty of wonderful places to go in America. If Today had said that it wanted to explore our own nation, I'd have totally gone with that. But selling this nationalism on the back of our fears about the economy is simply short-sighted.
If anything, I'd say pretending the world outside our borders doesn't exist is sending the wrong message.
I'm not the only one who thinks so. But where I see Lauer's new-found wallflower act as a sign of poor budgeting know-how, some writers are seeing it as another sign of American nationalism, which is something many observers thought was behind us. "Having just returned from the largest travel trade show on earth (called ITB Berlin), I can't even begin to fathom what Lauer is thinking," wrote one commentator, Nelson Alcantara. "For one, it is hard to imagine that anyone who works in the news industry would have such a narrow-minded vision.
"The point here is not to be extravagant, but rather spur travel for those who can still afford it," wrote Alcantara. "The U.S. needs it, so does the rest of the world."
The word staycation is so stale that lexicon writers have officially banned it. Americans don't have to stay home if they don't want to. They just have to spend smarter. If you listen to Today, that's not possible, and you might as well give up trying.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
3-21-2009 @ 2:39PM
chrise said...
The only thing the "Today" show is good for is its cooking segments.
Reply
3-21-2009 @ 5:52PM
Joie said...
That is an interesting comment. I keep wondering why TV in general does not give an appropriate amount of time to the cooks who appear at the request of the network that just cannot seem to calculate how long the segment will be - and deserves to be shown in a respectable amount of time. Why can't they film those with respect to the chef and not have that hurry, hurry we're almost out of time moments that show someone did not calculate the effort that goes into providing the steps to completion!!!
Thanks for reminding me to voice this!
3-21-2009 @ 2:18PM
V ROZAS said...
LET MATT ROAM THE US...THERE IS PLENTY HERE THAT MANY AMERICANS CANNOT AFFORD TO SEE 48 STATES WITH ALASKA AND HAWAII...LET HIM STAY HOME WHERE IN THE US IS MATT...
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3-21-2009 @ 2:23PM
Jason Skrew said...
Nice try NBC. Why don't you just be honest and tell us that NBC cut it from the budget because they're losing money instead of some spin doctored excuse like "it sends the wrong message". I'm sick of being lied to by the media who is as transparent as you can get. You all really believe your own BS don't you. Go to JasonSkrew.com to read more about how Networks try to manipulate you!
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3-21-2009 @ 4:08PM
Yvette said...
Ha ha ha!! You are so right!!! We all know that everyone is making budget cuts!!! And, why does EVERYTHING send the wrong message! So what if people like to travel to other countries! I think it would make them appreciate America more!
3-21-2009 @ 2:29PM
tench said...
How many jobs will be lost because Mr. "politically a wussy" Lauer is staying at home. How many in the hotel industry? Airlines? Airport staff? Restaurants? Vendors of all kinds? This is rediculous!
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3-21-2009 @ 3:13PM
Patricia Rasmussen said...
Just let Matt go around the U.S. .
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3-21-2009 @ 2:26PM
Meg Goodrow said...
Here's an idea... How about Matt travels throughout the U.S. to obvious points of interest or the 'little known' points of interest. Bring that $$ to OUR state borders, towns, people. Suggestions: The infamous hot dog stand in L.A. (shaped like a hot dog)...Rte 1 in New England. Ben Franklin surveyed that route and it's the first established route of it's type in nation. Take that ride through the little towns and bring $$ there to mom/pop stores that are hurting now...Cadillac Diner in San Diego (and many others like it) with 50s/60s decor, music, food. So much fun for many generations...Best ice cream parlors (remember them) in the U.S. Soda fountains, black/white floors, vinyl/chrome seats. Brings back memories just writing this...Gorgeous shorelines in THIS country and they don't have to be the expensive ones. Nauset Beach 'down' the Cape, for example. Shore has been eroded with hurricanes. Dune drop to beach is breathtaking...Southern 'Tara' homes and welcoming B&B's in the south...Small hunting/fishing towns up north (but don't give away location of 'favorite hidden fishing holes') - That would be your $$ well spent and the making of VERY interesting viewing for your U.S. audience.
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3-21-2009 @ 4:07PM
Karol said...
I like your idea! I think we should flood NBC's mailbox with that idea. It really would boost our economy. There are alot of Americans who have never even left their state!
3-21-2009 @ 2:25PM
Roger said...
What about the extravagant salary Matt Lauer makes? He makes more in one year than most Americans make in a lifetime.
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3-21-2009 @ 3:58PM
12" Rod said...
So what, are you one of those solistist pinko bit$hes that want everyone to share their wealth?
3-21-2009 @ 7:10PM
barbyk said...
Matt's salary doesn't even come close to sports stars - but it doesn't really matter as long as they dont expect me to bail any of them out. ... this is/was a democracy ....
i do think it would be nice to see some of th spots in the usa - but it is their show and so far, they are paying their own bills.
3-21-2009 @ 2:30PM
Kim said...
Why doesn't NBC drop their obviously way to the left stand on politics, if they were so worried about public opinion. I dropped them right after the election and if not for Jay wouldn't watch it at all.
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3-21-2009 @ 6:11PM
thorny branch said...
well thank goodness you have your fox network to get you through your tormented days! why you must've all but had a cow watching jay on thursday night. poor thing.
3-21-2009 @ 8:54PM
susan said...
Why doesn't FOX do the same with their obvious to the right politics?
3-21-2009 @ 2:32PM
jack said...
This is America folks.... remember? Land of the free and home of the brave? As of today, you can still make the choice to spend or save your money, and travel anywhere you like. I choose not to leave this country for a couple of reasons. Air travel isn't safe any more, and I will not spend any money in foriegn countries that hate us anyway. Most European countries depend on the U.S. dollar and tourism... just like Hawaii. You can tell me I'm wrong, but after 33 years as an airline pilot, flying all over the world, I think I know what is what. You can confirm on ebay with the handle of CAL10PILOT
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3-21-2009 @ 2:34PM
D said...
$700 for a week in Paris? What planet does this guy live on?!Gimmee that $700 and I'll pay bills with it! I'd call that "spending smarter". "Staycation"? I just found a new, lower-paying job, so I won't even get one of those for a couple years!
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3-21-2009 @ 2:35PM
DuSmith said...
Traveling in the US means spending money in the US. It is that simple. Why would we encourage travelers to spend money abroad when money needs to be injected back into our own economy? I'm surprised that the author of this article and that those who replied were too 'narrow-minded' to recognize this very obvious economic perk. And quite frankly...I don't want to hear about someone's travels to the Pyramids when I can barely afford to travel to the grocery store.
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3-21-2009 @ 4:14PM
Betsy said...
I agree!. Travel in the U.S. and put your $$$ back into OUR economy. Let's face it... We need it more!!
3-21-2009 @ 2:35PM
ASL9810 said...
I agree that this is a "spin" on a budget cut. But there is no reason to pay for a bus trip around the USA. So instead of spending 5M they'd spend $250,000 and learn a tad bit more about the country they're in, instead of the country they're not.
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