New York magazine's lengthy dissection of the ultimate first-world problem that is morning-news drama is a good read, if you're into media navelgazing. Covering Matt Lauer's role as the villain in Ann Curry's unsentimental firing from the Today Show, and the Today Show's subsequent fall from grace, the piece contains a lot of interesting information that helps shed darkness on the sometimes frustratingly bouncy world of morning news programs.

But one tidbit stands out as being quite a bit more ugly than all the others, showing exactly what kind of sociopathic babies are propelling all this absurd turmoil. In the narrative structure, it comes after Curry was paid millions of dollars in order to leave her Today spot and serve as a roving reporter with her own production unit:

Ann Curry was gone but not gone, which created a situation of spectacular awkwardness. Any trust that had existed between Curry and Today was shattered. When Robin Roberts left Good Morning America a month later to get treatment for MDS, Curry asked NBC if she could tweet a note of sympathy for the ABC co-host. NBC said no, afraid she was trying to aid the enemy.

In deference to those who don't know, Roberts, host of Today Show competitor Good Morning America, was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a cancer-like blood disease. But god forbid NBC let any of its employees extend a branch of kindness—even one as relatively meaningless as a nice tweet—to a very sick ABC employee. They've got ratings and Matt Lauer's feelings to worry about.

[Image via AP]