Celeb Reactions To The Matt Lauer Firing
The staff at the TODAY show was visibly rattled on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, when they reported to the world that their colleague of many years, Matt Lauer, had been fired suddenly amid allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct.
Of course, the bombshell news sent shockwaves well beyond Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza. In the seconds, minutes, hours and days that passed, it appeared that everyone had something to say about Lauer's scandalous departure, especially those in Hollywood. Here were the biggest reactions from some of Tinsel Town's biggest names.
Chrissy Tiegen
In true form, model-TV personality Chrissy Teigen took a humorous angle to the rather sensitive topic, tweeting, "An SNL sketch where the reporters report on their own sexual misconduct and firings but they don't know it until live prompter."
Honestly, the quip is so spot-on, we wouldn't be surprised if it actually made it into the show.
Bette Midler
Also searching for humor in the situation was The Divine Miss M herself, whose tweet about Lauer came with a mix of laughs and understandable frustration, given the rampant number of allegations that have been floating around this year.
"Matt? Lauer? You're joking? Right? Men have dropped their...oh, what's the use," she wrote.
Incidentally, in the wake of the news about Lauer, an interview from 1991 made the rounds in which Midler flat-out accused Geraldo Rivera of groping her in the '70s. Hence, the frustration.
Rose McGowan
Others took to the news with anger and determination. Included on that list: actress Rose McGowan, who has been one of the central figures in the sexual harassment allegations against disgraced studio mogul Harvey Weinstein.
"Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Matt Lauer," McGowan tweeted.
Kathy Griffin
Also voicing her anger was Kathy Griffin, the comedian who has allegedly been blacklisted by Hollywood since she posed for a photo in which she held the decapitated head of President Donald J. Trump.
"Matt Lauer has been on my list for a while," Griffin wrote. "It's really too bad more Americans don't come to my shows. I pretty much recite the list in every show. Haha. I told you, my memory is long, my friends. I've been around a long time ..."
Griffin has been outspoken about numerous celebrities since her controversial scandal. Others have included Andy Cohen, whom she accused of misogyny and doing drugs.
Padma Lakshmi
Top Chef beauty Padma Lakshmi was in the group of those who were genuinely shocked by the Lauer allegations — and for good reason. That same morning, she was scheduled to appear in a cooking segment with Lauer on Today.
"I must say that in all the many years I have been on the [Today show], I have only experienced a warm, cordial and respectful environment," Lakshmi wrote on Instagram. "When I walked into 30 Rock it felt like someone had died."
Olivia Munn
Meanwhile, actress Olivia Munn — who herself made the news in recent months after she accused director Brett Ratner of sexual harassment — offered a more hopeful take on the revelations about Lauer.
"For those who never knew how bad the abuse of power has been there's understandable shock & horror [with] every new story," Munn tweeted. "But for those of us who've had to endure it & been punished or humiliated for speaking up, this day of reckoning is a blessing. Today we matter & I'm so grateful."
Donald Trump
Naturally, perennial tweeter Donald J. Trump couldn't let a scandal in the media go by without expressing his opinion, particularly when it offers him to bring up so-called "fake news."
"Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for 'inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace,'" the President tweeted at one point. "But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out [NBC News Chairman] Andy Lack's past!"
Yvette Nicole Brown
Trump's tweets didn't sit well with certain members in Hollywood who were quick to remember that he, too, has been accused of sexual harassment multiple times in the past.
"Sad to realize that entertainment companies like CBS and NBC have a higher standard for conduct than a lot of the voters in America," former Community star Yvette Nicole Brown tweeted.
Rosie Perez
Also having none of Trump's tweets was Oscar nominee and former View co-host Rosie Perez, who tweeted, "Wow! #mattlauer fired over alleged #inappropriate #sexualbehavior! Yet how do we 'reconcile' with the fact that #Trump is still #POTUS?!"