What Annoyed Katie Couric The Most About Matt Lauer
The following article includes allegations of sexual harrassment.
Entertainment giant NBC went through a workplace harassment reckoning when it was revealed that longtime news anchor and "Today" co-host Matt Lauer had been sexually harassing his colleagues for years. It all started with former NBC News employee Brooke Nevil's complaint about Lauer from 2014, which ended up opening a Pandora's box of complaints and accounts from other people that he'd worked with during his 20-year tenure there, reported Variety.
Lauer was fired from NBC in 2017. "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," NBC News chief Andy Lack said in a statement (via Variety). "As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."
And it wasn't. Multiple people ended up recalling their own experiences with Lauer, with more than 10 accounts about the former co-host's inappropriate behavior, according to Variety. But what about Katie Couric? Did Lauer ever harass her? Read on to find out.
Katie Couric was a victim of Matt Lauer's sexual harassment
NBC made the decision to fire one of its longest-standing news anchors and "Today" co-host Matt Lauer in 2017 over several allegations of inappropriate conduct in the workplace. After an investigation, there were more than 10 accounts of Lauer's sexual harassment towards women co-workers, reported Variety. And, unfortunately, Katie Couric was a victim of his abuse.
During a "Plead the Fifth" segment on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live," host Andy Cohen asked Couric: "What is Matt's most annoying habit?" Her answer? He "pinches me on the ass a lot" (via Vulture). This was in 2012 after Couric had co-hosted "Today" with Lauer for 15 years. This was a sign then that the work environment at NBC was not okay, but it wouldn't be until 2017 that it all came to a head. While she might not have made a complaint then, let's hope that Couric has gotten some justice now that her former colleague has been fired for his behavior.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).