During the red carpet show leading up to the 40th anniversary special of NBC’s Saturday Night Live, actor Jim Carrey ended his interview with Today co-hosts Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie on a rather awkward note by suddenly asking them where NBC is “hiding” suspended NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams.
Lauer was attempting to draw the interview with Carrey and former SNL cast member Tina Fey to a close by telling them to “have a great time inside,” but Carrey interjected with: “Can I ask you guys a question? Where are you hiding Brian Williams? Where is he?”
Fey almost immediately started shaking her head and even turned away from the camera as Lauer and Guthrie tried to laugh it off and, predictably, move on to Carson Daly and the next interview as quickly as possible.
“Oh, look at the time,” Lauer exclaimed as he tried to defuse the situation.
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Carrey then was able to sneak in one more comment on Williams by asking if he could “say something in his defense”: “If the helicopter in front of me gets hit, I'm taking the story.”
Prior to Lauer’s toss over to Daly’s interview with Will Ferrell, Guthrie awkwardly told Carrey “[t]hat’s a wrap.”
The relevant portion of the transcript from NBC’s SNL 40th Red Carpet Special on February 15 can be found below.
NBC’s SNL 40th Red Carpet Special
February 15, 2015
7:17 p.m. Eastern
MATT LAUER [to TINA FEY and JIM CAREY]: Guys, have a great time inside.
JIM CARREY: Thanks a lot.
TINA FEY: Thank you.
CARREY: Can I ask you guys a question?
LAUER: Yes?
CARREY: Where are you hiding Brian Williams? Where is he?
FEY: Oh Brian.MATT LAUER: Oh, look at the time.
GUTHRIE: Okay – Jim –
CARREY: I just want to say something in his defense, okay? If the helicopter in front of me gets hit, I'm taking the story. Okay?
LAUER: Thank you Jim.
GUTHRIE: Thank you.
LAUER: Appreciate it.
GUTHRIE: Thank you. That’s a wrap.
LAUER: Tina Fey, thank you.
