Destiny's Child

In a recent interview on Today, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams described the decision to bust up Destiny's Child following their current farewell tour/victory lap as a mutual one -- and host Matt Lauer proved his professionalism by not breaking out laughing. Remember that group manager Matthew Knowles, Beyoncé's papa, has always regarded his little girl to be first among equals (which she is), and when past members threatened to muck up the works, he jettisoned them like used feminine-hygiene products. Even LaTavia Roberson, who'd been on board since she was just nine years old, got the heave-ho in early 2000 for questioning the split of profits -- and Rowland might have suffered the same fate had she not been Beyoncé's cousin. In the end, though, even a relative couldn't be allowed to slow Beyoncé's solo career -- which has already turned Jay-Z's squeeze into a pop icon -- and Rowland and Williams accepted the inevitable. One last giant payday is undoubtedly cushioning the blow, as are the crowds turning out nationwide to see the Children (accompanied by Mario and Amerie) push the sentimentality button. As for the future, Beyoncé will still be here on Today, whereas her former partners will probably be gone tomorrow.