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Al Roker and Billy Bush talk on TODAY in aftermath of viral Lochtegate debate

Al Roker and Billy Bush spoke on TODAY's Take Monday in the wake of Al's passionate stance about Lochtegate going viral over the weekend.
/ Source: TODAY

Al Roker became an internet hero over the weekend for his passionate view of the Ryan Lochte situation in which he made his feelings abundantly clear.

Monday on TODAY's Take, Al spoke with Billy Bush and Tamron Hall for the first time since his contentious debate with Billy went viral.

On Friday, Al, Billy and Natalie Morales hotly debated Lochte's version of being held at gunpoint during an incident at a gas station in Rio, for which the Olympic swimmer later apologized for over-exaggerating in an interview with Matt Lauer.

WATCH: Ryan Lochte: ‘My immature, intoxicated behavior tarnished’ a ‘great’ Rio Games

"He lied,'' Al said on TODAY Friday. "He lied to you, he lied to Matt Lauer, he lied to his mom, (and) he left his teammates hanging while he skedaddled.''

Many cheered Al's stance, while others had fun with his incessant stirring of his drink while he was all worked up.

TODAY

On Monday, Billy noted that his job was to play "devil's advocate" for Lochte's side of the story during Friday's debate, while Al reminded everyone that the two have known each other for a long time and are friends.

RELATED: Watch an emotional Ryan Lochte take 'full responsibility' for Rio scandal

"This is what we do on this show,'' Al said. "I think because this is such a big deal, I think people were paying more attention to it."

Lochte told Lauer that he takes "full responsibility" for the bathroom incident, calling it "childish" and "immature."

Initially, Lochte told TODAY and NBC News that men who appeared to be police officers robbed him and three of his teammates at gunpoint as they made their way back from a party. But back in the U.S., he recounted his story again to NBC News, this time changing some of the details. Most notably, he stated that the gun had not been held against his head and that the event had occurred at a gas station.

"The fact that he left his teammates there, I think he really regrets that besides the part about insulting the folks in Rio,'' Al said on Monday.

Billy hopes that Lochte's fabricated story doesn't have a negative effect on tourism to Brazil, and feels it's time to move on.

"It is my opinion that it is over,'' he said.

"We all have something we've done, I'm sure, that we have apologized for or owned it,'' Tamron said. "(Lochte) has done so after being busted. At some point you have to say the person has given their pound of flesh, get off their back, and I think that's where we are."

Follow TODAY.com writer Scott Stump on Twitter.