Gerald Herbert
A week to the day after managing to show up two heads of state and a slew of Hollywood and Washington big shots, Michaele and Tareq Salahi will appear on NBC's Today to be interviewed by Matt Lauer. The couple, whose unparalleled party-crashing abilities have garnered significant controversy after their uninvited arrival at the White House state dinner last week, will presumably tell their side of the story. The interview comes after revelations that the Salahis had contacted a senior Pentagon official in an unsuccessful attempt to wrangle invitations, and further reports of their stunts, including an unsolicited appearance at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Awards, where President Obama was speaking and where the Salahis were escorted out. The couple, along with Secret Service director Mark Sullivan and White House social secretary Desirée Rogers, have been asked to testify at a congressional hearing. Despite rumors to the contrary, NBC claimed it did not pay the Salahis for the interview, although NBC does own Bravo, the cable network that airs the reality franchise Real Housewives—a spot on which is said to be Michaele Salahi's goal.