Serious allegations against Matt Lauer led to his firing from NBC in 2017. Multiple sources have since reported on Lauer's rumored infidelity, his outrageous behavior at work, and all the ways NBC apparently ignored the reports over the years.
But knowing that 'The Today Show' raked in about half a billion dollars in revenue, it's clear why the network would've kept Lauer's missteps quiet. The amount of cash Lauer earned for the gig is also an indicator of how much he was worth to the company.
And yet, there are people who would defend Matt Lauer. The thing is, fans of the show say that there's plenty of evidence that Matt deserved to be let go, or worse.
Matt Lauer's Bad Behavior Was Caught On Camera
A lot of Matt Lauer's reportedly inappropriate behavior seemed to be swept under the rug, with little evidence of his misdeeds. But fans of 'The Today Show' found some overlooked snippets that seem to suggest that all the rumors are true.
Case in point? A video of Matt prepping for his appearance on the show. Though, arguably, there have always been witnesses to the things that Lauer was accused of doing, having video evidence is another matter entirely.
In the clip, which was reported by TMZ, Meredith Vieira is seen prepping for the cameras to go live, and Matt is sitting on a couch on set. It appears that Meredith, after having someone adjust her mic, is leaning over the table in front of Matt when he says, "Keep bending over, nice view." No wonder she went on to other gigs...
Sure, it's a small comment, and it may not have registered to anyone around Matt (or Meredith) because few people were in the immediate vicinity. But the microphones clearly picked up Matt's skeevy comment, and he seemed very at ease making such awkward comments to his co-worker.
Fans point out that the video is a clear illustration of Matt's total disregard for others on set. They also say that it displays the same predatory nature that got him fired for taking advantage of staffers and other personnel.
One commenter summed it up by saying, "Matt Lauer was creepy because it was an under his breath, almost like a command. 'You're not going to call me out on this and make a scene' type context. "
What Was Matt Ultimately Fired For?
Ultimately, NBC's initial statement upon firing Matt Lauer stated that they received one complaint about his behavior. But anonymous sources say that Matt had been behaving terribly for decades.
In the end, NBC's admission that they "were also presented with" reason to believe it wasn't an isolated incident feels a little hollow. Because if there's even one piece of video evidence of Matt's distasteful actions on set, there must be a whole lot more.