During his candid interview with Oprah Winfrey last week, Tom Cruise admitted his infamous TV sparring match with Matt Lauer was not one of his finest moments.
In 2005, Cruise appeared on the “Today” show to discuss Scientology, when a conversation with Lauer over the actor’s stance on psychiatric meds led to Cruise calling the newsman “glib.”
The interview came on the heels of Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush sitting down with Cruise for an exclusive interview, in which Cruise first lashed out at Brooke Shields and her use of medication to treat post-partum depression.
But now that Cruise has expressed remorse over the TV spat, is all forgiven in the eyes of Lauer?
“I think so much has been said about that interview. I think it was a great television moment,” Lauer told Access Hollywood at Thursday night’s Time 100 party in New York.
In fact, Lauer said he’d welcome the chance to sit and chat with Cruise again.
“Whether it was either of our best moments, I don’t know. But I am looking forward to welcoming him back. We can kind of let bygones be bygones and move forward,” he added.
On the red carpet for the Time event, which celebrates the magazine’s “Most Influential” issue, Lauer also addressed a new TV talk show feud – the Star Jones / Barbara Walters saga.
“I haven’t read any of Barbara’s book but I have seen the little exchanges in the newspaper,” Lauer said. “Both of them are impressive people. Barbara has had a storied career and she is someone that I’ve always looked up to. I just hate to see the summation of a career break down into this level.”
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