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Matt Lauer Has Broken His Silence on Sexual Harassment Allegations


Following his swift termination from NBC’s Today, Matt Lauer has broken his silence about sexual harassment allegations that have been brought forward against him.

Taking the form of a statement read by Savannah Guthrie at the start of Thursday morning’s broadcast, Lauer’s remarks acknowledged and apologized for some, but not all, of his reported behavior:

“There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I
have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I
am truly sorry. As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage
and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC. Some of what
is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is
enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.
I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly.
Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and
I’m committed to beginning that effort. It is now my full time job.
The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own
troubling flaws. It’s been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by
the people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace.”

On Wednesday, Guthrie and fellow co-host Hoda Kotb began Today with an announcement that Lauer had been fired following “a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” Though NBC News Chairman Andy Lack told employees that it was the first complaint of this nature to be filed against the former anchor, “we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”

Not long after news broke, Variety published a shocking report detailing Lauer’s alleged sexual harassment—which included gifting a sex toy to one female coworker (alongside a note detailing how he planned to use it on her) and installing a button under his desk that could lock his door remotely (one that he reportedly used to keep women in his office without fear of interruption).

The New York Times further reported that at least two additional women filed complaints with NBC following Lauer’s termination—including one woman who said that he sexually assaulted her in his office in 2001.





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Matt Lauer Once Gave a Female Coworker a Sex Toy As a Gift, According to a New Bombshell Report


As the post-Weinstein reckoning rages on, longstanding Today show anchor Matt Lauer is the latest prominent man in media to be fired for sexual misconduct.

On Wednesday morning, NBC announced that Lauer had been terminated. In a memo to company employees, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack wrote that the decision stemmed from “a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer” and revealed that though this was the first of its kind, “we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”

Shortly after the news broke, Variety‘s New York Bureau Chief Ramin Setoodeh ‏tweeted that he and reporter Elizabeth Wagmeister had spent two months investigating “serious sexual harassment allegations” against the Today host, and NBC was aware of their work. Within hours of NBC’s announcement, Variety published their report and revealed numerous disturbing allegations of sexual harassment against Lauer.

Three women spoke to the publication—choosing to remain unnamed for fear of career retaliation—and their accounts were corroborated by friends and colleagues. One of the women said she once received a sex toy from the former anchor, who also detailed how he would want to use it on her in an “explicit note.” Another said Lauer once called her into his office, dropped his pants, and exposed himself to her—then chastised her when she refused to engage in a sexual act. And numerous Today employees said it was well-known that Lauer often made lewd comments to female colleagues, be it asking them who they’d slept with or telling them which fellow co-hosts he wanted to sleep with during rounds of “fuck, marry, kill.”

Per Variety, the complaint that resulted in Lauer’s termination stemmed from an incident that first occurred during the 2014 Sochi Olympics and continued for several months. On Monday, an NBC employee met with human resources about the continued encounters and the network quickly took action—but others say that past complaints “fell on deaf ears given the lucrative advertising surrounding Today.”

According to the bombshell report, Lauer’s office was fashioned with a button under his desk that “allowed him to lock his door from the inside without getting up.” This gave him the power to initiate sexual contact with female employees without fear of someone walking in, two women told Variety. And when Lauer was traveling on assignment, he would often fixate on young women on staff, often inviting them back to his hotel rooms.

“There were a lot of consensual relationships, but that’s still a problem because of the power he held,” a former producer told Variety. “He couldn’t sleep around town with celebrities or on the road with random people, because he’s Matt Lauer and he’s married. So he’d have to do it within his stable, where he exerted power, and he knew people wouldn’t ever complain.”

Lauer’s former Today co-hosts addressed the possibility of additional allegations coming forward as they announced the news Wednesday morning.

“As I’m sure you can imagine, we are devastated and we are still processing all of this,” Savannah Guthrie said to viewers at the top of the broadcast. “I will tell you right now we do not know more than what I just shared with you, but we will be covering this story as reporters, as journalists. I’m sure we will be learning more details in the hours and days to come. And we promise we will share that with you.”

Though Guthrie said she was “heartbroken” for her former colleague, she also made clear that she was similarly distraught for “the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell.”

“This reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important, it’s long overdue and it must result in workplaces where all women—all people—feel safe and respected,” Guthrie added.





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Matt Lauer's Problematic Past With Women On NBC


PHOTO: NBC

This morning, in a shocking move, it was announced that NBC had fired Today co-host Matt Lauer over “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” He’s just the latest in a long line of powerful men, many in the media, to face a reckoning over their behavior in the weeks since the Harvey Weinstein scandal first broke.

We’re still waiting for more details on the Lauer situation, but looking back on his almost 20-year history with the Today show, it would appear that there were clues all along to his issues with women. Lauer joined as Katie Couric’s co-host on the show in 1997 and has since risen to a place of incredible power and influence at the network. His latest contract extension just one year ago was reported to be worth $20 million a year.

