Summary: Matt Lauer has been fired from the “Today” show.
NBC News announced on Wednesday that they had fired long-time anchor, Matt Lauer, who reportedly had a $20 million a year contract with the station. Lauer was canned after an employee accused him of “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.”
Lauer’s co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, gave the news on the “Today” show, stating, “We are devastated.”
But probably not surprised.
Before the firing, rumors swirled that various news outlets were investigating Lauer’s behavior. CNN reported that the accuser who got him fired was talking to the New York Times, and her lawyer, Ari Wilkenfeld, said in a statement that they had met with NBC’s human resources and legal departments on Monday night.
“Over the course of several hours, my client detailed egregious acts of sexual harassment and misconduct by Mr. Lauer. In fewer than 35 hours, NBC investigated and removed Mr. Lauer,” Wilkenfeld said. “Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly and responsibly, as all companies should when confronted with credible allegations about sexual misconduct in the workplace. It is our hope that NBC will continue to do what it can to repair the damage done to my client—their employee—and any other women who may come forward. While I am impressed by NBC’s response to date, I am awed by the courage my client showed to be the first to raise a complaint and to do so without making any demands other than asking the company do the right thing. This is how the system should work.”
CNN stated that NBC conducted an investigation on Tuesday and made a swift decision to terminate Lauer that evening.
The “Today” show is one of the most profitable and popular programs on American television, according to CNN. Lauer was one of the most recognizable faces from it, thanks to his tenure of two decades. While he was mostly liked by fans, his career was marred by the alleged bullying he gave to Ann Curry, who was his co-host before she was fired. Critics also noted that Lauer’s interviews with women such as Anne Hathaway or Britney Spears sometimes appeared misogynistic and mean.
Details of the complaint against Lauer were not released to the public, but CNN said that the harassment occurred in 2014 in Russia during the Winter Olympics.
Lauer has not released a statement yet regarding his firing or the allegations.