Matt Lauer
Image Source: SSG Teddy Wade, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
What was the Accusation?
Matt Lauer, the longtime co-anchor of NBC’s Today show, was fired by NBC News on November 29, 2017, after the network investigated a complaint accusing him of inappropriate sexual behavior toward a female colleague. NBC News chairman Andrew Lack told employees that the complaint represented a clear violation of company standards and said the network had reason to believe the incident might not have been isolated. According to NBC, the conduct described in the initial complaint began while Lauer and the employee were covering the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and continued after that assignment.
Additional allegations became public around the time of Lauer’s dismissal. Variety, following a two-month investigation based on interviews with current and former NBC employees, reported allegations that Lauer had exposed himself to a female employee, given another woman a sex toy accompanied by an explicit note, questioned female producers about their sex lives, and made other sexually inappropriate comments or advances in the workplace. NBC News also reported that it received two additional complaints after announcing Lauer’s firing.
Lauer responded publicly on November 30 in a statement provided to NBC and read on Today by Savannah Guthrie. He apologized for pain caused by his words and actions and acknowledged that there was sufficient truth in the allegations to leave him embarrassed and ashamed. At the same time, he maintained that some of what had been said about him was inaccurate or mischaracterized. He said the previous two days had forced him to examine what he called his own troubling flaws and promised to begin the lengthy process of repairing the damage.
The allegations emerged during the broader wave of sexual misconduct disclosures associated with the #MeToo movement in 2017. Lauer had been one of American television’s most prominent morning-news personalities, having co-anchored Today since 1997. His abrupt dismissal therefore became one of the most visible media-industry consequences of the period’s expanding scrutiny of sexual harassment and workplace power.
In May 2018, NBCUniversal released findings from an internal investigation conducted after Lauer’s dismissal. Investigators examined allegations from four women and concluded that Lauer had engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with women at NBC. The investigation also reported that it found no evidence that NBC News or Today leadership, News Human Resources, or other people in positions of authority had received complaints about Lauer’s workplace behavior before November 27, 2017. The report’s conclusions about what NBC management knew were subsequently questioned by some critics because the investigation had been conducted internally rather than by an independent outside investigator.
Key Apologia Strategies:
Mortification, Denial, Corrective Action, Bolstering
Video
Transcript
Matt Lauer Statement (November 30, 2017):
“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.”
Sources
ABC News. (2017, November 30). Matt Lauer responds to allegations of ‘inappropriate sexual behavior’ after NBC termination. ABC News. https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/matt-lauer-responds-allegations-inappropriate-sexual-behavior-nbc/story?id=51482044
CBS News. (2017, November 30). Matt Lauer on sexual misconduct allegations: “I am truly sorry.” CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/matt-lauer-sexual-misconduct-apology-sochi-olympics/
Pandey, E. (2018, May 9). NBC finds no culture of sexual harassment in Matt Lauer report. Axios. https://www.axios.com/2018/05/09/nbc-sexual-harassment-matt-lauer-report