Matt Lauer ‘Tonight’ Show Interview: NBC 'Today' Host Tells Jay Leno “I’m Not A Guy Who Complains” [VIDEO]

Matt Lauer appeared on Jay Leno's "Tonight" show on Thursday night to talk about the recent controversy surrounding NBC's "Today" show. Lauer told Leno, "It's been an interesting year - no question about it."

Although Lauer and Leno didn't explicitly discuss the "Today" show's controversy with firing Ann Curry, Leno mentioned that Lauer had "taken a lot of hits in the press lately," asking how Lauer has been holding up.

Lauer answered Leno, "I'm not a guy who complains - I love this job, I really do."

Lauer himself has admitted that he is facing a lot of public scrutiny, announcing at a speech that he has a "lower q rating than polio." A 'Q' rating measures how favorably the public views recognizable figures in the media.

When Jay Leno brought up Kathie Lee Gifford's 'letter of support' for Lauer that she had passed around the staff for signatures, Lauer praised Gifford as "very, very sweet."

Lauer said, "Kathie Lee did something very, very sweet a couple of weeks ago. She went around and she just passed around a note and had members of the staff just sign it saying, 'Things are going to be okay.'"

"My mother always told me in times of adversity you find out who your friends are - Kathie Lee's a great friend."

Lauer has been criticized for being the main reason that former "Today" co-host Ann Curry was fired. A new book by Brian Stelter discusses the NBC network's morning show in depth, and even claims network executives and staff terrorized and bullied Curry. The execs allegedly called the plot to oust Curry from her position alongside Matt Lauer "Operation Bambi."

Partially because of this drama, the "Today" show has been struggling in ratings, falling below rival "Good Morning America" on ABC. 

Watch a clip of Matt Lauer's interview with Jay Leno on the "Tonight" show below: