Kim Kardashian is ALREADY talking about her blossoming relationship with Kanye West ... telling the "Today" show she's a big fan of his new song ... even though he rips her ex-husband. .

A smiley, happy Kim sat down with Ann Curry this morning ... and took on question after question about her new hook-up ... to which Kim replied, "I completely respect and understand you have to ask these questions."

Kim then explained she's been friends with Kanye for years and is excited for what the future holds for them.

Ann also asked about Kanye's new song, "Theraflu" ... the one in which he professes his love for Kim and says he could've had Kris Humphries kicked off the NJ Nets.

Speaking of Kris ... Kim told Ann she doesn't want to talk about him anymore ... saying, "I have closed that chapter ... I'm just really ready to move on."

Matt Lauer has signed a new, long-term deal with the "Today" show.  He will become way richer than he already is, and we're told the next move will be to send Ann Curry packing.

As TMZ first reported, Lauer got close to his $30 million a year asking price, nearly doubling his $17 million a year current salary. 

It's bad news for Ann Curry, because our sources say Lauer does not want her as his co-host, and it appears her fate is now sealed.

NBC sources say Ann's likely replacement will be Savannah Guthrie.

NBC has countered ABC's move of bringing Katie Couric to "Good Morning America" this week by announcing Sarah Palin will co-host "Today" this Tuesday. 

On their website, the peacock said that Palin will "reveal a different side of her than you've seen before." NBC is also promising that "a surprise legend will return to the broadcast Monday morning."

Palin and Couric are forever linked from their infamous interview in 2008 when Couric hosted "CBS Evening News."

The interview is widely credited for destroying Palin's credibility ... probably forever.

Christie Brinkley's ex-husband claims the supermodel's teary appearance on "Today" was nothing more than a "cunning and shameless" attempt to "garner public sympathy by "dishonest means."

Peter Cook released a statement ... BLASTING Brinkley's interview with Matt Lauer ... saying, “Christie was entirely dishonest about the circumstances surrounding the current court action which was precipitated by her and ... is doing further damage to our children."

In case you missed the "Today" show interview yesterday, an emotional Brinkley claimed Cook has been on a mission to destroy her life since they broke up.

Cook is clearly unhappy ... his statement continues, "I am also shocked by the blatant lies she told regarding our divorce proceedings of four years ago, including denying the indisputable fact that she fought for an open courtroom despite the warnings it would harm our children.”

 "[Brinkley] will stop at nothing to continue the drama in our lives in order to harass me and keep herself relevant in the media."

Cook also claims Brinkley is simply still bitter from when he cheated on her with an 18-year-old woman during their marriage ... saying, "Clearly, Christie does not believe I was punished enough four years ago for my indiscretions in our marriage, but for the sake of our children I wish she would find a way to move on.”

Matt Lauer has softened his position about leaving "Today" in December at the end of his contract -- that is, if NBC antes up a record amount of money.

Sources connected to NBC tell TMZ ... Lauer was done with "Today" and wanted out -- but the word at the network is he will now re-sign if NBC ponies up way more than the $17 mil he's currently making.

We're told negotiations are now ongoing -- but if NBC agrees ... Lauer could score as much as $30 MILLION a year.

As for why the change of heart -- there are two schools of thought according to network sources. Some say Lauer changed his mind when network execs made it clear they were extremely interested in tapping Ryan Seacrest as Matt's replacement -- in other words, he got a little jealous.

But there's another school of thought -- that Lauer has wanted to re-sign all along and just played the "I'm leaving" card to score a bigger pay day.

As for whether Lauer is worth $30 mil ... to put it in context, "Today" makes roughly $450 million a year for the network ... more than any other show on NBC.

So we gotta ask ...

Dr. Conrad Murray NEVER should have agreed to be interview by "Today" ... because the "complete lack of remorse" he demonstrated on the show made him look even more guilty ... this according to the rock star attorney who prosecuted the doc.

Deputy District Attorney David Walgren appeared on "Today" this morning -- and said Murray showed a "complete lack of personal responsibility" in an interview with co-host Savannah Guthrie that aired days after the conviction ... insisting there's no way it could've helped Murray's case.

Murray was all over the place during the interview -- contradicting the story he originally told police and then proclaiming, "I didn't do anything wrong!"

Justin Bieber has finally decided to address the baby daddy rumors himself -- telling Matt Lauer point blank ... Mariah Yeater is LYING THROUGH HER TEETH.

Bieber appeared on "Today" and said, "I'd just like to say that none of those allegations are true" ... adding, "I know I'm going to be a target, but I'm never going to be a victim." 

The Kardashian family is screaming it from the mountain tops -- trying to convince the world they DID NOT PROFIT from Kim's ill-fated wedding ... but there seems to be a problem with their logic.

Kris Jenner appeared on "Today" this morning ... and said, "It saddens me to think that one of the rumors is that we’ve sold the television rights for millions of dollars, not true. We profited or she profited – absolutely false."

Jenner's statement follows a stern blog post from Kim -- in which she also stated, "There are also reports that I made millions of dollars off of the wedding. These reports are simply not true and it makes me so sad to have to even clarify this."

This morning, Kim appeared on the "Kyle and Jackie O" show in Australia, and once again insisted she didn't marry for cash ... saying, "I would never marry for a TV show, for money, for anything like that, and I think that's really ridiculous that I have to even, you know, kind of defend that but, you know."



Still, Kris admits K&K, "made some money for the pictures that were sold and things like that" ... but says the fam didn't profit, because all of that money went back towards paying for the wedding.

But here's the problem -- most people can't afford a $10 million wedding, and if Kim chose to pump her MASSIVE paychecks back into her wedding, that's her call ... and it STILL COUNTS AS PROFIT. Kim could have had a $6 mil wedding ... and banked $4.

So, we gotta ask ...

After the WORST TV breakup of all time, Charlie Sheen says he LOVES the idea of returning to "Two and a Half Men" ... even though his character is supposedly DEAD.

Sheen appeared on the "Today" show this morning ... where he told Matt Lauer that Ashton Kutcher is "going to do great" as the NEW star when the show comes back next week.

But when Lauer suggested Sheen could return to his old stomping grounds for a cameo -- Sheen LIT UP ... saying, "If they thought it was a good idea ... I'm completely on board for that."

Even though Charlie Harper "died" after Sheen went off the deep end a while back ... Sheen insists, "There was no body at the funeral ... there was no urn."

Don't hold your breath.

Kathy Lee Gifford ain't exactly sober on the "Today" show ... (see here, here, here and here) but she ain't exactly SMASHED OFF HER FACE either ... so says her co-imbibing co-host Hoda Kotb.

Three "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" are VERY UPSET with people who blame the show for "playing a major part" in Russell Armstrong's suicide -- saying the finger-pointing is simply "not fair."

Lisa Vanderpump, Adrienne Maloof, and Kyle Richards all appeared on "Today" this morning -- where they spoke out against the criticism ... and claim they're taking the "high road" in the tragedy.

Maloof says they are working with Bravo in an effort to do something "positive" together -- by getting the message out about suicide prevention.