Inside Matt Lauer's Life Today Since The Huge Today Show Scandal
For over two decades, Matt Lauer was a familiar face on morning television. The former news anchor served as a co-host on the "Today" show, and was such a prominent presence that many viewers thought he would never leave the show. Lauer started on "Today" as a news anchor in 1994 and got promoted as a co-host of the morning show in 1997. During his career at NBC, Lauer interviewed numerous high-profile politicians and celebrities while gaining a reputation for being a reliable journalist that viewers could trust to deliver the latest headlines as they woke up in the morning, as Britannica notes.
However, Lauer's reputation shattered when it was revealed that he had been fired for "inappropriate sexual behavior" towards an NBC colleague on November 29, 2017. His former co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb announced his firing on the show that morning, saying they were "heartbroken" by the allegations, according to Time. Lauer's firing shocked audiences and sparked serious discussions about sexual harassment and its consequences in the workplace across the country.
Lauer, for his part, has repeatedly denied accusations of sexual misconduct in the workplace and has laid low for the past few years. His reclusiveness has sparked interest about his personal life and what he has been doing since the scandal broke.
Matt Lauer has 'lost a lot of friends' since his Today Show scandal
Life now seems to be not too sweet for Matt Lauer, who was fired from NBC's "Today" show four years ago. The former TV personality has reportedly "lost a lot of friends" and prefers to spend time alone, according to People. "People would check up on him for a while, but that's stopped to a degree," a source explained. "He just stays to himself, he doesn't really reach out to people very much anymore or engage them and so he's been losing touch with a lot of people." Although Lauer has kept a lowkey lifestyle and friends circle, he is selective about who he chooses to interact with. "He only wants to talk to people who are gonna take his side," the insider continued. "He still feels like he got railroaded."
The outlet also reported that Lauer — who was once worth $100 million, per Insider — had to make changes to his exorbitant lifestyle. "When he left the 'Today' show, he didn't get paid a penny after he got fired," the source added. "NBC stuck with that. He's presumably sitting on mountains of money but then again, he had a lot of money in real estate."
While Lauer has had to adjust to his new life, he also seemingly found a partner during his time of turmoil. In 2019, Page Six reported that Lauer was dating marketing and public relations executive Shamin Abas.
What is going on with Matt Lauer's ex wife?
And while there's no doubt that Matt Lauer has certainly tried to move on in his life after his scandal, it hasn't been very easy for his ex-wife Annette Roque. The former Dutch model reportedly went through "hell" in her marriage to Lauer. According to Us Weekly, their union might have already been at a breaking point before his controversial behavior even made headlines. "She stayed for Matt's career — and, more important, for their kids," one source alleged. "There were cracks in the marriage from very early on. Matt has always been a ladies' man, and there were affairs in the beginning."
But it was the last five years of their marriage that seemed to be the worst for Roque. And while she's mostly kept a very low profile after Lauer was given the ax from the "Today Show," one social event that she attended at the Hamptons during the summer of 2021 must have made things very awkward for her.
Matt Lauer had an awkward run-in with his ex
According to Page Six, Annette Roque must have wished that she was anywhere but an outdoor event at the Hamptons back in August. That's because her ex-husband Matt Lauer was here with his new girlfriend Shamin Abas. Sources said that even though Roque was only a few feet away from her ex and the new love in his life, she mostly kept to herself while trying to avoid any and all eye contact with the former morning television show host.
For the most part, Roque has focused on living a life that is as private as possible with the three children that she shares with Lauer: Jack, Romy, and Thijs. And while Roque has not made any comments about her divorce, nor has she done any interviews after Lauer's firing, when asked about her ex-husband's misconduct, her lawyer did tell People in a statement back in 2019, "In response to your inquiry, our client has asked us to tell you that now that the parties are officially divorced, her priority and only concern is for their wonderful children."