In the least climactic announcement on a day that's already included Oscars news and a replacement for the Aflac duck, Katie Couric has confirmed the months and months of rumors that she will leave her post at the CBS Evening News after only five years of service. Couric took the job after leaving NBC’s Today show amid much fanfare, becoming the first solo female anchor in a landscape where audiences were inured to entrusting testicles with the events of the day. Unfortunately, despite Couric’s smiley, leggy charm, her ratings continued to plummet throughout her tenure, and it’s now rumored that CBS will replace her with 60 Minutes reporter Scott Pelley, whose more staid, traditional style is said to be a better fit for the older audience that still tends to watch the nightly network news.
Meanwhile, Couric is said to be exploring a possible syndicated daytime talk show for either CBS or ABC, one that would return her to slightly softer fare and throw her into the scramble to become the next Oprah along with Ellen DeGeneres, Dr. Oz, and Anderson Cooper. In honor of Couric leaving, here’s the Harry Shearer-provided clip of Couric having some off-camera fun and saying, “Oh shit” repeatedly.