NBC fires Matt Lauer
The “Today” show host is accused of sexual harassment.
Hours after Matt Lauer was fired from NBC Wednesday for “inappropriate workplace behavior,” Variety published the results of a twomonth investigation focusing on three women who identified themselves as victims of sexual harassment by the “Today” show host.
The women, who the trade publication said wished to remain anonymous for fear of professional repercussions, detailed how Lauer used his position of power over NBC employees who would be reluctant to complain because of his prominence in the company.
According to the outlet, which interviewed dozens of former and current staff, “work and sex were intertwined” for Lauer, who developed a pattern of inviting women late at night to his hotel room while covering the Olympics over the years, and to his office within 30 Rockefeller Center.
In one instance, Lauer summoned a female employee to his office and exposed himself to her, before reprimanding her for declining to engage in a sexual act, the outlet reports.
Joined by Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie announced Wednesday at the top of the “Today” show that her former co-anchor had been terminated, reading a memo sent to NBC staff from NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack, which USA TODAY also obtained.
“On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company’s standards. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment,” Lack wrote in the memo.
Guthrie said the news, which she learned moments before announcing it on air, had left her “devastated.”
USA TODAY has contacted Lauer’s representatives for comment.