Friends and NBC colleagues Savannah Guthrie and Libby Leist.
Savannah Guthrie pulled a “power grab” to install an ally as the executive producer of the “Today” show, sources say.
We’re told that after former co-host Matt Lauer was canned in November, Guthrie pushed out Lauer pal and executive producer Don Nash and had him replaced by veteran senior producer Libby Leist. A source said that insiders “were shocked” when Nash — who started as an NBC page and has been there for 30 years — was replaced by Leist.
“Libby is Savannah’s best friend, and Savannah pushed Don out to put Libby there. It is a power grab by Savannah to make sure she gets the best assignments and has someone at the top looking out for her,” the insider said.
The source added that “this isn’t an issue with [Lauer replacement Hoda Kotb] — who is just happy to be there — but it is an issue with some of the staff, who had hoped, with the ousting of Lauer, that the era of anchors with outsized power calling the shots was over.”
it’s different when women pull a power play. What it is