We spotted Matt Lauer and exec producer of Today Jim Bell waiting for a car at the Ritz to take them back to New York tonight, causing them to miss the Obama speech. What gives? "I'd love to be standing there watching it, but that way I wouldn't get back to the show tomorrow," Lauer explained. We then asked him if he has been steering clear of the madness at his sister channel, MSNBC:

Lauer: [With laughter] What madness are you talking about?

Bell: Is that Bravo, Telemundo, or CNBC?

Lauer: SciFi network? No, we try to keep a healthy distance from madness, but I'm not sure what's going on and I'll let it play out among all the parties involved. We have enough drama on our own show that we can keep ourselves busy…

New York: Maybe after the convention you'll be unified!

Lauer: Yeah, I think since people are looking for a unified country, maybe a unified network would be nice.

Bell: Yes! We! Can!

Lauer: Change we can believe in.

Earlier: How Is Hippie MSNBC President Phil Griffin Dealing With All the Rage on His Network? [NYM]