Ann Curry 'tortured'

And though Bell takes most of the blame for Curry getting the bum's rush, some of the blame is placed at the feet of co-host Matt Lauer, whose lack of chemistry with Curry and indifference to her role on the show helped seal her fate.

The whole nasty episode damaged Lauer's reputation with the public, as he joked at a UJA Federation of New York’s Broadcast Cable & Film Division event that his own Q rating (or measure of his popularity with the public) was below polio.

Although Curry remains with NBC News, she has appeared on the air only  a handful of times since her departure from "Today" last summer.
Source: Ann Curry reportedly says last days at 'Today' were 'torture' By Patrick Kevin Day
“A lot of time in the control room was spent making fun of Ann’s outfit choices or just generally messing with her,” one staff member told Stelter, whose book was excerpted online Thursday by               The New York Times Magazine.

Since her exit from  Today in June, Curry has remained “profoundly hurt and humiliated” by her dismissal and the taunts of colleagues. “

She told friends that her final months were a form of professional torture,” Stelter writes.
Source: Colleagues ‘tortured’ Ann Curry By  Dave Pooole

The website speculated that Jackson's interest in Rowe's testimony is rooted in the idea that the family's claim for damages against AEG would be hurt if it comes out the kids aren't Michael's biologically. Jackson's lawyers have asked the court to exclude any evidence of paternity.

Weird. If I didn't know better, it's almost as if perhaps someone sort of almost believes it might -- might -- be possible (however unlikely, of course) that Michael Jackson didn't actually father those kids.

It likely wouldn't matter anyway because, California law presumes that when a woman gives birth while living with her husband, the husband is the father, unless it's proven he can't reproduce.
Source: Hicks: Ann Curry 'professionally tortured' according to new book By Tony Hicks