Matt Lauer returns to chorus of jokes

NEW YORK -- Matt Lauer returned to the "Today" show with his arm in a sling -- only to see his colleagues joke about his accident by donning deer antlers.

Lauer flipped over his bike last weekend after colliding with a deer. He had surgery for a separated shoulder and missed three days of work. He says he came armed to Thursday's show with extra meds to deal with the jokes.

He gave as good as he got, though -- saying a backstage director with antlers had just tried to bum pain medication off him.