Yes, it's a regular feature on the "Today Show" on NBC, but today is a special edition.

I figure it was a gamble and it failed miserably, sending their top guy to Texas, where the big news was yesterday, not today. But he's there, and not looking too happy. At least he's not in London on baby bump duties.

But NBC has done great work in recent days and weeks with its news coverage. It got the drone strike story. It avoided the 'arrest has been made' mistakes in Boston, along with CBS. I saw CNBC did have note up about AP reporting an arrest but it quickly replaced with reports of no arrest from NBC reporters.

Here are some tweets about Lauer's absence from the biggest story of the week, the manhunt and shutting down of Boston, including the slaying of a police officer and killing of first suspect. This has been going on for hours, and NBC was hurt every time they updated the Texas blast story, which is relevant with 12 bodies recovered being announced.

The tweets:

daveweigel ‏@daveweigel 8m
RT @Bencjacobs: The look of unhappiness on Matt Lauer's face as he does a remote from West, Texas is spectacular

 John Walters ‏@jdubs88 9m
I understand more people have died in Texas,but any news producer who sent his best person there (Cooper, Lauer) is a numbskull. Boston...

Of course, Lauer and his team cannot escape the continued news being reported on the shameful departure, forcing out, of Ann Curry, the NYDailyNews.com is keeping as a top editor's pick.

More tweets:

Claire Zulkey ‏@Zulkey 53m
Matt Lauer looked kind of salty about being in Texas this morning.
Followed by Dr. Barbara Holstein

 Sam Rubin ‏@samontv 1h
More "Today" show bad luck. Worlds' eyes are on Boston, & Matt Lauer is live from Texas this morning. @KTLAMorningNews 100% Boston this a.m.

 Julie DiCaro ‏@JulieDiCaro 1h
I bet Matt Lauer is so pissed to be stuck in Texas.

 Ricky Engelberg ‏@rje7 1h
I'm guessing Matt Lauer is contemplating replacing himself in Texas with a scarecrow and chartering a jet to Boston. #todayshow

 FTVLive✅ ‏@FTVLive 1h
While the eyes of the world are focused on Watertown, MA..... 1832 miles away sits Matt Lauer.​ http://FTVLive.com

 John Nolte ‏@NolteNC 1h
If Today Show is doing 'Where in the world is Matt Lauer?" he's not laughing.

 Jennifer Rubin ‏@JRubinBlogger 1h
Today is really good w/out Matt Lauer.. Aunt of suspect friend said suspect friendly, beautiful, went to "diverse" high school

 Will Bunch ‏@Will_Bunch 2h
Matt Lauer down in West, Texas is like the Rosenkrantz or Guilderstern of TV news reporting today

 joseph williams ‏@jdub321 2h
#karma RT @jeffkrehely: Matt Lauer seems annoyed that he's reporting from TX, while news breaks back east. Somewhere Ann Curry smiles.