Matt Lauer says he has no intention of following in his former “Today” show partner Katie Couric’s footsteps by making a foray into evening news.

Couric has been making headlines this week as she began her stint as the new anchor of the CBS Evening News, after 15 years at “Today.”

Lauer, meanwhile, said he is happy where he is. “At the moment, I don’t have another dream job,” Lauer said in a meeting with reporters on Thursday. He added that the format of the morning news show fits his talents better.

Lauer’s new “Today” show partner, Meredith Viera (former co-host on “The View”) will be making her debut on the NBC show next week.

Last spring, Lauer renewed his contract with NBC News to remain at “Today” until 2011. His salary is estimated at between $13 million and $15 million a year.

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In the latest installment of the Tom Cruise saga, Matt Lauer, host of the “Today” show, was the latest recipient of Tommy’s wrath.

Tom Cruise criticized NBC “Today” show host Matt Lauer on Friday when Lauer mentioned Cruise’s earlier criticism of Brooke Shields for taking anti-depressants. Cruise told Lauer he didn’t know what he was talking about. “You don’t know the history of psychiatry. I do,” Cruise said.

The interview became more heated when Lauer, who said he knew people who had been helped by the attention-deficit disorder drug Ritalin, asked Cruise about the effects of the drug.

“Matt, Matt, you don’t even ? you’re glib,” Cruise responded. “You don’t even know what Ritalin is. If you start talking about chemical imbalance, you have to evaluate and read the research papers on how they came up with these theories, Matt, OK. That’s what I’ve done.”

Earlier this week, Cruise lashed out at a British man who was posing as a repoter when he sprayed Cruise with water.

Initially, Cruise appeared to laugh but then asked the prankster: “Why would you do that?”

The man mumbled an excuse, but Cruise persisted: “Do you like thinking less of people, is that it?” The man then tried to walk away but Cruise reached across the barrier, grabbed his arm and said: “Don’t run away. That’s incredibly rude. I’m here giving you an interview and you do that … it’s incredibly rude … You’re a jerk.”

Four men connected to the incident were arrested but Cruise decided not to press charges.

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