Following last week's collision with a deer while biking and a subsequent separated shoulder, Matt Lauer was welcomed back to NBC's the "Today" show Thursday morning with open arms by his co-hosts – along with plenty of barbs from his "deer" friends.
"I feel good and I doubled up on the meds so I'm ready for all your jokes this morning," said Matt, who underwent surgery and will be required to wear a sling for six weeks. "It's a fashion statement – it'll be all the rage next year."
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After enduring jokes from Jay Leno earlier in the week, co-host Ann Curry told Matt, "We've decided since we're your friends and colleagues, we refuse to make any fun of you, we've made a pact," just before she put on a pair of fake antlers.
And the jokes didn't stop with just Matt's coworkers.
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Guest David DeVore told Matt, "You need to get a deer whistle for your bike."
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And Tony Kornheiser, co-host of ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption," who earlier called Matt's deer run-in a "made-up story," also showed up Thursday morning telling Matt, "For a guy that got in this terrible accident with a deer, you look great!"
"I didn't say a knife-wielding deer attacked me in the bushes," Matt fired back with a laugh.
"The sling is great cover." Kornheiser said, before offering up his own theory on what happened to Matt.
"Matt Lauer, Al Roker, spring break, and something goes terribly wrong," he said. "Matt Lauer, Michael Phelps. Need I go further?"
"If I were going to cover a scandal, I would have said a mountain lion, a rabid mountain lion, or Katie Couric, jumped out in front of me!" Matt joked.
See Matt's "Today" show return, HERE & HERE!
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