Why Matt Lauer wanted to beat up Tom Cruise

Matt Lauer almost turned the “Today” show into a WWE event following his disastrous interview with Tom Cruise in 2005.

During an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live” Wednesday with co-host Savannah Guthrie, the long-time anchor told host Andy Cohen that he was ready to fight the “Mission: Impossible” star following a testy on-air Q&A.

“I was thinking, ‘Can I take him in a wrestling match? Could I tackle him on the set?'” Lauer, 58, shared.

While no security guards were called to the set on that fateful day, Lauer did his best to keep his composure as Cruise, 53, quizzed him on a variety of topics, including Brooke Shields‘ admission of using antidepressants during her battle with postpartum depression.

“Matt, there is no such thing as a chemical imbalance,” Cruise fired off at Lauer.

“So postpartum depression to you is psychological gobbledygoop? I’m just asking what you would call it,” Lauer shot back.

“Matt, you’re glib. You don’t even know what Ritalin is,” Cruise spewed.

Though the interview won’t go down as one of Lauer’s favorites, the experience did teach him a valuable lesson.

“If you have a bad experience on air, you don’t think you’ve done your job or you have an embarrassing moment. I guarantee that you’ll work harder the next time not to let it happen again,” he shared. “Even the bad interviews I think you learn from. They make you better.”

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