Washington ( CNN ) -- Sarah Palin came right out of the gate with a stab at self-deprecating humor . As Matt Lauer announced that `` it is a pleasure to welcome Sarah Palin to the program this morning , '' the camera cut to Palin sitting on the `` Today '' show set in a sea of newspapers . Not only did that allow the former Alaska governor to poke fun at herself , it was also a thinly veiled nod to the morning 's high stakes competition with `` Good Morning America '' guest host Katie Couric , who famously could n't get an answer from Palin about what newspapers she read . Tweet of the day : McCain congratulations Palin . Expanding on the laugh-at-herself theme , the camera later zoomed in on Palin , sitting in Lauer 's dressing room , writing notes on her hand with a sharpie . Again , it was making light of another classic Palin moment , when she was busted with talking points for a speech written on her hand . `` Thanks for letting me crash your dressing room , '' Palin said to Lauer . He thought it was funny , sort of . `` Technically , I did n't give you permission to be in there , '' he said dryly . Palin 's first assignment in this much-hyped stint as guest `` Today '' show host was really as a guest . Historian speculates : What if Palin had run this year ? She talked about Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney as if they 'd poured sour milk in her coffee . `` Anything is still possible . There can still be a bit of a shake-up . But the numbers are what the numbers are , '' she said . When Lauer pressed her , saying it `` does n't sound like you 're happy with Mitt Romney as the party 's nominee , '' Palin quickly responded with the bumper sticker line , `` anybody but Obama . '' She had a warning for the next GOP vice presidential pick . `` It does n't matter if that person has the national level experience or not , they 're going to get clobbered by the lamestream media , who does not like the conservative message . '' Yes , without a hint of irony , she took part in the longest running network morning show and whacked the mainstream media . Lauer could n't help himself . `` You are going to stick around for the 8a hour , which technically makes you part of the lamestream media , '' he deadpanned . Sarah Palin 's key moments . How much more mainstream media can you get than standing on the plaza outside NBC 's `` 30 Rock '' tossing to the weather ? `` It 's Al 's turn , so let 's get a check of the weather with Al , '' Palin said , throwing to Al Roker . As guest host , Palin took part in three segments . In `` Today 's Professionals , '' they cleverly brought up the buzz about Ashton Kutcher playing Steve Jobs in an upcoming movie as a way to pivot to Palin and the HBO movie `` Game Change . '' Palin repeated previous comments that she did n't watch the movie saying , `` I 'm not going to waste my time there . '' Nevertheless , she did give Julianne Moore a thumbs down for her portrayal . She volunteered that she liked another actress known for her uncanny Palin impersonation . `` I do have to admit that Tina Fey has been pretty clever , '' said Palin . She also defended Jessica Simpson 's pregnancy weight gain . `` How would you have felt had someone criticized you for gaining too much weight , '' Lauer asked Palin . `` I would have wanted to punch them in the neck , '' she responded . Palin went on to say that this is only an issue `` because that Hollywood image is full of itty-bitty people , '' In the her next segment , she gushed over one of those itty-bitty Hollywood people , Tori Spelling , who is now pregnant with her fourth child . `` Keep going , keep going , the more the merrier , '' Palin told Spelling , as the daughter of Hollywood royalty-turned reality TV star promoted her book on how to host an economical party . `` How do you do it with five ? '' Spelling asked Palin , gushing back , `` I do n't know if I can handle four , '' The only segment Palin technically co-hosted was on mothering teenage daughters . At the end , Ann Curry got a real taste of what it 's like when Palin goes rogue . Palin kept talking as a visibly anxious Curry tried to go to commercial break . The normally unflappable Curry even made a caught-on-television face at either the floor director or the control room , as Palin continued to talk to the guests about children wanting boundaries from parents . Back on the plaza , as she was saying goodbye to the `` Today '' show gang , Lauer asked how she enjoyed being `` part of the mainstream media . '' She called it `` controlled chaos '' and quoted race car driver Mario Andretti as saying , if things are in control , `` you 're going too slow . '' In the end , Palin seemed to have fun with her one-day appearance , but the real arbiter of that will be how she rated in this head-to-head competition with Couric on `` Good Morning America . '' After all , it was Palin herself who set it up that way , declaring `` game on . ''
Sarah Palin is facing off against Katie Couric in competing guest hosting stints . Palin : `` There can still be a bit of a shake-up '' but points out numbers lead . NBC also took a familiar jab at the `` lamestream media '' Palin told Palin on Romney 's Sarah Palin that Tuesday 's appearance on Today was `` controlled chaos ''