Ann Curry Fired, Fans Threatening ?Today? Boycott

Curry was let go due to dwindling viewership for Today; on her first year on the job, the show ended its 852-week streak as America's most-watched morning infotainment program, dipping below ABC's Good Morning America in four separate weeks, according to TV columnist Lisa de Moraes of the Washington Post.

Curry will still remain as the show's anchor at large and NBC's News National and International Correspondent/Anchor. Savannah Guthrie, Curry's colleague at Today, will take her place.

'Girlish Banter'

De Moraes attributed Curry's ratings woes to the lack of girlish banter with male co-host Matt Lauer, something the two previous female co-hosts, Meredith Vieira and Katie Couric, had.

Instead, Curry's strong suit was her compassionate reporting on the less fortunate and her willingness to go to great lengths to bring stories to her viewers.

Curry wasn't as good an actress as predecessors Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira, who kidded Matt Lauer with ease, said Hal Boedeker of the Orlando Sentinel. That wasn't Curry's shtick. She was the earnest, hard-news gal.

On various social media platforms, many Curry fans expressed disappointment about her removal and vowed to not watch Today anymore.

Letting Ann Curry go was a mistake! It was nice for once to wake up to someone who was 'real' instead of fake! I am so tired of the same 'Barbie' that the Today Show thinks they need to have! wrote Angela Ryan on the Today Facebook page on Saturday.

Goodbye NBC. After watching you for 60 years, I've made the switch to GMA [Good Morning America], see how your ratings go down more now with Ann gone!!!! wrote Nancy Bourne Johnson.

Savannah Guthrie is replacing Ann Curry in the today show? That's stupid. What has she got that Ann doesn't? Ann is flawless, tweeted @josrr.

Ending Ann Curry's role has ended my watching NBC Today Show, tweeted @FlemingFleming.

'Man Did I Try'

Below is Curry's tearful goodbye video and some notable quotes from it.

- You [the viewers] are why I have ventured into dangerous places and interviewed dictators and jumped off of planes and off of bridges and climbed mountains and landed in the South Pole and convinced the Dalai Lama to come live in our studio. I have loved you, and I have wanted to give you the world, and I still do.

- For all of you who saw me as a groundbreaker, I'm sorry I couldn't carry the ball over the finish line, but man I did try.

- I'm so sorry I turned into a sob sister this morning, please forgive me, but I hope you'll wish me well.