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Matt Lauer is finally talking about Ann Curry's botched departure from the Today show.

In an interview with the Daily Beast, Matt says, "I don't think the show and the network handled the transition well... It clearly did not help us. We were seen as a family, and we didn't handle a family matter well." 

Since Ann's abrupt exit last June, the Today show's ratings have continued to decline, and Matt's reputation has taken a big hit. But Matt denies that he was instrumental in kicking Ann to the curb. In fact, he says he supported and tried to help her at the time. He also says that things got so bad after Ann left that he offered to "get out of the way" and leave the show. But his bosses didn't take him up on it. Still, there's much speculation that Matt is on his way out.

The Daily Beast also reveals that Ann was not Matt's first choice to replace Meredith Vieira. He approached former co-host Katie Couric to consider re-joining him on the Today show couch, but the deal never went through.