Matt Lauer Gets Emotional on Meredith Vieira's last 'Today' Show

Matt Lauer Gets Emotional

June 08, 2011

Meredith Vieira's last day on the "Today" show turned out to be a tear-filled one, as the usually stoic Matt Lauer gave an emotional goodbye to his co-host of five years.

"I thought why does that always happen, why when I talk about Meredith in public do I always poke fun at her?," Lauer told Vieira, who was already crying. "And I realized, it's a little psychoanalyst here, but I'm afraid it's because if I really tell you how I feel I'm gonna turn into a blubbering idiot. But it's your last day so a little blubbering."

The "blubbering" continued as he told her, "I adore you, and I have since we had dinner five and a half years ago ... your talent, and your warmth, and your generosity, your sense of humor is what I'll remember most. I have marveled over the fact that with someone who's got talent as large as yours, how small your ego is. You've taught us all how to be great teammates and that's the gift I'll take away from you. So, thank you so much."

ET caught up with Vieira after her final show, where she reiterated that she's leaving "Today" because she wants to spend more time with her family.

"That's why I'm doing this. It's to spend time, especially with my husband, who's healthy and I value that ... it's so nice to have Richard here at the end," she says about her husband Richard Cohen, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and has battled colon cancer.

She also commented on rumors that she could be re-joining "The View".

"I read that too, but no one's called me," she tells ET. "I mean I would love to go visit for sure."

Check out the video to see more of Meredith's emotional farewell show, and for her comments on fellow former "Today" host Katie Couric's recently announced new talk show on ABC.