By KAYLA DEMICCO
Opinions Editor
Matt Lauer, longtime anchor of the morning talk show “The Today Show,” was fired in November 2017 after a female coworker accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior while they worked together. Co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb made the announcement of his firing that morning, live on the show, not knowing the details behind the story.
In relation to that allegation, Andrew Lack, NBC News Chairman, said in a memo sent to employees, “Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender.”
That same day, The New York Times released that Lauer was accused of sexual misconduct by two more people. After the news broke, he released an apology statement to be read on the morning show to express how sorry he was about his actions.
“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,” said Lauer.
Guaranteed, this was a really good move of NBC to fire him so quickly, especially since this was in the peak time of the infamous Harvey Weinstein scandals, even if he did apologize, which is something that a lot of the people accused in the midst of the #MeToo movement did not do. For the public, I remember many having a hard time processing as he was such a staple in the morning routines of so many across the country. When the news first broke, I was among those who were ultimately shocked as Lauer was partial inspiration as to why I decided to study as a communications major.
However, the behind-the-scenes information of the situation is not as good as one would hope.
For the past couple of years after the beginning of all his allegations, Lauer had led a very low profile. The most his name was brought to the headlines was when he and his wife, Annette Roque, were settling for their divorce.
On Oct. 9 of this year, news broke of the details behind Lauer’s allegations. Variety had received exclusive access to an interview with Brooke Nevils, a former NBC News employee, who was behind “[t]he complaint that prompted Lauer’s firing ended in the same way – with a payout, and a nondisclosure agreement,” from Ronan Farrow’s new book, “Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators.” In the book by the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Farrow uncovers the hard-hitting truth behind current society’s serial abusers.
Toward the end of the book, Farrow interviews Nevils as she recalls the horrific details of her experience with Lauer in 2014 when they were covering the Sochi Winter Olympics and a timeline of their encounters.
That morning on The Today Show, Guthrie and Kotb were once again releasing new information behind the situation with heavy hearts.
“I feel like we owe it to our viewers to pause for a moment. […] This is shocking and appalling and I honestly don’t even know what to say about it,” said Guthrie on the morning show. “I think I speak for all of us that we’re disturbed to our core and we have a commitment to keep you informed and we will continue to do that.”
“Catch and Kill” was released to the public on Oct. 15 and the world knew her story. In chapter 56: “ZDorovie,” Farrow tells Nevils’ back story, a rundown of what she dealt with and then tells her perspective of what went down those nights in Sochi. However, it does not end in Sochi. Nevils goes on to say that their encounters continued for long after the Olympics.
“Lauer’s position of authority – over both her and her boyfriend, whose brother worked for Lauer, made her feel unable to say no,” said Farrow. “…[S]he also said she lived in terror of Lauer jeopardizing her career and that the encounters caused anguish and shame that she eventually prompted her to break up with her boyfriend.”
Farrow reveals that NBC News wanted Nevils to stay silent and even paid her to do so. Her coming forward with her story was a brave choice for her to make.
After all this information went public, Lauer released a three-page statement to victim shame Nevils. In his statement, he denies the claims that Nevils makes and says that his silence was a mistake. He says, “Each act was mutual and completely consensual.”
While he admits to what he calls their “affair,” he seems to completely miss the point where Nevils says she was afraid of him which is why she went along with it in the first place.
Many people, like Megyn Kelly, former talk show host on NBC, who also broke her silence on the sexual harassment that Lauer put her through, are upset at the fact that NBC wanted to silence the victims in the first place and are encouraging others to go against the payout and speak up.
“If the Weinstein accusers hadn’t talked to you, I never would’ve said a word,” said Nevils to Farrow in the book.
Many people, as well as her former coworkers have showed support for Nevils since going public about her story.
Live on air, Gutherie vocalized her support for Nevils by saying, “I know it wasn’t easy for our colleague Brooke to come forward then; it’s not easy now. And we support her and any women who have come forward with claims.”
