NEW YORK — For a morning show used to celebrating family and a connection with its audience, the “Today” show’s farewell to co-host Ann Curry on Thursday was brief, tearful and sad.

It was tinged with the sense of failure, something NBC’s dominant morning show hasn’t experienced in a long time.

Additional Photos

Co-hosts Ann Curry and Matt Lauer appear on the “Today” show Tuesday in New York. Her departure Thursday ended a week’s worth of awkward television. At right is actor Jimmie Walker. The Associated Press

R. Kelly

Hilary Swank

Curry, who was co-host with Matt Lauer for a year after several years as the news anchor, fought back tears on the air, saying “this is not as I expected to ever leave this couch.”

Her departure ended a week’s worth of awkward television. She came to work after word got out that NBC was looking to oust her, with neither she nor the network commenting on the stories until Thursday. “I’m sorry I couldn’t carry the ball over the finish line but, man, I did try,” she said.

While Curry was placed in a role to which she was unsuited, blaming her for the “Today” show’s troubles would be simplistic. Expecting her successor — most likely NBC’s Savannah Guthrie — to author an immediate turnaround would be unrealistic.

“There’s nothing wrong with Ann Curry,” said Shelley Ross, former producer for ABC’s “Good Morning America” and CBS’ “The Early Show.” “It is not an Ann Curry failure.”

Her ouster, however, was NBC’s first visible response to the end of its historic winning streak this spring. Starting in December 1995, NBC had won every week in the morning show ratings — 852 consecutive weeks — until being topped by “Good Morning America.” The two shows have since traded victories, with ABC winning a total of four weeks.

NBC’s long decline in prime time has likely affected the “Today” show, giving it less visibility among viewers. The network’s executives say that “Good Morning America” does particularly well when it features members of the “Dancing With the Stars” cast from ABC’s prime-time lineup.

But it’s clear that ABC’s morning show has been on the upswing and has a team of obvious chemistry, while “Today” has been on its heels. Ross said the show needs to be “fresher and scrappier.”

“The ‘Today’ show is now stagnating from what I would call the arrogance of being No. 1,” she said. “That will happen to anybody. You stagnate because you’re No. 1 and think you don’t need to change.”

Kelly sidelined over complications from surgery

CHICAGO – A spokesman for R. Kelly said the R&B singer is suffering complications from throat surgery and will miss promotional appearances for his new album and memoir.

Kelly’s publicist said in a statement that the singer was on his way to New York on Wednesday morning when he became ill and returned to Chicago for medical treatment. Kelly had surgery last year to treat an abscess on his vocal cords.

Kelly’s new album, “Write Me Back,” came out Tuesday and his memoir, “Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me,” will be released today.

The Grammy-winner’s publicist said Kelly will have to cancel appearances on “The Jimmy Fallon Show,” and “Today.”

Swank fights for stray dogs in Bucharest

BUCHAREST, Romania – Thousands of Romanian street dogs have found a friend in Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank.

Swank, who won for “Million Dollar Baby,” visited Bucharest last week and showed a different skill: fighting for animal rights.

Swank rarely leaves home without Kai, a Jack Russell stray she rescued in Los Angeles.

In the Romanian capital, which has 35,00 strays, Swank spoke Friday about her devotion to animals, her belief in sterilization and the ways street dogs can help disadvantaged people.

“The unconditional love of an animal is very healing and teaches them about not just unconditional love but about a relationship, about responsibility, about anger management.”

Swank is starting a charity called Hilaroo to bring needy children and animals together. The charity combines her name and that of her late dog Karoo.

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