Matt Lauer’s Former ‘Today’ Show Colleague Doesn’t Believe He Was A Predator On Women
Matt Lauer still has the support of many of his former NBC colleagues one week after his shocking firing from the Today show. Last week, the veteran NBC co-anchor was fired from his longtime morning news post amid detailed allegations of sexual misconduct, but at least one of his former colleagues says she is not convinced all of the allegations against Lauer are true.
Matt Lauer’s former Today show colleague told People the dad of three is “weak and broken and ashamed by his own admission.” The Today staffer went on to defend Matt, saying there has been no “solid” evidence of sexual misconduct when he worked for NBC.
“He is my friend,” the Today staffer told People of Lauer.
“He is human, and he is flawed. But is he going to use his power to be a predator on women? Until I see solid evidence of that, I just can’t believe it. We don’t know the details.”
Lauer’s ex-co-worker added that none of the women at Today would have tolerated the behavior that has been described by his accusers.
“All of us are career women, and not one of us would have put up with an environment that’s as distasteful as has been described. There was never anything I was offended by on any level. I wouldn’t have put up with it. Neither would any of us.”
Matt Lauer’s Today show colleague added that the staff of the NBC morning show is “80 percent women,” and they are all still reeling from the shocking firing because Matt “was really loved and treated people really well—and it’s shocking to think that there could be this side.”
Matt Lauer, who has been married to Annette Roque for 19 years, has been accused of sexually harassing multiple women, including a female colleague he worked with at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. An insider told People Lauer had viewed that relationship as “consensual” and was “dumbfounded” by the accusation.
Matt Lauer had been co-anchor of the Today show since January 1997 when he was fired over the sexual misconduct allegations. The disgraced newsman issued an apologetic statement after his firing, admitting that there was “enough truth” in the allegations to cause him embarrassment.
Several of Matt Lauer’s longtime colleagues have spoken out in support of him in the week since he was let go by NBC. On air, Today host Kathie Lee Gifford said she reached out to Matt Lauer in the hours after his firing. Gifford also revealed she wants forgiveness for Matt Lauer.
“I texted him this morning and I said, ‘I adore you,'” Gifford said on the day of Matt’s termination. “No one is perfect in this world. We need now is forgiveness and mercy for one another.”
In addition, Matt Lauer’s Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie is reportedly having a hard time dealing with the fallout of Matt’s unexpected termination. An insider told Us Weekly Guthrie is not handling the news about Matt Lauer very well and that there “has been a really terrible vibe” at the Today show ever since the news of his firing broke.
“Savannah is devastated,” the insider told Us. “She and Matt were really close.”
Take a look at the video below to see Matt Lauer’s former colleagues Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb announcing the news that he was fired from the Today show.
