Matt Lauer speaks at Temple

“Vividly, in my mind, I’m still your age…”

Matt Lauer said this to Temple students packed into Annenberg’s Atrium on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. The Today Show co-host of 16 years shared his knowledge of and experience in the world of broadcast journalism with eager School of Communications and Theater students. After he made the above statement, he expressed his appreciation of the job he has.

“I have arguably the best job in broadcast. I pinch myself every day,” Lauer said.

One of the things he said he admires most about his job is the ability to see parts of the world he may never have seen otherwise. The three big ones: Easter Island, Mt. Everest, Cuba. “Where In the World Is Matt Lauer?” on the Today Show was broadcast live from each of these places.

“I used to think [the toughest part of my job] was getting up at 4:10 a.m.” His perspective has changed. Lauer has three kids at home, ages 8, 6 and 2 years old and he finds that the 1.5 hours of homework a night take a toll on his family life.

“I love my job but the homework can be a little tedious,” Lauer said.

As for the role of Lauer’s celebrity in his work, he said: “Sometimes it’s a pain in the you-know-what. It’s very strange… It helps that I know what it’s like to be asked strange questions.

“I’m more respectful [of those I interview],” Lauer said.

Lauer’s advice to students seeking jobs in the field of journalism? “[There is] very little patience with mediocrity in this business… If you want to be in this business you’ve got to have a thick skin.”

(This was written as extra credit for George Miller's Journalism 1111 class, Fall 2009. It has not been published elsewhere.)