Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Viewers Confused About Matt Lauer's Absence After 'Today Show' Ousting

While the 92nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airs on NBC, some viewers are pondering the [...]

By Libby Birk

While the 92nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airs on NBC, some viewers are pondering the whereabouts of disgraced Today anchor Matt Lauer, who used to anchor the festive broadcast until he was fired by the network in late 2017 for inappropriate sexual behavior.

This year, the annual broadcast was hosted by Today show regulars Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker, with many viewers mentioning Lauer's noticeable absence.

"Wait, where is Matt Lauer?" one Twitter user wrote.

"WATCHING MACYS PARADE WHERE IS MATT LAUER," another said.

"What float is Matt Lauer on?" another user wrote.

While the comments very well may have been jokes about Lauer's employment status, others made it clear they weren't missing the 60-year-old this Thanksgiving.

"The #MacysParade on @nbc just isn't the same without Matt Lauer. Said no one ever," one user wrote, adding the hashtag #Thankful.

"I gotta say this is the best Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in recent memory because I don't have to sit through Matt Lauer's bulls—," someone else cracked.

It's unlikely that Lauer will make a return to TV anytime soon, despite recent reports that he assured fans he would be back.

"Matt doesn't really socialize much with his friends anymore. He's been staying close to home and laying really low and focusing all his energy on the kids," an insider told PEOPLE in September. "If he does go out, it's for them. He supports his kids' events."

Lauer was fired by NBC at the end of November 2017 over an internal complaint, although several more allegations of abuse later surfaced against him. He has apologized for his actions at NBC but denied certain "aspects" of the claims against him.

He reportedly reached a $20 million divorce settlement with wife Annette Roque, in which they will share custody of their three children. The two were married for 20 years.

Meanwhile, the parade, which Today anchors are calling the coldest on record, has continued as expected after some reports predicted that the balloons might not fly due to the day's windy conditions.

Chief of Patrol Rodney Harrison said at a news conference that the NYPD will deploy devices along the parade route to monitor wind speeds, and that 34-mph wind gusts would require the balloons to hit the ground.

The last time the balloons were grounded due to winds was in 1971.

This year's performers include Kelly Clarkson, Rita Ora, Barenaked Ladies, Pentatonix, Kane Brown, Sugarland, Ashley Tisdale, Leona Lewis, John Legend, Carly Pearce, Martina McBride, Ella Mai, Tegan Marie, Bazzi, Ally Brooke, Bad Bunny, Anika Noni Rose, Mackenzie Ziegler and more. In addition, Diana Ross will appear with her children and extended family: Tracee Ellis Ross, Rhonda Ross, Chudney Ross, Ross Naess and Evan Ross and his wife, Ashlee Simpson.

The parade airs on NBC from 9 a.m. until noon in all time zones.

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