NBC

A man slashed his wrists Thursday during a live broadcast of the "Today" show.

It happened as Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie were outside in Rockefeller Plaza. The man -- who is in his 50s -- slashed both his wrists and his forearms. NBC's cameras didn't show the incident, but several people in the crowd captured photos and video.

The New York Daily News obtained a photo of the man as he attempted to cut himself.

Immediately afterward, the show moved inside the studio. Matt talked about the incident on the air ... saying the man only wanted to harm himself and no one else.

Kathie Lee Gifford says there will be a "revolt" at NBC if the powers that be allow Matt Lauer to leave the "Today" show, telling TMZ ... she'll do whatever it takes to keep him around.

Kathie Lee was leaving Rockefeller Center in NYC Monday morning when she made it clear -- she thinks Matt has been unfairly demonized in the media in the wake of Ann Curry's firing.

Kathie tells us, she wanted to buy a full page ad in an NYC newspaper defending her longtime co-worker, but Matt talked her out of it.

For the first time in 16 years, ABC's "Good Morning America" edged out NBC's "Today" in the morning show ratings last week -- and this morning, ABC News rubbed it in NBC's face ... throwing a champagne-popping victory party.

All the big swinging chicks at ABC were present ... including Robin Roberts, Diane Sawyer, and Lara Spencer -- in addition to ABC News President Ben Sherwood, Senior EP Tom Cibrowski, former "GMA" host Charlie Gibson, George Stephanopoulos, Sam Champion ... pretty much the whole crew.

We're told Robin Roberts toasted the entire "GMA" team, saying, "We're the face of it, but it's all you. Everyone in this building is a team."

Sources connected with NBC tell us all the talk about Matt leaving NBC's "Today" is nothing more than a well-timed negotiating ploy. Remember, the Matt buzz started right after reports surfaced Meredith will leave in September.

"Today" has been the #1 morning news show for 15 years -- a virtual cash register for the Peacock -- and we're told Matt wants his slice of the pie ... in other words ... $25 mil.

Lauer currently gets by on $17 million per year.

Sources tell TMZ the NBC show has definite interest in landing the coveted sit-down with LiLo -- a source at the Peacock says they are "actively" trying to sign her.

We're told Lindsay is strongly considering Matt Lauer & Co. -- among several other outlets -- which is ironic considering Dina Lohan's "Today" appearance didn't go over so well.

Maybe now she can clear up once and for all just how many times she went to rehab.

Someone allegedly stole thousands of dollars of wardrobe at an office facility for the show. We're told the clothes were for the band. We're told band members were supposed to go to the facility -- in Hollywood -- for a fitting, but before they arrived someone noticed lots of stuff was missing.

A "Tonight Show" insider told us the threads were for the new band, fronted by Rickey Minor.

Simon Cowell wasn't the only one who bid sayonara to "American Idol" last night.

Dorian Holley -- the Vocal Coach and Associate Musical Director -- said farewell last night as well, and he's heading for "The Tonight Show."

Holley was also the Vocal Director for Michael Jackson and was a key player in the London tour that never happened. He was with Jackson hours before he died.

Holley will become the lead singer in "The Tonight Show" band. And he's not the only "A.I." musical guru who's jumping ship -- Rickey Minor will take over Jay's band.

Andy Richter, Jack McBrayer and Masturbating Bear all made cameos during the show in Eugene, Oregon -- though, for legal reasons, the bear's name had be to changed to "Self Pleasuring Panda."

Conan's 32 city tour continues through June.

Though it appears NBC tried to edit around the Conan O'Brien support symbol, a few shots of the pin still managed to make air.

No word if Jay even noticed.

During an interview with Jimmy Baron from 92.9 Dave-FM Atlanta this weekend, Garlin -- a long time friend and former roommate of Conan O'Brien -- claims NBC was "stupid" to replace Leno with Conan in the first place ... but says Leno derailed Conan's chances for success by doing the 10 o'clock show.

A Conan O'Brien fan posed for a photo with Jay Leno last night with the letters "Coco FTW" written on his hand -- which means "for the win."

Leno got the "Tonight Show" back and Conan got $32.5 million from NBC -- they're both winners.

Richter was on "Live! With Regis and Kelly" today, where ripped into NBC by saying, "Everybody said they were going to do something and they didn't" -- adding that the network was mired by bad planning.

As for Jay, Richter joked "You know how multimillionaires are always being forced to do things they don't want to do ... I've calmed down about it."

Richter also teased a stage tour could happen -- calling it a "distinct possibility."

Conan O'Brien is shelling out his own cash to some ex-staffers who didn't get jack from that $7.5 million separation deal from NBC.

According to sources close to production, Conan's stagehands from "The Tonight Show" were not covered by the NBC severance plan. But we're told Conan is stepping up -- promising to pay his nearly 50 person crew at least six weeks severance out of his own pocket.

Conan's people had no comment.

The union for his former crew -- IATSE Local 33 -- says all the members who worked with Conan are "very happy" with the way he handled the whole mess.

Conan O'Brien is losing "The Tonight Show" but he'll be getting a $32.5 million consolation prize courtesy of NBC ... sources tell TMZ.

In return, we've learned Conan has agreed to sit on the bench until September. Translation -- he can't host another show until the fall.

In addition to the $32.5 mil, we've learned NBC is also paying severance to Conan's "Tonight Show" employees. In all, we're told NBC's payout is around $40 million.

But Conan probably won't see close to the $32.5 mil. Under the deal, any money Conan makes during the remaining contract period with NBC will offset the network's obligation. So, if Fox were to make a deal with Conan and pay him $25 mil during the NBC contract period, Conan would only score $7.5 mil from NBC.

One well-placed NBC source told us something surprising -- looks like NBC may keep its intellectual property rights. So Conan can't take his creations -- such as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and the Masturbating Bear -- to his next gig.

We're told the Conan/NBC deal still isn't completely done, but it's very close.

The protest -- which gained a lot of support on Facebook -- was set to start at 12 PM PT, but a bunch of Conan's brave, raincoat-clad faithful have been hanging around near the "The Tonight Show" studio for hours.

Jeff Zucker was not one of those people -- but Andy Richter, Masturbating Bear and La Bamba all addressed the crowd.

We're told "The Tonight Show" has handed out doughnuts and coffee to the supporters.

Sources connected to Conan O'Brien tell TMZ NBC honcho Jeff Zucker has been "nasty, arrogant and threatening" in negotiating Conan's out. The Conan people are outraged, saying the blame for the Jay Leno/'ConanO'Brien/"Tonight Show" debacle falls squarely at Zucker's doorstep.

An NBC spokesperson tells TMZ, as for claims Zucker has been nasty, arrogant and threatening, "There is absolutely no truth to that. It is easy to make false statements under the cloak of anonymity."

We're told Conan is so pissed off at NBC, he told the network he was leaving even though he still doesn't have a place to go -- at least not yet. Sources say Fox still has not made an offer.

An NBC source connected to the negotiations tells TMZ Conan "has acted like a baby" since the network announced the changes. The source claims NBC made $25 mil in profits off "The Tonight Show" the last full calendar year Leno hosted. The source says the projected loss for 2010 had Conan stayed put was $3 - 5 million. So NBC says it's simple math.

We're told the NBC/Conan deal still isn't finalized.