With great power, there is supposed to become great responsibility but in Lauer’s case, he’s often mishandled his conversations with women, both on and of the air. The news of Lauer’s firing has brought many of these instances back into the conversation.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most obvious ones:

Ann Curry Departs Today

Matt Lauer Ann Curry

PHOTO: NBC NewsWire

Ann Curry’s tenure as co-anchor of “Today” ended in June 2012 after just over a year—though she had been on the morning show since 1997 as the news anchor. It was widely reported that she and Lauer did not get along and that he had much to do with her firing. According to a lengthy New York magazine piece on the inner-workings of “Today”, “Off air, Curry and Lauer had no relationship and barely spoke.” In her teary on-air farewell, the tension between Curry and Lauer is palpable as you can see her try to move away from his embrace—even more noticeable when contrasted with the warmth she shows Al Roker and Natalie Morales. Yet, Lauer prevailed and soon had a new co-host in Savannah Guthrie.

The Anne Hathaway Interview

Matt Lauer Anne Hathaway

PHOTO: NBC NewsWire/Getty Images

Back in 2012, amidst doing press for Les Miserables, Anne Hathaway was photographed getting out of her car for an event in such a way that it showed up her dress, revealing her to not be wearing any underwear. It was horrible enough that the photos were sold and published, but Lauer’s interview with her soon after on Today was extra icky. He opened by greeting her with, “Nice to see you, seen a lot of you lately”. It was icky then, and perhaps even more so now. He then goes on to ask her what lessons she’s learned from it, as if she’d done something wrong in the first place. Anne takes it in stride and with grace—as so many women do—saying: “It was obviously an unfortunate incident. It kind of made me sad on two accounts. One was that I was very sad that when we live in an age where someone takes a picture of another person in a vulnerable moment, and rather than delete it and do the decent thing, sells it. And I’m sorry that we live in a culture that commodifies the sexuality of unwilling participants. Which brings us back to Les Mis.” Lauer’s sexism is on bold display here, and yet outside of some internet and media chatter, there were no serious repercussions.

Hillary v. Trump

Matt Lauer Hillary Clinton

PHOTO: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

During the heat of the 2016 presidential election, candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump sat down with Lauer during a live one-hour forum, with each answering questions for 30 minutes. Lauer was roundly criticized for his constant interruptions of Clinton, while allowing Trump to ramble on. He focused intently on her emails, but did not call into question apparent untruths from Trump on matters like Iraq and Libya. He questioned her fitness for office while asking Trump soft questions like “Why should you be Commander-In-Chief?” The difference in tone was evident and all-too familiar, at least to many women watching. Clinton herself wrote in her book, “What Happened”: “Now I was ticked off. NBC knew exactly what it was doing here. The network was treating this like an episode of ‘The Apprentice,’ in which Trump stars and ratings soar. Lauer had turned what should have been a serious discussion into a pointless ambush. What a waste of time.”

So while today’s news may be shocking to some, to others it’s been evident all along that at the very least, Lauer was an alpha-male with sexist tendencies that he used to put women at a disadvantage.



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Watch Katie Couric Say Matt Lauer Pinched Her 'on the Ass a Lot' in 2012 Interview


With news breaking Wednesday morning that Matt Lauer had been fired from Today following a “detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer,” his former co-hosts seemed visibly stunned and shaken by the news. As NBC News Chair Andy Lack told employees in a memo, the complaint was the first to be filed against Lauer but “we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.” And if a recently resurfaced clip from Katie Couric’s 2012 appearance on *Watch What Happens Live” is any indication, Lauer’s reputation seemingly preceded any 2017 reports.

TMZ unearthed the five-year-old video, one that features the former Today show anchor joining Andy Cohen in a round of “Plead the Fifth.” In the segment, Cohen attempted to get Couric to dish on her former colleague’s most irritating habit—and was shocked when she chose not to stay mum.

“You co-hosted The Today Show with Matt Lauer for 15 years,” Cohen began. “What is Matt’s most annoying habit?”

“Hmm…” Couric pondered, before giving her final answer. “He pinches me on the ass a lot.”

At the time, Couric’s remarks garnered little traction. But amid 2017’s endless reports exposing just how pervasive sexual harassment is in our culture—and how frequently prominent men abuse their power—Couric’s answer is a stark reminder of how little attention was paid to such allegations just a few short years ago.

Watch Katie Couric’s appearance on WWHL below:

[embedded content]



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Matt Lauer Fired From NBC For 'Inappropriate Sexual Behavior'


NBC has fired Matt Lauer for “inappropriate sexual behavior. “

At the top of the “Today” show, anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb delivered the message to viewers, revealing NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack wrote in a staff memo that there was a “complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer.” Though it was the first made against the journalist and morning host during his 25-year career with NBC, Lack wrote “we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”

Lack’s statement also said the company underwent a serious review of the complaint, which represented “a clear violation” of the company’s standards, and Lauer was terminated as a result.

“This is a sad morning at “Today” and NBC News,” Guthrie said. “As I’m sure you can understand, we are devastated. I’m heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear colleague. And I’m heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell.”

She added: “This reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important, it’s long overdue and it must result in workplaces where all women—all people—feel safe and respected.”

Last week, CBS News fired its morning anchor, Charlie Rose, after a report in The Washington Post detailed years of sexual misconduct.

This is a developing story…





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